History of Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple, one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism, is located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, nestled in the majestic Kedarnath range of the Himalayas. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this ancient temple has a rich history and a deep spiritual significance for millions of devotees.

The temple’s origins are steeped in mythology and legend, with its construction believed to have been initiated by the Pandavas from the Mahabharata. According to the epic, the Pandavas, seeking redemption for the sins of the Kurukshetra war, came to Kedarnath to worship Lord Shiva. However, Shiva initially avoided them, hiding in the form of a bull. Eventually, the Pandavas were forgiven and blessed by the deity.

Historically, the temple’s structure is attributed to the great Adi Shankaracharya, the 8th-century philosopher and saint, who is believed to have resurrected the temple after it had fallen into obscurity. While the exact dating of the temple’s construction is uncertain, archaeological studies suggest it dates back at least 1,000 years.

Kedarnath Temple has endured the ravages of time, including natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, yet it continues to be a beacon of spiritual devotion. Its remote location, at an altitude of 3,583 meters (11,755 feet), adds to its mystique, with pilgrims making a challenging trek to reach the sacred shrine.

Today, Kedarnath is a part of the Char Dham Yatra, one of the most important pilgrimage circuits for Hindus, along with Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Badrinath. The temple stands as a testament to the enduring devotion of millions and remains a symbol of faith and resilience.

The Pandava Story

After having done with the Kurukshetra war and following the advice by the great sage Vyas, the Pandava brothers decided to leave and lookout for Lord Shiva. They did so since they thought that they needed to ask for forgiveness from the Lord himself. The Pandavas accompanied by Draupadi set out to the Himalayas after the war in search of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva took the form of a bull in Guptkashi in an attempt to hide from them since the lord did not want to grant them forgiveness. Bheem then spotted the lord and that very moment he started sinking inside the ground where the lord was standing. Bheem held on to the tail of the bull in an attempt to stop him and ask him for forgiveness. Currently, there are temples (Panch Kedar) made on the place where the hands, face, hump and the legs of the bull came out. The lord was happy with their efforts and decided to grant them with forgiveness. Out of respect, the Pandava brothers established the temple of Kedarnath.

Historical Account

The historical account of Kedarnath Dham can also be dated to 8th century BCE to the great sage and philosopher Adi Shankaracharya. Adi Shankara is credited with the revival of Hinduism in India after the dark ages of religion which had happened due to numerous invasions by various different communities of tribes and other foreign invaders. Adi Shankara wanted to revive the feeling of Hinduism amongst the citizens of India and he did so by travelling across the length and breadth of the nation while simultaneously establishing Matths, shrines and temples. When Adi Shankara reached Kedarnath he decided to reestablish it as a pilgrimage site along with Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The temple of Kedarnath was already present there but Adi Shankara worked on making it ready for the pilgrims and spent a majority part of his lifetime there. He was successful in attracting other sadhus, devotees and pilgrims who also wanted to experience the grandness of the lord. To mark the contributions made by Adi Shankara a Samadhi was constructed right behind the main temple entrance since it was right there where he took his last breath. It is said that Adi Shankara travelled all over India but this was the place that he chose to spend his final days.

Scientific Revelation

Although the exact date of the construction of Kedarnath temple remains a mystery, scientific evidences there have revealed that this place was constructed almost 3,000 years back during the time of Mahabharat. The temple is also said to have been completely covered inside ice for 400 years. In fact, research on the walls of the temple structure also reveals that the temple and the entire district of Rudraprayag was under snow during a mini ice age that took place here and lasted for 400 years. The miraculous fact about this is that no matter what the weather, the temple remained standing tall. Although covered inside ice, it did not experience any sort of damages or any sort of harm to the overall temple structure. This tells the fact that whoever had constructed the temple had kept in mind that the region is prone to harsh climatic conditions and the temple should not be damaged under any circumstances. Till Present day the temple structure remains standing tall and majestic.