Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Mandir (Kedarnath Mandir) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva . It is located in the Gadwal Himalaya range near the Mandakini River in Kedarnath , Uttarakhand, India . Due to the extreme weather, this temple is open between the months of April and November (Kartika Purnima – Autumn Full Moon).
During winter, the idols (deities) of the Kedarnath temple are brought to the Ukhi Math and worshiped there for six months. Shiva is worshiped as Lord Kedarnath. The temple is not directly accessible by road and requires an uphill trek of about 18 kilometers (11 mi) from Gaurikunda.
It is believed that this structure was built in the 8th century when Adi Shankara visited. The present building is adjacent to the site where the Pandavas are believed to have built the temple.
Shiva appeared before Nara-Narayana when he went to Badrika village and started the Parthiva Puja. For the welfare of mankind, Nara-Narayana wanted Shiva to remain in his original form. Granting his wish at a place called Kedar in the snow-capped Himalayas, Maheshwar kept the flame there. Here, they are called Kedareshwar.
