KedarnathEmbark on a sacred pilgrimage, apart of the Char-Dham yatra, to thisbeautiful hill-town in Uttarakhand.Experience unexplored, captivatingviews of snow-clad mountains andbecome one with the tranquility ofnature in all its soothing glory.

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Associated with the Pandava legend fromthe Mahabharata, Kedarnath is famous as achar-dham yatra, or pilgrimage destinationfor Hindus. Set amidst the white, snowy,majestic mountains of the area, the entirearea is dotted with small and large temples,shrines and camps for devotees, all of whichhas a multitude of hues to Kedarnath'slandscape. Adventure seekers may not bedisappointed, for the rugged terrain of theplace offer exciting opportunities fortrekking and adventure sports.

Kedarnath Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/kedarnath page 1

When To

VISIThttp://www.ixigo.com/weather-in-kedarnath-lp-1143783

JanCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max: 20.2°C Min: 6.8°C Rain: 43.6mm

FebCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen,umbrella.Max: 22.8°C Min: 9.4°C Rain: 56.3mm

MarCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max: 27.4°C Min: 13.1°C Rain: 44.4mm

AprPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen.Max: 32.8°C Min: 17.6°C Rain: 33.2mm

MayPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 35.5°C Min: 21.3°C Rain: 59.7mm

JunPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 34.3°C Min: 23.2°C Rain: 209.9mm

JulPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 31.1°C Min: 23.6°C Rain: 617.5mm

Aug

Pleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 30.4°C Min: 23.1°C Rain: 613.7mm

SepPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen,umbrella.Max: 30.3°C Min: 21.3°C Rain: 242.3mm

OctPleasant weather. Carry Light woollen.Max: 29.1°C Min: 16.6°C Rain: 41.4mm

NovCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max: 25.8°C Min: 11.7°C Rain: 6.3mm

DecCold weather. Carry Heavy woollen.Max: 22.3°C Min: 7.9°C Rain: 7.6mm

What To

SEE5 Sights

http://www.ixigo.com/places-to-visit-see-in-kedarnath-lp-1143783

1 Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/kedarnath page 2

Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India

Kedarnath temple is one of the holiestHindu Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It isa part of theChota Char Dham Yatra, a pilgrimage circuitin the Himalayas, with stops at theBadrinath Temple, Kedarnath Temple,Gangotri (origin of river Ganga) andYamonotri (origin of Yamuna). Shiva isworshipped as Lord Kedarnath here.Kedarnath Temple remains closed from Kartik Purnima (in November) toAkshay Tritiya (April end). The temple also ispart of thePanch Kedar andPanch Prayag.

History

The original Kedarnath Temple is thought tobe built by the Pandavas because theywanted to do penance for killing theirrelatives. For centuries after that the templelay forgotten until in the 8th century AdiShankaracharya visited Kedarnath andestablished the present Kedarnath Templeadjacent to the original temple built by thePandavas. Shankaracharya is believed tohave attainedsamadhi here, A shrine dedicated to him liesclose to the temple. 

TempleThis is an ancient temple made up ofhuge stone slabs placed on a platform. It

stands on a plateau surrounded by theHimalayan mountains and glaciers, Thesteps leading up to the temple are inscribedin Pali. Kedarnath Temple has aGarbha Griha (inner shrine) and aMandapa (hall) in front. The Hall containsthe statues of the Pandava brothers,Krishna, a personal guard of Shiva andvehicles of Shiva and Veerabhadra. A statueof the Nandi Bull sits right across the innershrine. The inner shrine contains a roughlyconical shaped stone which is worshippedas theSadashiva form of Shiv. An unusual featurehere is the carving of a man's face on thisstone.

Rituals

There are 5 priests in the temple, whobecome the Head priest for a year's term ona rotation basis. Unlike other Hindutemples, the Head priest (Rawal) does notperform the rituals, instead his assistants dothe deed. All the mantras read during thevarious rituals are read in Kannada - apractice that has been followed for hundredof years. During the winters, the Kedarnathtemple is closed (November to April end)and the deity is moved to Ukhimath.

2 Tungnath Temple

Chopta Pokhari Road, Kyuri,Uttarakhand 246442, India

Built of solid granite slabs, the Tungnathtemple resembles the ancient templeof Bageshwar and Jageshwar. This temple isthe highest Shiva temples in the world,located at a height of 12,073 ft. TungnathTemple is believed to be more than a 1000years old and ranks 2nd amongst the five Panch Kedars.

The legend of Panch Kedar is associated with Pandava'ssearch for Lord Shiva to achieve penance forkilling their relatives in the battle ofMahabharata. Lord Shiva took the form of abull and hid from the Pandavas. On beingchased by them, he hid himself beneath theground and later 5 parts of the bull emergedat 5 different places - each becoming one ofthe holy Panch Kedars.

The temple is quite small and built in theNorth Indian architectural style - quitesimilar to that of Kedarnath Temple. Guarding the entranceis Shiva’s bull, Nandi. Images of thePandavas and Adi Shankaracharyagrace the sanctum sanctorum, whichcontains a foot high lingam. Outside,there are two smallertemples dedicated to Parvati and VedVyas. 

3 Sunset Point

Chopta Village, Uttarakhand, India

Want to treat yourself to unmatched viewsof the Chopta Valley? Well, don't think twicebefore coming to Sunset Point, which is theperfect spot to click some amazing views ofthe verdant valleys. The point is actually thebase point for interesting treks likeTungnath and Chandrashila and you canplan an overnight camp stay before youstart your adventure trip!

4 Deoriya Taal

Chopta, Uttarakhand, India

Kedarnath Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/kedarnath page 3

The lovely Deoriya Tal, which reflectsChaukhamba Peak in its placid waters, is ashort trek from Seri. In season (MayJune),villagers from Seri pitch tents here fortourists/ trekkers who wish to go angling orstay overnight. There’s a lot of trout here,but to go fishing you must have permissionfrom the DFO, Gopeshwar 

5 Anusuya Devi Temple

Chopta, Uttarakhand, India

Beginning at Mandal, the trek lends to thetemple of Goddess Anusuya, who blessesdevotees with children. A large fair is heldhere in December on Dattatreya Jayanti,when thousands come to worship thegoddess and keep a night-long vigil. Anhour’s walk ahead of the temple is theabode of Atri Muni, the husband ofAnusuya, located in a cave. There is anashram here.

Where To

Eat4 Places

http://www.ixigo.com/foods-in-of-kedarnath-lp-1143783

1 Mayadeep Restaurant

Mayadeep Resort, Chopta,Uttarakhand, India

Craving for some home cooked local food?Head to this in-house restaurant ofMayadeep Resort to gorge upon deliciousdishes. Don't expect much though, all youget here is local specialties prepared by theexpert chefs and we are sure you are goingto love the preparations that are brought toyour table! 

2 Snow View Restaurant

Snow View Resort, Chopta,Uttarakhand, India

Treat your taste buds to an array of cuisinesat the in-house restaurant of Snow ViewResort. You can dine here even if you arenot staying at the resort, all you have to dois to walk in, book a table and order yourfavourite food! Ask for local dishes and youwill be yearning for more!

3 Chauhan Guest House

Chauhan Guest House, Chopta,Uttarakhand, India

This small but clean restaurant will take careof your hunger pangs in the best possibleway! Don't expect much from here, orderthe local dishes which will be your best atthe restaurant. The food is nice and the staffhere will make sure you have a comfortabledining experience!

4 Moksha Cafe

Chopta Main market

8222909200

Kedarnath Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/kedarnath page 4

Quick

LOCATEhttp://www.ixigo.com/hotels-in-kedarnath-lp-1143783

SeeA: Kedarnath TempleB: Tungnath TempleC: Sunset PointD: Deoriya TaalE: Anusuya Devi Temple

AccommodationF: Himalayan ComfortsG: Shivalik Valley ResortsH: Kailash ResidencyI: Himalayan ComfortsJ: Shivalik Valley ResortsK: Kailash ResidencyL: Himalayan ComfortsM: Shivalik Valley ResortsN: Kailash Residency

FoodO: Mayadeep RestaurantP: Snow View RestaurantQ: Chauhan Guest HouseR: Moksha Cafe