Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

Kedarnath, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand

About

Kedarnath is the eleventh jyotirlinga in the order of the stotra. It stands in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, near the river Mandakini, more than 3,500 metres above sea level. It is the highest of the twelve, one of the Chhota Char Dham of Uttarakhand and the first of the Panch Kedar. The linga here is a natural, three-cornered rock, believed to be swayambhu. Because of snow, the temple opens only from about Akshaya Tritiya to Bhai Dooj; in winter Baba Kedar is worshipped at Ukhimath.

The story

The Shiv Puran tells that the sages Nar and Narayan did tapasya at Badrikashram in the Himalaya and worshipped a Shivling of earth every day. Pleased with their devotion, Shiv appeared and, at their prayer, stayed for ever on the Kedar peak of the Himalaya as a jyotirlinga.

A much-loved folk story links Kedarnath with the Pandavas. After the Mahabharat war, the Pandavas wished to ask Shiv's forgiveness for the lives lost in the war. Shiv did not want to meet them, so he took the form of a bull and hid among other cattle. Bhim recognised him and tried to hold him, and the bull began to sink into the earth. Shiv's form then appeared in five places: the hump at Kedarnath, the arms at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the navel at Madhyamaheshwar and the hair at Kalpeshwar. These are the Panch Kedar. Devotees still offer ghee on the linga here.

Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have revived the temple, and his samadhi shrine is behind it. In the 2013 floods a huge rock came to rest behind the temple and turned the water to both sides; devotees now worship it as Bhim Shila.

Visiting

The best months are May to June and September to October; heavy monsoon rain can close the roads. Vehicles go up to Gaurikund, and from there it is a climb of about 16 to 18 km. Carry warm clothes and rain gear in every season. Also visit the Bhairavnath temple on the ridge and the Shankaracharya samadhi.