Today at this temple
Quick facts
- Primary deity
- Shiva
- Tradition
- shaiva
- Year founded
- 8th century
- Founder
- Traditional: Pandavas (Mahabharata); revived by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century; current structure extensively rebuilt by Adi Shankara and later patronised by the kings of Garhwal
- Managing trust
- Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board)
- Daily footfall
- Seasonal (Apr-Nov only); 15,000-25,000 daily peak season; ~20 lakh annual pilgrims
- Photography
- outside_only
- Non-Hindu policy
- all_welcome
- Dress code
- Warm traditional attire (Himalayan cold; temperature 5-15°C even in summer, sub-zero overnight). Leather permitted (unavoidable for hiking boots). No mobile phones or cameras inside sanctum.
- Accessibility
- —
- VIP darshan
- ✓
- Typical visit
- 60–180 min
Sthala Purana — the story
The Mahabharata and Skanda Purana narrate that after the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas — burdened by the paap of fratricide — sought Shiva's darshan to obtain absolution. Shiva, unwilling to grant them darshan, disguised himself as a bull and hid among the cattle of Guptkashi. When Bhima recognised the bull and caught it, Shiva dove into the earth — his five body parts emerging separately at five Himalayan sites, the Panch Kedar. Kedarnath (the hump) is the most famous; Madhyamaheshwar (the navel), Tungnath (the arms), Rudranath (the face), and Kalpeshwar (the matted hair) complete the circuit. Shankara revived Kedarnath worship in the 8th century and is said to have attained samadhi near the temple. The Kedareshwar is uniquely anointed with ghee daily — the Pandavas' first offering after their absolution. The temple's survival through a millennium of Himalayan weathering without mortar, and through the 2013 flood disaster that wiped out the surrounding valley, is seen as proof of Shiva's continued presence at this site.
References: Shiva Purana Koti Rudra Samhita, Jyotirlinga enumeration · Skanda Purana Kedarkhanda · Mahabharata Svargarohana Parva · Shankara Digvijaya Kedarnath samadhi narrative
Darshan & aartis
- 04:00Maha Abhishek60 min · Pre-dawn ghee abhishekam on the svayambhu rock linga; the signature Kedarnath ritual. Ticketed (₹1100) and limited slots — book weeks ahead.
- 06:30Morning Aarti30 min · General morning aarti; open to all pilgrims
- 11:30Madhyanha Bhog30 min · Noon bhog offering; sanctum closes briefly after
- 18:00Sandhya Aarti45 min · Evening aarti with deep aradhana; spectacular against the darkening Kedarnath peak
- 20:30Shayan Aarti30 min · Final night aarti; sanctum closes at 21:00
Plan your visit
Jolly Grant (DED), Dehradun — 245 km, 10 hr by taxi to Gaurikund; Phata/Guptkashi helipads serve the final 22 min flight to Kedarnath
Rishikesh (225 km, 10-12 hr by taxi to Gaurikund); Haridwar (250 km)
Parking at Gaurikund and Sonprayag — vehicles not permitted beyond Sonprayag. 16 km trek from Gaurikund to temple; helicopter services from Phata/Guptkashi/Sersi are the primary alternative.
✓
GMVN Tourist Rest House, Kedarnath (0.2 km) · Punjab Sindh Awas (tent accommodation) (0.5 km) · The Hillock Resort, Guptkashi (45 km) · Kedar Valley Camp, Gaurikund (16 km)
Temple prasad (bhabhra, rock sugar) · GMVN Bhojnalaya Kedarnath · Bharat Seva Ashram Annakshetra · Local chai and aloo-parantha stalls
Temple open only May-Oct (approximate). Best window: mid-May to end of June, then mid-September to mid-October. Avoid July-August monsoon (frequent landslides, 2013 flood occurred in June). Book helicopter 60+ days in advance — slots sell out. Char Dham registration mandatory. For fit yatris, the 16 km Gaurikund trek (one-way, 8-10 hours) is more spiritually rewarding than helicopter. Overnight at Kedarnath village (not day trip) is recommended to attend the morning Maha Abhishek at 4 AM.
- Heavy down jacket (temperature 5-15°C day, sub-zero night even in peak season)
- Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support
- Rain poncho (monsoon-like showers possible even in season)
- Diamox / altitude-sickness medication (consult doctor before travel)
- ID proof for Char Dham registration and helicopter boarding
- Walking stick (rentable at Gaurikund ₹50-100)
- Torch and power bank (limited electricity)
- Medical kit — basic cold/altitude meds, bandages, ORS
- Ghee offering (250g or 500g pack, available locally) for the Maha Abhishek
- Warm thermals, gloves, woollen cap
Gallery & media
Deity & iconography
- Vahana
- Nandi (in the outer mandapa, facing the sanctum)
- Adornments
- Daily abhishekam with ghee, milk, Ganga jal; silver-embossed sanctum doors; traditional rudraksha-mala and bilva
- Consorts on panel
- Parvati (adjacent Bhairavnath shrine a short walk away); the Kedareshwar linga-panchakala includes Madhyamaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath, and Kalpeshwar — the Panch Kedar
- Favored bhoga
- Ghee (pure clarified butter is the signature abhishekam) · bilva patra · dhatura · Ganga jal
- Mantras chanted here
- Om Namah Shivaya · Mahamrityunjaya Mantra · Kedara Stotram · Rudrashtadhyayi
- Worship purpose
- Reconciliation for grave sins (the Pandavas came to Kedarnath for prayaschitta after Kurukshetra); moksha through tapasya at high altitude
Architecture & art
The Kedarnath temple is constructed from massive interlocked stone slabs without mortar — a technique that has allowed the structure to withstand 1200+ years of Himalayan weather, glacial pressure, and the 2013 floods. The three-part plan (garbhagriha, madhyapura, sabhapura) is characteristic of North Indian hill-temple architecture. The Bhim Shila boulder behind the temple — which diverted the 2013 debris flow and saved the sanctum — is now venerated as part of the kshetra. The temple faces south; the Mandakini valley opens to the south, with the Kedarnath peak rising to the north directly behind the sanctum. The pilgrim walk from Gaurikund is 16 km; alternatives include pony, palki, and helicopter from Phata or Guptkashi.
- Style
- North Indian hill-temple Katyuri / Garhwal regional style; dressed stone slabs joined without mortar — a technique that has allowed the structure to survive 1200+ years of Himalayan weathering
- Shikhara height
- 24 m
- Built of
- Massive grey-stone slabs interlocked without mortar; three-part structure (garbhagriha, madhyapura, sabhapura); the rear protective boulder Bhim Shila (which famously saved the temple during the 2013 floods) is a later addition
- Notable features
- Surviving 1200+ years at 3584 m altitude without mortar joins · Bhim Shila boulder that deflected debris during 2013 floods, saving the temple from destruction · Pandava statues in the mandapa · view of the Kedarnath peak (6940 m) rising directly behind the sanctum
- Protection status
- asi_protected
History timeline
- Mahabharata era (traditional)
After the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas — seeking absolution for the sins of fratricide — are said to have pursued Shiva to this remote Himalayan site. Shiva, reluctant to grant darshan, took the form of a bull (Nandi) and hid. When caught by Bhima, the bull dove into the ground; his five body parts surfaced at the five Panch Kedar sites, the hump appearing at Kedarnath. The Pandavas worshipped at each site and attained absolution.
- 8th century
Adi Shankara visits Kedarnath at the end of his life and is said to have attained samadhi here (some traditions place his samadhi at Kanchipuram instead). Shankara's revival of Kedarnath worship and the institution of a Rawal (head priest) lineage continues to this day — the Rawal is traditionally a Lingayat Veer Shaiva from Karnataka, a Shankara institution.
- 1076-1099
Historical reconstruction by King Bhoj of the Malwa Parmar dynasty; the architecture seen today dates substantially to this era.
- 13th-18th century
Patronage from Garhwal kings; continued maintenance through the medieval period despite political shifts. Kedarnath's inaccessibility (no road until 20th century) protects it from invasion.
- 2013
On 16-17 June 2013, a glacial lake outburst flood and cloudburst devastate the Mandakini valley. The Kedarnath shrine itself is miraculously spared — a massive boulder (now venerated as Bhim Shila) lodged behind the temple deflected the debris flow. Over 5,000 pilgrims perish in the wider disaster; the temple reopens a year later after extensive restoration work.
- 2023
The Kedarnath reconstruction master plan completes — rebuilt pilgrim village, enlarged aarti platform, helipad, and improved queue infrastructure. Heli-darshan services from Phata and Guptkashi now carry a significant share of annual pilgrim traffic.
- Annual cycle
Kapat (temple doors) open on Akshaya Tritiya (April-May) and close on Bhai Dooj (Oct-Nov) — the six-month winter closure during which worship is transferred to Ukhimath. The opening ceremony is one of the most sacred Himalayan events of the year.
Special phenomena
The Bhim Shila
During the June 2013 cloudburst and glacial lake outburst, a massive boulder lodged itself against the rear of the temple just hours before the main debris flow arrived — deflecting the flood around the sanctum. The temple survived; the boulder is now known as Bhim Shila and worshipped as Shiva's protection.
Six-month kapat cycle
Kedarnath's doors open on Akshaya Tritiya (Apr-May) and close on Bhai Dooj (Oct-Nov). For the six-month winter, the deity is formally relocated to Ukhimath (the winter seat) where worship continues without interruption. The opening ceremony is one of the most sacred Himalayan events of the year.
Ghee abhishekam
Kedarnath is the only Jyotirlinga where pure ghee is the primary abhishekam offering — a tradition traced to the Pandavas' first worship. The natural rock linga has absorbed ghee layers over a millennium.
Poojas & sevas offered here
No bookable poojas listed yet
Festivals & signature events
- SignatureMahashivratriAnnual
Location & nearby temples
- Madhyamaheshwar Temple18.0 km · Madhyamaheshwar
Scriptural references
- Shiva Purana
- Koti Rudra Samhita, Jyotirlinga enumeration
- Skanda Purana
- Kedarkhanda
- Mahabharata
- Svargarohana Parva
- Shankara Digvijaya
- Kedarnath samadhi narrative
Sources & credits
✓ Verified by 2026-04-24. Seeded from training knowledge + source JSON + BKTC/Uttarakhand Tourism/Wikipedia references. Pandit review pending for: current aarti timings (verify against BKTC schedule; timings shift slightly by season), helicopter fare bands (highly variable), Maha Abhishek ticket pricing, kapat open/close dates (set by priests each year). Shikhara height 24 m is widely cited but approximate. Video metadata intentionally empty.