The
Kedarnath Temple is believed to have been built
by the Pandavas and is almost 1000 years old.
In the 8th century AD, it was refurbished by Adiguru
Shankaracharya. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the idol
is in the form of a pyramidal lingam. It is one
of the 12 jyotirlingas in the country and is revered
highly. The statue of Nandi, the divine bull of
Shiva, stands at the entrance of the temple. During
the winters, the statue is carried to Ukhimath,
and is reinstated in Kedarnath in the month of
May. The breathtaking view of the Kedardome peak
behind the temple is a major attraction.
The Samadhi of Adiguru Shankaracharya is located
just behind the temple and is the final resting
place of the saint. The Bhairavnath temple,
situated to the south of the main temple of
Kedarnath, is dedicated to Lord Bhairav, the
deity who guards the main temple in winter when
it is closed.
A solid path from near the main bridge, before
the town, crosses the Mandakini to the left
of the valley, and ends 4 km away at the glacier.
At its edge is the Chorabari Tal Lake, now known
as Gandhi Sarovar, as some of Mahatma Gandhi's
ashes were scattered here. It is also said that
Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava, departed to
heaven from this lake.
Close by, around 800 m from the lake, is the
source of the Mandakini. One can also cross
the river by the small bridge behind the temple,
and scramble up the rough boulder-strewn moraine
to meet the main track.
