Kedarnath Facts – Lesser Known Facts and Information

Deemed for being one of the most ancient and popular temple dedicated to Shivji, Kedarnath Dham is one of the most pristine destinations for pilgrims to find peace, solitude and a spiritual awakening of their own. People who have visited Kedarnath have had potentially life changing experiences there making the tough journey to the divine absolutely worth it. Forming one of the 3 cornerstones for Chardham Yatra of Uttarakhand, this temple located amongst the lush green mountains of Kedar dome and on the banks of the holy Mandakini River.

Kedarnath Temple

But there are a few lesser known facts about Kedarnath that are still unexplained and mysterious to the pilgrims, here are a few fascinating facts which will add a hint of thrill to your journey:

Who is it Named After?
Little have we given this a though. Kedarnath literally translates into ‘Lord Kedar’ who refers to the idol of the presiding deity of Shivji. But the story goes back to Saty-Yug. The whole valley of was ruled by a king named Kedar who is believed to have first laid the foundation of this temple and installed the shiv ling here which is said to be one of the several abodes of Lord Shiv making it a significant place of worship.

Direction of the Temple
Situated on a plateau amongst the tall imposing and snow clad mountain ranges this temple offers stunning views of the surroundings. A unique feature that has attracted the attention is that usually all the temples face east in order to allow the first rays on the sun into the temple. However, Kedarnath Dham faces south which is said was done with a purpose of saving the temple from the rolling rocks from the north.

Destruction Caused in 2013 Flash Floods
The destructions caused due to the 2013 cloudburst of Uttarakhand was a well-documented fact. However if you had not been a part of it then you will not be able to gauge the actual magnitude of the destruction that was caused. In the pictures people can see the devastation caused on the Mandap however on the back side of the temple large rocks had come out of the ground. Ishan temple which was situated inside the premise of the temple had been completely washed away along with the Shankaracharya Samadhi (which cannot be seen in the pictures now).

Getting Easily to Kedarnath
People generally believe that visiting Kedarnath Dham is an extremely difficult journey. However with the advent of technology and increased focus on tourism by the government devout pilgrims can make these pilgrimages easily. Along with development of strong and smooth roadways you can also visit Kedarnath by Helicopter service. Although a little pricey, this is one of the most comfortable and hassle free ways of getting to this incredibly holy Dham.

Interesting Information about Nandi Bull
If you are visiting Kedarnath the first thing that you will witness apart from the age old temple is a statue of Nandi the bull gracing the entrance of the temple. This bull signifies the incident between the Pandavas and Shivji on their way to heaven. It is also one of the most important structures where devotees had clung on to during the flash floods and it also helped in saving lives.

Story about Shankaracharya Samadhi
As the name suggests this holy shrine is dedicated to the 8th century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya who is credited with the creation and establishment of various shrines and mutths across India. This Samadhi structure marks the place where Adi Shankara had taken his last breath. It is an important resting place for a great philosopher and pilgrims make it a point to offer their prayers here as well as a mark of respect.

What to Expect Inside the Temple
The first thing that you will notice while entering the temple are the exquisitely and elaborately carved out walls of the inner chamber depicting various types of deigns and even stories about the Mahabharata. The Garbha Griha or the inner sanctum is very tiny housing an irregular shiv ling structure and people are not allowed to take the picture of the presiding deity inside, it considered to be bad luck.

The Protector of the Temple
Once the temple Kapat shuts down for Darshan for a duration of 6 months, the temple structure is stranded amongst the inhospitable weather conditions. With the presiding idol shifted to its winder home in Ukhimath, the temple of Kedarnath is abandoned for the season. However, people believe that this structure remains protected by Lord Bhairavnath whose shrine is situated on top of a hill at an upward distance of 1 km from the temple.

The Mini Himalayan Ice Age
Scientists studying on the origin of Kedarnath have still a lot of the breakthrough discoveries to make before finally deciding on its exact origin date however, according to studies, the temple was once a part of the mini ice age which had taken place and covered the entire Rudraprayag district for 400 years. The researchers were able to postulate this by the ancient ice marks that were left behind on the temple’s outer walls.

Color of the Temple
Although in pictures and up close the color of the temple may seem greyish and ashen like, the original color of the temple was once white as a symbol for peace and calmness. The creator of the temple had kept in mind that the temple should send a positive message to the devotees visiting. Now over a period of centuries the temple has lost its original color.  

A Part of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
Kedarnath temple lies outside of the northern border of the Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary. Therefore all the travel activities to the temple are shut down after sunset in order to protect and maintain the natural order here. With the growing and increased levels of tour to Kedarnath, the officials are now taking bigger steps into the proper conservation of the natural habitat of Kedarnath.
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