Kedarnath is a holy town of the Hindus and is located in Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat located in the Rudraprayag district. It is 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.
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.
