KEDARNATH : The heaven on earth -

Kedarnath TemA brief history of the miraculous ancient shrine of Lord Shiva..

*Real photo of Kedarnath Temple*

Key Highlights

• Kedarnath temple is situated in the laps of the Himalayas and is said to have gained prominence after the Mahabharata tale depicted how the Pandavas urged Lord Shiva to forgive their bad Karma.
• The temple is said to have been built/resurrected by the great religious Guru Adi Shankaracharya to its present form

The Kedarnath Mandir (Temple) that nestles at the foothills of the Himalayas is one of the holiest sites of Hinduism. A shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Destroyer of Evil, the temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas across India, one of the Char (4) Dhams (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri), and one of the 5 Kedars. 

Given the treacherous weather in the region, this temple opens to devotees only between the months of April to November each year.

Though there are no inscription to go by, it is said that this temple was constructed by a king from the Pandava lineage. His name was Janmajeya. The Shiva Linga here is very ancient. 

The temple's architecture style is said to be the same as most ancient temples of its period - the ashlar style of construction - wherein stone slabs are interlocked into each other without the use of mortar or cement. 

History of the temple:

The shrine finds a mention in the Mahabharata but the temple one sees today is said to have been built under the orders of the great Guru Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th Century. Some also claim that it was built by Raja Bhoj of Malwa region in the 2nd Century. After the April-November season of darshan, before harsh winter temperatures set in, the murti (vigraha) of the deity is carried to Ukimath for the next 6 months. The Rawals (the priests of Karanataka-origin) travel along with the deity and carry out worship there.

The Mahabharat connection: 

It is said that after the Mahabharata war ended, the Pandavas were full of remorse at having lost thousands to the violence.  They handed over the kingdom's reins to grandson Parikshit and started for Varanasi to seek Lord Shiva's pardon.

Not interested in meeting them, Shivji leaves Varanasi/Benaras/Kashi and heads for the Himalayas in the form of a Bull (Nandi, the Bull). He reappears in Guptakashi as the bull and the Pandavas reach there. Shiva escapes again and this time reappears as the bull in five different parts of India as 5 different parts of the bull's body: the face at Rudranath, arms at Tungnath, navel and stomach at Madhyamaheshwar, the locks at Kalpeshwar and the hump at Kedarnath. The powerful Pandava - Bhima - is said to have grabbed the bull's tail, forcing him to appear before them and forgive them. The Pandava brothers then built the first temple at Kedarnath. 

These 5 places where the bull had appeared in parts after diving underground are known as the Panch (5) Kedar.

Situated in a region of Glacial activity, the temple is said to have been under snow for 400 years. The signs of glacial assault are still there on the walls, say geologists. The temple was miraculously saved by a BhimShila (massive boulder) that rolled down the mountains during the horrific cloudburst and natural calamity in June 2013. It is said Baba Bhairo Nath saves the temple.

Nara - Narayana connection:

Nara and Narayana - two incarnations of Vishnu performed severe penance in Badrikashrayain devotion to Lord Shiva Bhole Shankar himself appeared in front of them. When the Lord granted them a boon, Nar and Narayan requested Shiva to take up a permanent abode at the place to benefit the devotees. Therefore, it is believed that Lord Shiva assumed the form as a Jyotirlingam at Kedarnath so that all people who worship Shiva shall be freed from their miseries.

THE HISTORY OF JYOTIRLING..

Jyotirlingas are sacred shrines of Lord Shiva; it is believed that Lord Shiva himself visited these places and hence they have a special place in the hearts of devotees. There are 12 of them in India.

Jyotirlinga means ‘column or pillar of light’. The ‘stambha’ symbol represents that there is no beginning or end.

When Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had an argument about who was the supreme god, Lord Shiva appeared as a column of light and asked each one to find the ends. Neither could do it. It is believed that the places where these columns of light fell is where the jyotirlingas are located.

Kedarnath means ‘Lord of the field or Kedar Khand’ region, the historical name of the region. Set amid scenic snowy mountains and valleys covered with grassy meadows, the Kedarnath temple is on the must-see list of sightseers all over the world – not just pilgrims.

Kedarnath is one of the four major pilgrimage sites – the Chota Char Dam, along with Gangotri, Yamunotri and Badrinath - that devotees have on their bucket list of places to visit.

Where is the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga located?

Situated at an altitude of over 3,500 m above sea level in Uttarakhand, this temple is the highest of the 12 jyotirlingas in India. It is located at the head of the Mandakini and mythical Saraswati River in Garhwal Himalayas

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History of Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

One of the first references of Kedarnath is in the Skanda Purana that was written around the 7th and 8th century AD. The present structure is believed to have been constructed by Adi Shankaracharya about 1,200 years ago. It stands next to the site of a temple that is said to have been built by the Pandavas.

It has been renovated many times over the centuries.

Special features of Kedarnath Temple

The temple is built with huge stone slabs over a rectangular platform. There are inscriptions in Pali on the steps. There are figures of various deities and scenes from Hindu mythology on the inner walls. A large statue of the Nandi Bull, Shiva’s mount, stands as guard at the entrance.

The jyotirlinga is in the shape of a conical rock formation inside the temple - Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.

What is the story behind Kedarnath Jyotirlinga?

The legend behind this famous place of worship is that after the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas performed a penance to purge their sins – of killing their kin. In order to be able to do this, they were advised to seek Lord Shiva’s pardon. They searched high and low and finally, saw Lord Shiva at the spot where the jyotirlinga in Kedarnath is situated today.

It is said that Lord Shiva was not willing to forgive the Pandavas for their deceit and sins during the war and hence hid himself from them. He disguised himself as a bull and disappeared into the ground.

The second Pandava, Bhimasena, tried to pull him out of the ground by tugging at his tail and hind legs. However, Lord Shiva dug himself deeper and only reappeared in parts in different places - the hump in Kedarnath, the arms in Tunganath, the navel and stomach in Madhyamaheshwar, the face in Rudranath, and the hair and head in Kalpeshwar.

The Pandavas built temples at these five places – the Panch Kedars - for worshipping Shiva. This freed them from their sins.

Lord Shiva further promised to stay on in the sacred spot as a triangular jyotirlinga. This is why Kedarnath is so famous and revered by devotees.

Interesting facts about Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

• Since Kedarnath is located at such an altitude, winters are severe, making the temple inaccessible. So, it is open to the public only between April and November. It closes on the first day of Kartik (October-November) and opens in Vaisakh (April-May) every year. During the winters, the murtis (idols) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshiped there for six months.
• In the 2013 floods, while adjacent areas were severely damaged, the Kedarnath temple itself was not affected.
• Kedarnath is the first of the Panch Kedars.

Considered one of the holiest temples for Lord Shiva, pilgrims devotedly visit this mountainous temple every year. While the main Kedarnath temple is normally closed during Mahashivratri celebrations, the Badri-Kedar festival is celebrated over a week in June every year.

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