Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Temple is one of the Panchkedar Temples located in Uttarakhand state of North India. Kedarnath temple is located near Chorabari Glacier, the head of river Mandakini in the district of Rudraprayag in the state of Uttarakhand in North India. It is situated at elevation of 3,553 m (11,657 ft). It is a Hindu holy town and the most remote of the four Char Dham sites located in the Himalayas.
The spot is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks in its surroundings. It is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims for devotees and pilgrims from the nook and corner of India and from all over the world. It is also one of the four major sites in Chota Char Dham pilgrimage in India.
According to the local legends, the place derived its name as Kedarnath in honor of King Kedar, who ruled this place with wealth and prosperity in the Satya Yuga. The King is said to have a daughter who was named Vrinda who was strongly believed to be a partial incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. It is to be noted that she conducted austerities for 60000 years. It is in honour of her, the place is named as Vrindavan.
Moreover, due to the presence of Kedarnath temple, this place became popularly known as Kedarnath. The temple is believed to be built before the Mahabharata Era. It is also believed that the Pandavas visited this temple in order to pleased Lord Shiva by performing penance at this temple. The day of Shivarathri is celebrated in a grand manner in this temple with festivity plus much devotion and dedication.
It is awesome that the temple withstood the flooding that washed away all the surrounding structures. Om Namah Shivaya!