Kedarnath Temple
Shiva temple · Kedarnath, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, India
Kedarnath Temple is a shrine to Shiva high in the Garhwal Himalayas, near the head of the Mandakini river in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand. The Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, which administers it, describes it as the eleventh of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and it is also the foremost of the five Panch Kedar shrines. The Rudraprayag district administration gives its altitude as about 3,586 metres.
Because of heavy snow, the temple opens only for roughly six months each year, typically from late April or May until around Diwali. No road reaches it: pilgrims walk, ride or take a helicopter for the final stretch from Gaurikund. During the winter months, worship of Kedarnath continues at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath appears in the traditional Dwadasha Jyotirlinga list of Shiva's twelve self-manifested shrines. Devotees believe that a visit here, in one of the most demanding settings of any Jyotirlinga, carries special merit.
Kedarnath is also part of two pilgrimage circuits. It heads the Panch Kedar group of five Shiva temples in Garhwal, alongside Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. It is also one of the four shrines of the Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra, with Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath. This regional circuit is different from the all-India Char Dham of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram.
Heritage
History of Kedarnath Temple
According to a widely told tradition linked to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas came to the Himalayas after the Kurukshetra war to seek Shiva's forgiveness. Shiva avoided them by taking the form of a bull. When Bhima tried to hold the bull, it sank into the ground and its hump stayed behind at Kedarnath. Other parts of its body are said to have appeared at the other four Panch Kedar sites. Tradition credits the Pandavas with building the first shrine. This is a sacred narrative, not a documented historical event.
A second tradition, which the temple committee repeats, holds that Adi Shankaracharya established or revived the temple. His samadhi (memorial) stands just behind it. Historians have not settled the date of the present stone building. Encyclopaedia Britannica calls it more than 1,000 years old, and in 2013 an Archaeological Survey of India official described it as an 11th-century structure. No firm founding date can be given.
In June 2013, floods and debris flows devastated Kedarnath town and the Mandakini valley, causing heavy loss of life. The main temple came through with relatively little structural damage. An ASI official quoted at the time credited its interlocking stone construction. Reconstruction of the town began in 2014. On 5 November 2021, the Prime Minister inaugurated Adi Shankaracharya's rebuilt samadhi and unveiled a new statue of the saint there, according to the Press Information Bureau.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple is built of large, evenly cut grey stone blocks and stands on a raised platform against a backdrop of snow peaks. A large stone image of Nandi, Shiva's bull, faces the shrine from outside. Behind the sanctum is the samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya, rebuilt after the 2013 floods.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Pilgrims to the Uttarakhand Char Dham shrines must register on the state government's portal (registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in), which the temple committee links from its website. At about 3,500 metres, altitude sickness, cold and sudden weather changes are real risks, so check the state health advisories and IMD forecasts before setting out.
Opening and closing dates, puja bookings and route conditions change from season to season. Confirm current arrangements with the Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and the Rudraprayag district administration (checked October 2026) before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Kedarnath Temple
Maha Shivaratri — announcement of opening date
Each year on Maha Shivaratri, priests at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath work out the date for reopening Kedarnath from the panchang and announce it publicly.
Kapat opening (Doli Yatra)
The Panchmukhi doli (palanquin) of Kedarnath leaves Ukhimath and travels in stages through Gaurikund to the shrine, and the temple doors reopen with traditional rites. In 2026 they opened on 22 April.
Kapat closing
The doors close for winter on Bhai Dooj, after Diwali. The deity's doli is carried down to the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, where worship continues through the winter.
Location
How to Reach Kedarnath Temple
The road ends at Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district, and the last stretch to the temple is a steep mountain trek. Official sources give slightly different lengths for it: the Rudraprayag district administration says about 17 km, while Uttarakhand Tourism has given about 14 km. Ponies, palanquins and porters work the route, and helicopter services run from valley helipads. The district administration directs pilgrims to IRCTC's official heli-booking portal (heliyatra.irctc.co.in) and warns against unofficial sellers.
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, which the district administration places about 250 km from the trailhead area. The nearest major railhead is Rishikesh. Buses and taxis run from Rishikesh, Haridwar and Dehradun towards Sonprayag and Gaurikund.
Location: Kedarnath, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, India
Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun
Nearest railway station: Rishikesh
More in Hindu temples in Uttarakhand · Shiva temples
Photographs
Kedarnath Temple Photos
Questions
Kedarnath Temple: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kedarnath a Jyotirlinga?
Yes. Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva. The temple committee describes it as the eleventh in the traditional list.
Why is Kedarnath closed in winter?
The shrine sits at about 3,586 metres and is snowbound in winter. Its doors close on Bhai Dooj and reopen in late April or May.
Where is Kedarnath worshipped during winter?
At the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, Rudraprayag district. The deity's Panchmukhi doli is carried there after the doors close.
How is the Kedarnath opening date decided?
Priests calculate it from the panchang at Ukhimath, and it is announced on Maha Shivaratri. In 2026 the doors opened on 22 April.
How long is the trek to Kedarnath?
The footpath starts at Gaurikund. Official figures differ: the Rudraprayag district administration says about 17 km, and Uttarakhand Tourism has given about 14 km.
What are the Panch Kedar temples?
Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. According to tradition, each marks a part of Shiva's bull form after he hid from the Pandavas.
Do I need to register for the Kedarnath Yatra?
Yes. Pilgrims register on the Uttarakhand government's Char Dham registration portal (registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in). Check the current rules before travelling.
Did Kedarnath Temple survive the 2013 floods?
Yes. The 2013 disaster destroyed much of Kedarnath town, but the main temple survived with relatively little structural damage. Adi Shankaracharya's samadhi was destroyed and was later rebuilt.
Sources and attribution
- Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee — Shri Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee — official website
- District Administration Rudraprayag, Government of Uttarakhand — Kedarnath Yatra
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Gangotri (mentions the Kedarnath stone temple and Nandi)
- All India Radio News (Prasar Bharati) — Uttarakhand: Kedarnath temple will be opened on April 22
- All India Radio News (Prasar Bharati) — Char Dham shrines Kedarnath and Yamunotri closed for winter on Bhai Dooj
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India — PM to visit Kedarnath on 5th November and inaugurate Shri Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi
- The Peninsula / IANS — Design saved 1,000-year-old Kedarnath temple (IANS, quoting ASI's B.R. Mani)
- Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board — Uttarakhand Tourism — Kedarnath
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