Yatra of Kedarnath

Kedarnath is a holy town of the Hindus and is located in Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat located in the Rudraprayag district. It's also the remotest of all the char dham sites, located at 3,584 metres above sea level. The Kedarnath temple was built back in the 8th century AD by Adi Shankaracharya and it stands side by side to the temple that was built by the Pandavas. Yatra of Kedarnath

It is surrounded by some of the most beautiful snow capped mountains. Kedarnath attracts tourists from all over the country and abroad and is a very popular destination. The famed Jyotilirlingam is located here amidst the beautiful mountains and the majestic beauty of the Kedarnath. During the winter season, the Kedarnath shrine is submerged in snow and hence, remains closed. There is a 14 kms. long stretch after which the visitor reaches Kedarnath.

According to legends, after the Pandavas won over the Kauravas in the war of Kurukshetra, they felt guilty of having kiled their own brothers. They went on and wanted the blessings of Lord Shiva as redemption. However, Lord Shiva kept eluding them and went on and took refuge in Kedarnath in the form of a bull. But, since he was followed, he dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. It is said that the remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped as manifestations.



Lord Shiva manifested in the form of Jyotirlingam or the cosmic light. Kedarnath is highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas. This ancient and magnificient temple is located in the Rudra Himalaya range. This temple, over a thousand years old is built of massive stone slabs over a large rectangular platform. Ascending through the large gray steps leading to the holy sanctums we find inscriptions in Pali on the steps. This temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya.The inner walls of the temple sanctum are adorned with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. The origin of the revered temple can be found in the great epic - Mahabharata. According to legends, the Pandavas sought the blessings of lord Shiva to atone their sin after the battle of Mahabharata. Lord Shiva eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed, he dived into ground leaving behind his hump on the surface. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form. The temple, believed to be very ancient, has been continually renovated over the centuries. It is situated at an altitude of 3,581 mt. It is a 14 km trek from Gaurikund.

Yatra of Lord Vishnu Temple

Badrinath, an abode of Lord Vishnu Temple (perpetuator of life) and so a Hindu pilgrimage spot, is situated in the Garhwal hills on the banks of the Alaknanda River in the Chamoli district of the Indian state, Uttarakhand, India. Located in between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges under the shelter of the Nilkantha peak (6,560 m), this is one of the most important ‘Four Holy Temple Cities’ or Char Dhams including Puri, Rameshwaram, and Dwaraka.(Yatra of  Lord Vishnu Temple)
An old Indian proverb goes, “There are many sacred spots of pilgrimage in the heavens, earth and the nether world, but there has been none equal to Badri, nor shall there be.”
The Badrinath temple was built by Adiguru Shankaracharya in the ninth century. Badrinath is also called as the Tapobhumi, the land of contemplation and penance and Bhubaikunth, the heaven on Earth.
History/Legend
According to one of the legends, Lord Shiva requested Goddess Ganga to slide down to Earth to lend a hand to the suffering humanity. Her descend was so powerful that the Earth was not able to withstand it and so, the almighty Ganga got split into 12 holy tributaries. On of them is Alaknanda that became the home of Lord Vishnu Temple or Badrinath.Temple
According to the epic of Mahabharata, the Pandavas lost their life by climbing the slopes of the Swargarohini peak in the western Garhwal, where the peak’s name means Ascent to Heaven. A popular belief is that before reaching this peak, the Pandavas had come to this holy place of Badrinath and Mana town (4 km north of Badrinath). Another belief is that in Mana, there is a cave wherein Vyas wrote the Mahabharata.
Badrinath is also designated as the Bhu Vaikunta or home of Lord Vishnu on Earth. Several religious preachers such as Ramanujacharya, Madhawacharya and Vedanta Desika came to Badrinath and wrote sacred books such as Brahmasutras and other Upanishads.
Religious Significance
Since ancient times going back to thousands of years ago, Badrinath Temple has an important sacred place in scriptures and Hindu holy books. According to the holy Bhagavata Purana, “In Badrikashram, the Godhead (Vishnu), reincarnated in the form of sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities.” (Bhagavata Purana 3.4.22)
The meaning of this holy place’s name is Lord of the Berry, as Badri means berry that was grown abundantly here according to the scriptures and Nath means the Lord of. In addition, Badri is a Sanskrit name given to the Indian Jujube tree, which holds a ripe berry. According to the history, it is believed that these abundantly grown berries are nothing but a form of Goddess Lakshmi who resided here to provide food to Lord Vishnu in his long penance in the Badri Van accompanied by tough Himalayan environment.
The Badrinath Temple – At a Glance
Once upon a time, Shankara found the idol of Badrinarayan in the Alaknanda River carved out of black Saligram stone. Then, he made a shrine of it in a cave that is close to the Tapt Kund, hot springs. Later in the 16th century, the King of Garhwal shifted the idol to the current temple of Badrinath Temple and in the 17th century, the succeeded royals expanded the temple.
Since its creation until date, the temple has witnessed many changes due to landslides and storms. Due to the great 1803 Himalayan earthquake, the king of Jaipur reconstructed the shrine.
Being 50 feet tall with a small cupola atop, the temple is sheltered with a roof painted with gold and the frontage (façade) with arched windows is carved out of stone. A set of staircases makes you reach to a tall arched main entrance. The carving style is similar to that of the Buddhist temples.
The moment you go inside, there is the mandapa – a huge pillared and walled hall of intricate carvings. Through this, you can go to the garbha gruha that is the main temple area.
Other Attractions
Tapt Kund
Has thermal springs of medicinal properties wherein pilgrims take a holy dip before entering the temple. This is believed to be the home of Agni, the Hindu God of fire. Some more natural springs are Narad Kund and Surya Kund.
Brahma Kapal
Is a flat base on the banks of Alaknanda where pilgrims conduct the rites to revere their mortal near ones.
Sheshnetra
Is a rock boulder that resembles Sheshnag, a mythological serpent. It also has the footprints of Lord Vishnu, known as Charanpaduka.
Mata Murti Temple
Is an important temple committed to the mother of Badrinathji.
Alka Puri
Is the origin of the Alakananda River especially for adventurous tourists. Satopanth: Is a triangular lake acting as one of the sources of the Alaknanda River and is at an altitude of 4402 m. The lake is so named behind the Hindu trinity – Lord Brahma (father of the universe), Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva.
Best Time to Visit
This is between June to September, as from October to April, the temple is closed.