Kedarnath jyotirlinga is one of the holiest Hindu places devoted
to Shiva Shankar Bhole Nath. Due to excessive climate circumstances, the temple
is open only among the end of April to Kartik Purnima. During the winters, the idols
from Kedarnath madir are brought to Ukhimath and worshipped there for six
months. In this area Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar
Khand', the historical name of the region.
Temple is accessible by road and has to be reached by a 14
km uphill trek from Gaurikund . The temple is believed to have been built by
Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu
shrines of Shiva.
The perfect time or peak period to go for Kedarnath is from
May to October, except monsoons. This is because; all the four sacred sites are
perched in Garhwal Himalayas, which is prone to deep snowfall. As a result, all
the passage leading to the shrines are blocked. Moreover, during the monsoon
season, there is undue threat of having landslides, which can further disrupt
the journey. For safety reasons, the gates of the temples are also closed for
this period of time and the idols are shifted to nearby pilgrim points.
