Uttarakhand is known as the land of God, or “Dev Bhoomi.” Most of the deities had spent some of the best times of their lives on earth in Uttarakhand. Among the thousands of temples in this state, Kedarnath Temple is one of the most famous. Kedarnath Yatra or Do Dham Yatra is a dream trip for almost every Hindu in India and abroad. So let’s discuss this magnificent temple in more detail.
About Kedarnath Temple:-
Tucked in the middle of the Himalayan ranges at an altitude of 3583 meters above sea level, This temple is surrounded by snow-capped mountains on three sides and a deep valley in the front. The creeping Mandakini River around the temple puts stars in the beauty of the temple. Every year, millions of pilgrims visit this place to take the blessing of Lord Shiva and admire the beauty of the place.
Mythological stories behind the origin of Kedarnath Temple:-
The exact date of origin of the Kedarnath temple is unknown to everyone, but as per the holy scriptures and folklore, it is said that the Kedarnath temple was constructed by Pandavas. So the legend goes like this:
After the war of the Mahabharata, Pandavas were guilty of killing their blood relatives in the war. So they went to Lord Krishna to seek advice on how to get rid of this guilt. Lord Krishna suggested they meet Lord Shiva, as he is the only person who can relieve them from this sin. So after handing over their kingdom to their descendants, they went to Kashi, thinking Lord Shiva would surely meet them there. But Lord Shiva was very angry with them due to the heavy bloodshed caused by the war. So he escaped from Kashi and went to a place now in Uttarakhand known as Guptkashi (as Lord Shiva opted for this place to hide himself after coming from Kashi, so this place got its name from Guptkashi). Maa Parvati had seen Lord Shiva and was flattered by him. He tried to allure him with her beauty, but she failed. She did penance for many years. Lord Shiva was pleased with her and proposed to her for marriage. Both the deities got married at the Triyuginarayan temple in the presence of Lord Brahma (the creator) as the head priest, Lord Vishnu as the brother of Maa Parvati, and other deities as the witnesses of the first love marriage on earth. Till then, Pandavas also reached Guptkashi, following him, so Lord Shiva again went to a small hamlet in the Himalayas known as Kedar. But the Pandavas were determined to meet him, so they went to Kedar village. But Lord Shiva was really angry with them and tried to disguise them by taking the form of a bull and getting mixed with other animals grazing nearby. Bhima (one of the Pandavas) recognized Lord Shiva, took a magnified form, kept both his legs on two mountain peaks nearby, and asked his brothers to pass each animal one by one beneath his legs. All the Pandavas started doing so; all the animals passed, but Lord Shiva, in the form of a bull, denied this as derogatory and started entering the earth. Bhima held him by his hump, and all the Pandavas requested that Lord Shiva pardon them. Lord Shiva was pleased with their request and worship and got turned into his original form. Five body parts of a bull appeared at five different locations now in Uttarakhand and are known as Panch Kedar. Hump stayed at Kedarnath and is being worshipped as the Shivlinga. Pandavas had constructed a temple around Shivlinga and requested that Lord Shiva stay there in the form of a linga.
Later on, it was reconstructed by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century, and then in the 10th and 11th centuries by Raja Bhoj of Madhya Pradesh.
Amazing facts about Kedarnath Temple:
Lord Shiva had amazed devotees and locals multiple times and gave proof of his presence in this region. Although this place has thousands of amazing stories and facts about Kedarnath Temple that can give you goosebumps, I am going to discuss some of the most famous and amazing facts about Kedarnath Temple.
1) Do you know that no mortar, soil, or any connecting material was used in the construction of this temple? Rock slabs are connected using the interconnecting technique, i.e., each rock is holding the other and protecting it from any movement. The matter of surprise here is how someone back in the 8th century could think about this most advanced technology.
2) The rocks used in this temple are not found anywhere around the temple and are even not present in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, or even Nepal or China. As per the archaeologists, it is believed that these rocks were transferred to this place from somewhere in Rajasthan. Just think about how these monstrous rocks were transferred from such a long distance to this high and inaccessible location without the use of any modern technology. It’s even impossible to imagine this back in the 8th century.
3) You must have heard about the devastation caused by the flood in 2013. That was the worst flood of the century that Uttarakhand had ever experienced. In these floods, thousands of devotees and locals lost their lives, and properties worth millions of dollars were washed away in the flood. But to everyone’s surprise, buildings built using modern technologies got devastated and fell like houses of cards. The Kedarnath temple, which was built 1200 years ago, came out unhurt. A cylindrical rock came rolling somewhere from the mountain and stopped just 10–15 feet before the temple. This rock was exactly the size of Kedarnath temple and diverted the main stream of the river into two streams, protecting the temple. This temple was later named Bhimshila, as Bhima (one of the Pandavas) had promised Lord Shiva that he would protect the temple for eternity. This rock is being worshipped and prayed for as a part of the temple.
4) As per the geologists and archaeologists, there was nothing. This temple had survived the mini-ice age. As per geologists and historians, the Kedarnath temple was under the glacier for almost 400 years, from 12 to the 16th century. Glaciers are huge blocks of ice that show continuous movement and can crush even the mountains coming their way. To everyone’s surprise, a small temple can survive the hit of glaciers. The scratches caused by the movement of glaciers around the temple can easily be observed on the wall of the temple.
5) These are old stories and architectural wonders. Let us discuss one of the most amazing facts that anyone can experience and that occurs every year. Kedarnath temple remains open for just 6 months in a year and gets closed in October or November due to the heavy snowfall. Before closing the temple, the head priest of the temple cleaned the temple properly and lit one small dia in front of the Shivlinga. For the next six months, no one is allowed to enter the temple, and it will be reopened in May in the presence of the head priest and devotees. But do you know the sanctum sanctorium of the temple remains the same as it was left during the closure of the temple, with Dia still lighting the temple? How a small dia can stay on for so long without human help? As per the locals and priests around the temple, it is said that after the closure of temple diets, demons visit this place to worship Shiva, as he is the god of all and hence known as Mahadev.
6) Last but not least, if you visit Kedarnath temple, don’t forget to go to Retus Kund, one of the ponds located at a distance of less than 500 meters from the temple. This temple is nothing less than a miracle. When you chant “OM Namah Shivay” or “Har Har Mahadev” around the temple, you will observe the bubbles coming out of the pond. This mystery is yet unsolved, even by the scientists.
Conclusion:-
There is a famous saying in Hindi about the Kedarnath temple: “केदारनाथ या स्वर्ग में बस एक ही फर्क है.. स्वर्ग में देव रहते हैं या केदारनाथ में महादेव।” i.e., there is only one difference between heaven and Kedarnath, and that is that in heaven, gods stay, while in Kedarnath, our beloved Mahadev, or Lord Shiva, stays. This place is no less than heaven. The magnificent snow-capped mountains crowning the Kedarnath temple, a deep valley in front of the temple, and the loud chanting of the word “Har Har Mahadev” make this place beautiful and energetic. The real beauty of this place can’t be expressed in these few words; it can only be experienced by visiting it personally. So just pack your bags and go on a trip toward heaven on earth.
