Kedarnath, which is regarded as one of the world’s most religious places , the most spiritual culture centre in India, is popular for its intriguing beauty. Kedarnath which comes under the twelve Jyotirling is situated in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.
Situated at the altitude of 3586 mts. With the magnificent river of Mandakini lies the mountain cap of Himalaya. Kedar is the other name of Lord Shiva which means The Protector and The destroyer.
In Hinduism it is one of the biggest unwavering beliefs for the Lord Shiva and kedarnath temple. With its beauty it holds a beautiful significance, its history has links to many legends, mythology and stories as well. It is believed that after the great war of Mahabharat Pandavas have won the war, they decided to seek Lord Shiva to serve as a penance for their deeds.
Eventually, they find out that Lord Shiva disguised as a bull and went after it. After chasing the bull in the Himalaya, the bull disappeared. Along the way, Bheem – one of the Pandavas, got a hold on the hump of the bull and got his hold. The hump remained at that very spot and the bull sank into the earth. Thus, the hump is known as the Lingam of the temple.
Different parts of the bull appeared in the different locations which are known to be Panch Kedars of Uttarakhand.
Witnessing their devotion Lord Shiva absolved them and Pandavas built Kedarnath Temple there. The other legends go by the names of Nar and Narayan who once asked Lord Shiva to dwell on the Earth, as a boon to their long meditation.
1. Vasuki Tal
According to the Legends Lord Vishnu Bathed in the Tal during Raksha Bandhan.The Chaukhambha peaks are also clearly visible from the Vasuki tal. It is located in kedarnath wildlife sanctuary (8km from kedarnath or 24 km from gaurikund).
The tal from where one can witness the beautiful glaciers and camps towering the Himalayan peaks like mount Shivalik. The trek is almost 4800 mts where the temperature varies accordingly. The trek in itself covers various challenging glaciers and boulders which make it equally thrilling and challenging as well. The famous peaks like Shivling, Thalaya Sagar, Meru and Bhagirathi 1,2,3 are also visible from here. The trail of Vasuki Tal Trek goes through Gaumukh, the ultimate source of the mighty river Gange and Tapovan.
2. Sonparyag
With the beautiful mountain ranges, gigantic alpine trees, enlarged mystical rivers, sonprayag is located in the way of Kedarnath Dham. The raw beauty makes it more and more appealing and spiritually awakening as well. This town is also known as the Chota Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand’s state. The two rivers merge beautifully here Mandakini River and The Basuki River. Upto the elevation of 1829 mts the weather remains pleasant all time. Both the rivers are holy and sacred in the Hinduism Religion.
According to the saints it is said that all the evils can go away to find Moksha(Salvation) in this place.Apart from the temple beauty it is also famous for the Overwhelming Alpine and snowflake mountains, the ethereal rivers , rich forests and greenery all covered in Green. It is also known for adventurous activities.
The trek to Kedarnath starts from Sonparyag which is only 22 km away. Either one can choose between to trek to Sonparyag or to hire a taxi to reachGaurikund. The trek contains captivating huge Meadows, and rivers covered in snow. Sonparayg had the facilities of various helicopter assistance and service booths.
3. Bhairavnath Temple
The Bhairavnath Temple is regarded as one of the Holy Towns of Kedarnath, in uttarakhand. The temple is named after Lord Bhairav, an idol of Lord Shiva. This temple is located about a half kilometre from the Kedarnath Temple and is popularly known for its beautiful scenic view. At an altitude of 3400 metres above sea level, it captures the unrealistic beauty of the snow-capped Himalayan Mountain and Chaukambha Parvat.
The Temple is like a small stone or a shikara (stone like) with a wooden door. The idols are made up of brass statues, which are decorated with the flowers and garlands by the devotees. The devotees also give their offering and pray to them. The temple also consists of a trishul which is also known for its mystical powers, also known to be as the weapon of Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Bhairav was created by Lord Shiva to protect the Kedarnath temple and also to safeguard the temple from all evil spirits and negative energies. It is also believed that Lord Bhairav had a significance in the flood of 2013 floods.
The Idol of Lord Bhairav is taken to Ukhimath and worshipped there in winters. The temple in itself holds a vast number of pilgrimages, about a hundred thousand every year. The rising sun and the sunset are the best times to visit the idol. On the auspicious days the special poojas and aartis are also performed. The temple is covered with breathtaking sceneries which offers a perfect place for atmosphere and blessing of Lord Shiva and Lord Bhairav.
Legend says that the temple is also known to be as Bhukund Bhairav temple situated on the eastern hills of the lofty Himalayas of uttarakhand. With a distance of approxmately 1.5 km from famous Kedarnath temple, this is the perfect destination for tourists to visit.
Baba who is also known as Kshetrapal(the guardian) of the kedarnath temple. It is believed that the baba is famous for his Trishul(trident) and for his vahan(vehicle) , a dog. The idols are called to be the Kshetrapal or the Guardian of the Region. The deity protects the temple during winters as well as the whole kedarnath valley. Historically it is evident that before worshipping the Lord Kedarnath Bhukund Bhairav is worshipped. Bhukund Baba is also considered the First Rawal of Baba Kedar. In the month of May to November it is open.
4.Tungnath Temple
The Tungnath Temple is one of the Panch Kedars situated in the Mountain Ranges of the Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand. At an altitude of about 3680 mts.above the sea level, this is regarded as one of the highest Shiva temples. The most significant about the temple is that it is ranked as (third) kedar among the renowned panch kedars.
With its breathtaking scenic view of the Garhwal Himalayas, Tungnath Temple is the nearest to its path. The temple is one of the parts of the famous Chopta Tungnath Trek, which is famous for its overwhelming beauty and unrealistic beauty.
The most prominent tourists we can witness are the hikers and the trekkers who have a spirit of adventuring. Tungnath Chandrashila trek lies in the Himalayan Region of Uttarakhand the trek in itself covers the most beautiful places like Chopta, Deoriyatal and Tungnath Shiva Temple. Chandrashila peak(400m) is one of the most interesting and attractive destinations for tourists. Chopta which is known for the Small Hill Stations is covered with the Meadows and Evergreen forests with treks and camping .
The other masterpiece of this place is Deoriatal which is a beautiful lake situated 2000 mts above sea level. Deoriatal offers the reflection of pure water.
Chandrashila which is famously known as the Moon Peak above the Tungnath Temple about the elevation of 4000 mts. One can view the Himalayan Peaks summit point of Chandrashila peak namely as Mt. Nanda Devi, Chaukambha Parvat, Kedar Dome, Bandarpoonch etc.
The Temple is also known as the Switzerland of India. The trekking of the temple starts with the 3.5 km from Chopta with an unwavering steep ascent and challenging paths. Dense forests and Deep valleys are the amazing features of the trek making it the most desirable destination for all the tourists. Out of all the Panch Kedar it is regarded as the Second temple or the Kedar Khand, where the forelimbs of Lord Shiva are believed to have appeared and are worshipped as a Shivlinga.
The Tungnath Temple is related to the Mahabharata period and was historically constructed thousands of years ago. Later on, it was renovated multiple times by different kings and queens.
It is believed in the Hindu Mythology that it is supposed to be the place where marriage of Lord Shiva and daughter of king Himavant was performed. This temple is very famous for the Marriage purpose. The large number of tourists are the ones who came here for the blessing of their marriage ceremony. It is believed that a lot of people come here only for the purpose of hosting and blessing the marriage.
5. Triyuginarayan Temple
The Triyuginarayan Temple is also one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva. Popularly known as the Akhand Dhuni Mandir or the place where Lord Shiva and Goddesses Parvati got married in the presence of other deities. The temple is located at the Rudraprayag District near Kedarnath Temple.
The undiminishing fire inside the temple is the evidence of the Lord Shiva and Goddesses Parvati marriage. Its perpetual fire is the epitome of their first love marriage. The temple in itself holds a religious and mythical importance located in the religious Garhwal HImalayas. The temple has served as the centre of devotion, spirituality. Attracted by its spectacular beauty, architectural historians have liked it completely and since then it has been successful to attract tourists .
According to historians the temple was constructed by Adi Shankarcahraya in the eighth century. The temple is devoted to Lord Vishnu.the name “Triyuginarayan” indicates that the temple has been since three different yugas Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and the Dwapara Yuga.
At an altitude of about 6000 mts the temple surrounds itself with the tranquillity and the meditative silence which makes us more meditative and intrigued towards the beauty of the Temple. The snow covered terrain, lush valleys and the mountain water contributes to the beauty of the temple. The breathtaking beauty provides ground to the yogis and research scholars of their spiritual knowledge.
The temple is the testimony of the reunion of the Lord Shiva and Goddesses Parvati’s holy union. The Gaurikund in itself holds a beautiful significance as when maa Parvati did Penance before marrying Lord Shiva. To this union Lord Vishnu and the other deities witnessed their ceremony adding their blessing to the marriage.
