Lord Shiva again escaped and this time, reappeared in five different parts at different places – face at Rudranath, arms at Tungnath, navel at Madhyamaheshwar, hair at Kalpeshwar and hump at Kedarnath.
Shiva was very pleased to see this longing of the Pandavas and appeared to them. Later, the Pandavas were freed from this sin. After this Pandavas had got the temple of Kedarnath constructed here. In which even today the bull's back is worshiped in the form of an idol.
The second story is of Nar-Narayan, a Hindu deity, went to worship Parvati, and Shiva appeared. Nar-Narayan asked him to remain there in his original form for the welfare of humanity. Lord Shiva granted his wish and Kedarnath became his home.
Geologists claim that the temple of Kedarnath was under snow for nearly 400 years, some time around 1300–1900 AD. The researchers studied the architecture and concluded that the people who built the temple had in mind the creation of snow and glaciers as well as shelter, and the structure is strong enough to withstand natural disasters and the passage of time.
In 2013, massive floods swept through Uttarakhand. Massive flooding killed 197 people. About 236 people were injured and 4,021 are missing. A total of 2,119 buildings are said to have been completely destroyed, 3,001 severely damaged and 11,759 partially damaged.
The temple and city of Kedarnath were also attacked by the incident, but the shrine survived. Some say that a huge boulder blocked the stream and prevented the temple from being washed away. Miracle or marvel of architecture, this sanctuary has survived and continues to inspire believers today.
Kedarnath Temple, one of the holiest sites in Hinduism, is located at Rudraprayag in the Himalayan foothills of Garhwal, 221 km from Rishikesh. It is against the backdrop of the Kedarnath mountain at 3580m above sea level.
Gaurikund is the last stop before Kedarnath. It is 14 km up the mountain here. You can climb it on foot, by pony or by palanquin. Alternatively, you can take a short helicopter ride from Sirsi, Phata or Guptakashi and take a short walk to seek Shiva's blessings.
The opening date is May 14, 2023. The next two temples, Kedarnath and Badrinath, will welcome pilgrims from the third or fourth week of May, just a few days after the opening of Yamunotri and Gangotri.