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| Lord Siva Temple Kedarnath |
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| Kedarnath is a Hindu holy town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. About 3584m above sea level near the head of river Mandakini, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas, flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks the most remote of the four Char Dham sites. The Kedarnath Temple, holiest Hindu temples is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims from all over the world, one of the four major sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. |
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| Standing in the middle of a wide plateau Kedarnath is a majestic sight, surrounded by elevated snow covered peaks. In the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya the present temple was built, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. Various deities and scenes from mythology decorate the inner walls of the assembly hall. Nandi a large statue stands as guard outside the temple door si one of the attractions of the temple. |
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| A 1000 years old Kedarnath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is master piece of architecture. Built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut gray slabs of stones, it evokes wonder as to how these heavy slabs were handled in the earlier days. Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form, conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped.
Situated in the Uttar Kashi very close to the Indo-Chinese border, Kedarnath it is the source of the Mandakini River. The scenic locales of the Garhwal Himalayas at 3583 meters above sea level are the great gift to nature lovers. In the winters with the ground being covered with snow the temperature may reach below zero. In the summers the temperature is maintained at moderate level. During the monsoons the place experiences about 150 cm of rainfall. Between May and October is the best time to visit. Madhyamaheshwar, Tunganath, Kalpeshwar and Rudranath are the four other kedars.
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| According to puranas, after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas, sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. He eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed he dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations. The arms appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madhmaheshwar and his locks (hair) with head at Kalpeshwar. Kedarnath and the four above mentioned shrines are treated as Panch Kedar. |
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| Legend has it that when the Pandavas sought penance following the great war of the Mahabharata they came in search of Lord Shiva. Arriving at this site they found that Shiva had elusively taken the form of a bull. Bhim the strongest of the Pandavas went after Shiva who dived deep into the ground. Only Shiva's tail was left in Bhim's hand. This spot is known as the Kedarnath and is also considered the main Kedar. The rest of Shiva's body emerged at four other places in Garhwal - Tunganath, Madhyamaheshwar, Kalpeshwar and Rudranath. |
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| Kedarnath is near to Rishikesh (234 km) and Dehradun (250 km). |
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| Accessibility |
Airport
Jolly Grant, Dehradun (251 kms.)
Rail
Rishikesh (234 kms.)
Kotdwar (260 kms.)
Road
Approachable on foot from Gaurikund, which is connected by road to Rishikesh, Kotwar, Dehradun, Haridwar and other important hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon region. |
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