19 Interesting Facts About the Kedarnath Temple

The Kedarnath Dham holds a special place when we talk about the most prominent Hindu pilgrimage and religious sites in India. The Kedarnath Dham holds great significance for Hindus, located in the hilly and snowy region of Uttarakhand, also known as Devbhoomi or the land of the gods. Every year, it attracts thousands of devotees from India as well as other countries. Here are some interesting facts about the Kedarnath Temple to teach students what is so special about this holy place in India.

Mysterious Facts About Kedarnath Temple

1. Kedarnath Dham is located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. 

2. It is situated at an elevation of 85 feet and 6-foot high stage. The length of the temple is 187 feet and the width is 80 feet. 

3. It is one of the twelve jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. 

4. The Shiva Lingam at the Kedarnath Temple is triangular in shape, making it different from other Shiva temples. 

5. It is believed that the temple was covered with snow for over 400 years. The temple was rediscovered in the 20th century by a team of explorers. 

6. The Kedarnath Temple has idols representing Parvati, Lord Krishna, Pandavas, Draupadi, Nandi, and Veerabhadra. 

7. This historic Hindu temple is believed to have been built by the Pandavas after the conclusion of Mahabharata. 

8. It is believed that Bhairon Baba, also known as Kshetrapal (guardian of the region), protects the temple from destruction. 

9. The Kedarnath Dham is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites, including Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Badrinath. 

10. Kedarnath is located in the Himalayan mountain range. It is surrounded by beautiful mountains covered in heavy snow and rivers. 

11. Kedarnath Dham is open for devotees only from late April to early November. The temple remains closed most of the time due to heavy snowfall and monsoon.

12. When the Kedarnath Temple is closed for devotees, the deity’s idol is carried into the Omkareshwar Temple, located in Ukhimath. 

13. The priest who performs the rituals of the Kedarnath Temple belongs to the Rawal community of Karnataka. 

14. The rituals and mantras recited in the temple are performed in the Kannada language. 

15. On 16 June 2013, a cloudburst in the state of Uttarakhand led to devastating floods and landslides. The Kedarnath valley received a major hit with thousands of people losing their lives.

16. The management of the Kedarnath Temple falls under the responsibility of the Uttar Pradesh State Government Act No. 30/1948 as Act No. 16,1939. 

17. On 7 December 2018, Bollywood released the Kedarnath movie, based on the actual devastating floods of the year 2013. The movie featured late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan.  

18. Udak Kund is located south of the Kedarnath Temple. Devotees believe that drinking this holy water can free you from the cycle of birth and death. 

19. Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is considered holy in the Kedarnath Temple. It is applied to the Lingam during prayers.

Hope you had fun reading these interesting facts about the Kedarnath Temple. If you like reading about facts, you can visit our interesting facts page to read more such blogs.