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Places to Visit
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Kedarnath Temple
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The Kedarnath Temple is believed to have been built by the Pandavas and is almost
1000 years old. In the 8th century AD, it was refurbished by Adiguru Shankaracharya.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the idol is in the form of a pyramidal lingam. It is one
of the 12 jyotirlingas in the country and is revered highly. The statue of Nandi,
the divine bull of Shiva, stands at the entrance of the temple. During the winters,
the statue is carried to Ukhimath, and is reinstated in Kedarnath in the month of
May. The breathtaking view of the Kedardome peak behind the temple is a major attraction.
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Samadhi of Adiguru
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The Samadhi of Adiguru Shankaracharya is located just behind the temple and is the
final resting place of the saint. The Bhairavnath temple, situated to the south
of the main temple of Kedarnath, is dedicated to Lord Bhairav, the deity who guards
the main temple in winter when it is closed.
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Triyuginarayan
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Around 25 km from Kedarnath is Triyuginarayan, the mythological venue where the
wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati was solemnized. It is a short trek of 5 km from
Son Prayag. An eternal flame, which is said to have been witness to the marriage,
burns in front of the temple even today.
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Gupt Kashi
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At a distance of 49 km is Gupt Kashi, which is famous for its temples of Ardhnarishwar
and Vishwanath. Ukhimath, at a distance of 60 km, is the winter home of the deity
of Kedarnath and the Rawal (head priest) of the temple. Agastmuni, at a distance
of 73, km has a temple dedicated to sage Agastya.
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Chandrashila
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Chandrashila (93 km) is a beautiful peak providing a captivating view of the other
snow-clad peaks. The trek from Tungnath to Chandrashila offers a rare sight of the
rhododendron forests and the alpine meadows. Deoria Tal is 2 km from Chopta-Ukhimath
Road. This beautiful lake is at an altitude of 2438 m and gives a scenic view of
the neighboring snow-capped peaks. This land is an ideal place for angling and bird
watching.
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Panch Kedar
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Panch Kedar sites are located in the vicinity of Kedarnath. Madmaheshwar, where
the navel (nabhi) of Shiva fell, is at a distance of 74 km from Kedarnath, at a
height of 3289 m. Tungnath (90 km) is perched at an altitude of 3680 m. Here Lord
Shiva is worshipped in the form of his arms (bahu). Rudranath (142 km), at a height
of 2286 meters, is a very important pilgrim spot and Shiva's face is worshipped
here. Kapleshwar (160 km) is at an altitude of 2134 meters and Shiva's locks
are worshipped here.
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How to Get To Kedarnath
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By Air:
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The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, at a distance of 251 km from Kedarnath.
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By Rail:
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The nearest railheads are Rishikesh (234 km) and Kotdwar (260 km), from where one
can find trains to Dehradun.
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By Road:
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Kedarnath is approachable by road from all important places of the Garhwal hills-Rishikesh,
Kotdwar, Dehradun, Haridwar, Badrinath and Gangotri. We would provide you all India
tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the intercity
drives too.
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