Char Dham Yatra – Kedarnath Temple 14/05/2019 – Posted in: Daily News

Char Dham Yatra- Kedarnath Temple

 

For: Preliminary
Topics covered: Char-Dham Yatra, Kedarnath temple- its significance

 

News Flash

Kedarnath temple opens for pilgrims.

  • A visit to the Kedarnath temple is an integral part of the famous Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. The yatra (pilgrimage) also includes visits to shrines like Gangotri, Yamunotri and Badrinath.
  • Char Dham Yatra is a major source of income for Uttarakhand’s tourism industry.
  • The Kedarnath temple closes on the first day of Kartik (Octover-November) and reopens in Vaishakh (April-May) every year.

 

Kedarnath Temple

  • The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, is said to be more than 1,200 years old.
  • It was built by Adi Shankaracharya and is among one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India.
  • Located at a height of nearly 3,500 meters above the sea level, the Kedarnath temple remains covered in snow for the most part of the year.
  • During winter, the deity is brought down to a village called Ukhimat and the temple is closed.
  • In summer, when the weather improves, the deity is carried back to the temple amid much fanfare and rituals.
  • The temple is built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut grey slabs of stones.
  • The Kedarnath temple has a Garbha Griha for worship and a Mandap, apt for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors.
  • A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.
  • The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas.
  • The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology.
  • Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard.
  • Kedarnath temple is built on the banks of Mandakini and the mythical Saraswati rivers.

 

Significance of Temple

According to legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, felt guilty of having killed their own kith and kin and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. He eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull.”

 

Char Dham Yatra

 

Chardham yatra

As per Hindu traditions, Char Dham Yatra opens the gates of salvation by washing away all the sins. The term Chardham is believed to be coined by Shri Adi Shankaracharya, which means four abodes of God or Holy Destinations.

  1. Yamunotri is dedicated to the Goddess ‘Yamuna’. Yamunotri stands high up in the deep left on the western face of the Bandarpunch Peak.
  2. Gangotri is dedicated to Goddess ‘Ganga’. The shrine overlooks the River Bhagirathi.
  3. Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is also a part of the Panch Kedar. It is the northern-most Jyotirlinga and is close to the source of the holy River Mandakini.
  4. Badrinath is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is situated on the bank of the River Alaknanda.

 

Source: India Today

 

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