About Kedarnath — The Sacred Himalayan Dham of Lord Shiva

Kedarnath is not simply a temple; for millions of devotees it is the very heart of Shiva bhakti in the Himalayas. The town sits in a high glacial valley of the Mandakini river, ringed by snow-covered peaks including the Kedarnath massif, in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.

Where is Kedarnath?

The temple stands at an altitude of approximately 3,583 metres (about 11,755 feet). The nearest motorable point is Gaurikund, from where pilgrims trek uphill through the mountains to reach the shrine. The region lies within the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary area and close to the Chorabari Glacier, the source of the Mandakini.

Why is Kedarnath sacred?

Kedarnath is revered on three great axes of Shaiva tradition:

• Jyotirlinga: It is counted among the twelve Jyotirlingas — the most sacred abodes of Shiva, where he is worshipped as a pillar of divine light.
• Panch Kedar: It is the highest and most prominent of the five Kedar temples of Garhwal, connected by tradition with the Pandavas of the Mahabharata.
• Char Dham: Together with Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, it forms the Char Dham of Uttarakhand (the "Chhota Char Dham"), a pilgrimage circuit revived in tradition by Adi Shankaracharya.

The deity and the temple

Unlike most Shiva temples with an anthropomorphic lingam, Kedarnath worships a natural, roughly triangular rock formation revered as the hump of the divine bull — the form Shiva took, by tradition, when the Pandavas sought him here. The temple itself is a massive stone structure built in the North Indian Himalayan style, with large interlocking stone slabs that have withstood centuries of extreme weather.

Season and winter seat

Because the valley is buried under deep snow in winter, the temple opens only for about six months each year — traditionally from April/May (Akshaya Tritiya period) to October/November (around Bhai Dooj, after Diwali). When the kapat (doors) close, the utsava murti (processional deity) is carried in procession to Ukhimath, where worship continues through winter. Exact dates are announced every year by the temple authorities — see the opening and closing dates page.

Planning a visit

A Kedarnath yatra typically requires 3–5 days from Haridwar or Rishikesh, including road travel to Sonprayag/Gaurikund, the trek, darshan and return. Registration through the official Uttarakhand yatra portal is required. Read the complete Kedarnath Yatra Guide to plan step by step.

Sources & Further Information

• Official Source: Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC)
• Official Source: Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board
• Religious tradition: Shiva Purana, Kedar Khanda (Skanda Purana)

Historical and religious traditions are presented as tradition; current official information is labelled with its source and verification date.