Kedarnath
In Uttarakhand, Chardham route attracts thousands of tourists and pilgrims. Kedarnath is the popular holy Hindu town located at a height of 3584 meter above sea level near Mandakini River. During your travel to the beautiful state Uttarakhand, you will never miss a chance to visit Kedarnath. If you want to experience Hindu divinity at its best, Kedarnath is the best place to visit.
The town of Kedarnath falls under Garwhal region of Himalayan ranges. Kedarnath temple lies amidst the snow-capped mountains of Himalaya and thronged by thousands of tourists each year. It is one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and there are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Shiva in this town. One can reach Kedarnath only after trekking 16 km from Gaurikund through a smooth road. It is a steep path that can be covered by horses or ponies.
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering has revived the beautiful town to its earlier magnificence. The new trekking path is now from the right side of the valley that can be reached by crossing a bridge at Rambada. Sheds are built at every one kilometer of distance so that pilgrims can rest during trekking.
According to Hindu mythology, Pandavas built the Kedarnath temple after Mahabharata war. The Pandvas went on an anonymous journey there to beg mercy from Lord Shiva. After failing several times, Bheem was able to find Lord Shiva who has converted in Bull to hide from Pandavas. Bhima tried to catch him and hit its rear part. The injured bull was immersed on the earth and his body parts appeared at different places. It’s believed that the real part of the bull appeared at Kedarnath from which a Jyotirlinga appeared. Then Lord Shiva blessed Pandavas and told them that from now onwards, he will be presented here in the form of triangular shaped Linga and by paying obeisance at this place, devotees would achieve piousness.
Kedarnath is famous for the temple and Char Dham Yatra, and can be reached via roads. Finding appropriate accommodation is easy and cheap dharamshalas are also available here.
There are a number of sightseeing options in Kedarnath for pilgrims and tourists. Travelers can spend their leisure time with family and friends to merge themselves in divinity. Some of the popular places to see in Kedarnath are:
- Gandhi Sarovar
- Sonparyag
- Phata
- Chandrapuri
- Vasuki tal
- Kalimath
- Shankaracharya Samadhi
- Gaurikund
Being a popular Hindu pilgrimage, reaching Kedarnath is very easy as it is connected via motorable roads from different parts of the country. Get in touch with Ganga Valley Adventure, if you are planning to travel this holy town.
Reaching Kedarnath By Air: If you prefer your travel by air, first you can reach at Jolly Grant airport from the national capital Delhi and then you can hire a cab or taxi for Kedarnath by road which is 239 km away. Regular flights are available from Delhi for Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun.
Reaching Kedarnath By Road: If you prefer to travel Kedarnath by road, you will see it can be reached easily. To reach the shrine, you have to first travel Gaurikund and then take a trek of 14 Km to reach the shrine. Gaurikund has good connections with major cities of the state like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun etc.
Reaching Kedarnath By Train: You have to reach Rishikesh, if you prefer your travel via rail. Rishikesh is the closest railway station that is well connected via different parts of the country. Kedarnath is 207 Km away from Rishikesh and from here one can easily get a private taxi.
If you are planning to travel Kedarnath, add some nearby places to your itinerary to remember it as a life-time experience. Plan a day or two days trip to these nearby places.
- Chopta
- Trijuginarayan Temple
- Rudraprayag
- Ukhimath