Kedārnāth

Śiva as Lord of Kedāra · Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand

Kedārnāth is the highest of the Jyotirliṅgas, set below snow peaks near the source of the Mandākinī. It is also one of the Chota Char Dhām. The liṅga here is an irregular rock, worshipped as the hump of a bull.

The temple is reached by a long uphill trek from Gaurikund, or by pony, palanquin or helicopter. It opens around late April or May and closes around Bhāī Dūj in autumn; in winter Śiva is worshipped at Ukhīmaṭh. Behind the temple is a shrine remembered as Ādi Śaṅkara’s samādhi. Weather changes fast, so pilgrims should prepare for cold and register before travelling.

Tradition says that after the Kurukṣetra war the Pāṇḍavas sought Śiva’s forgiveness, but he avoided them and hid among cattle as a bull. When Bhīma recognised him, the bull sank into the earth; its hump remained at Kedārnāth, while other parts appeared at the four other Pañca Kedār shrines. Another tradition says the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa worshipped Śiva here.

Uttarakhand · Open ~May–Nov · Pañca Kedār · Chota Char Dhām

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