Kedarnath opens its doors to pilgrims: Legends associated with this temple
Kedarnath temple is a sacred pilgrimage site dedicated to Lord Shiva in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. On 6th May, 2022, the temple opened its doors for pilgrims amidst rituals and vedic chanting. It is situated on River Mandakini’s bank at an elevation of 3,584 metres above sea level and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. It is also a part of the Char Dhams (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri) and Panch Kedar (Kedarnath, Madhyamaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath, Kalpnath) in Uttarakhand. We bring to you the history, features and legends surrounding this temple.
History of Kedarnath Temple
It is uncertain who built the original Kedarnath temple and when. However, the Sanskrit words ‘kedara’ meaning ‘field’ and ‘natha’ meaning ‘lord’ are combined to form the name "Kedarnath", that is, “lord of the field”. The place is also known by its historical name, Kedar Khand. The Skanda Purana (a religious Hindu text), written around the 7th and 8th century AD, contains one of the first references to Kedarnath.
Special features of the Kedarnath Temple
One of the remarkable features of this temple is that the Jyotirlinga (a devotional representation of the Hindu god Shiva) is shaped like a conical rock formation inside the shrine. Moreover, the temple is erected on a rectangular platform with massive stone slabs. The steps of this famous Shiva temple have inscriptions in Pali language. The temple’s inner walls have representations of Hindu gods and scenes from Hindu mythology. At the entrance, a colossal statue of Shiva's mount, the Nandi Bull, sits guard.
Legends behind Kedarnath shrine
The famed Shiva temple has many legends surrounding it. Here are two of them.
One of the most popular legends around Kedarnath temple is related to the Pandavas. According to popular myth, the Pandavas, after the Mahabharata war, conducted a penance to atone for their sins of murdering own relatives. In order to do so, they needed to seek forgiveness from Lord Shiva. They searched him everywhere till they found him at the current location of the Jyotirlinga in Kedarnath. Lord Shiva, on the other hand, is believed to have hidden himself from the Pandavas because he was unwilling to forgive them for their deception and misdeeds during the Mahabharata war. He disguised himself like a bull and vanished beneath the earth.
The second Pandava, Bhima, tried to pull him out of the ground by tugging at his tail and hind legs. However, Lord Shiva dug himself deeper and only resurfaced in parts at several locations. As legends would have us believe, the hump was found in Kedarnath, arms in Tunganath, the navel and stomach in Madhyamaheshwar, face in Rudranath, and the hair and head in Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas built Shiva temples in these five places, known as the Panch Kedars. It is believed that this had finally helped them get rid of their sins. Lord Shiva further promised to stay in the sacred spot as a triangular Jyotirlinga. This is why Kedarnath is so famous and revered by devotees.
Another legend about the Kedarnath Temple is related to the famed guru, Adi Shankaracharya. He is thought to have rebuilt the present temple structure around 1,200 years ago. It stands next to the site of a temple that is said to have been constructed by the Pandavas. The Kedarnath shrine also finds a mention in the Indian epic, Mahabharata. On the other hand, some say it was built in the 2nd century by Raja Bhoj of Malwa province, Madhya Pradesh, during his rule from 1076 to 1099 AD.