Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, set at about 3,583 metres in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, near the source of the Mandakini river. Kedarnath Temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and one of the four shrines of Uttarakhand's Char Dham pilgrimage, and it is the highest and most demanding of the four to reach.

Tradition links Kedarnath to the Pandavas of the Mahabharata and to the 8th-century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, whose samadhi shrine stands behind the temple. The present grey stone temple is centuries old and sits against a wall of snow peaks. Snow closes Kedarnath Temple each winter, usually from around Diwali to late April or May, and the deity is carried down to the Omkareshwar Temple at Ukhimath to be worshipped there. In the 2013 floods, which destroyed much of the town and killed thousands, the temple survived largely intact; a large boulder that lodged behind it, now called Bhim Shila, is believed to have diverted the water. Most pilgrims walk about 16 km from Gaurikund; ponies, palanquins and helicopters serve those who cannot.

What to see

• The stone temple and the Shiva lingam in its sanctum
• Bhim Shila, the boulder behind the temple
• The Adi Shankaracharya samadhi and statue
• The evening aarti with the peaks behind
• Bhairavnath Temple on the ridge above
• The trek up the Mandakini valley from Gaurikund

What to wear

Kedarnath Temple is at high altitude, so dress for cold even in May and June: thermals, a fleece, a down jacket, waterproofs, gloves and a warm hat, plus sunglasses and sunscreen. Wear broken-in trekking shoes for the 16 km trail. Shoes are removed at the temple, and modest dress is expected. Garhwali women traditionally wear a wool pakhi or saree with silver jewellery and a nath nose ring; men wear a wool coat and cap.

Local food to try

Garhwali food is hearty mountain cooking: try kafuli, a green leaf curry, phaanu and chainsoo, made from ground lentils, mandua roti from finger millet and jhangora kheer made with barnyard millet. On the trail, stalls sell tea, Maggi, parathas and khichdi. Food at Kedarnath is vegetarian, and alcohol is not allowed.

Good to know

• Best time: May to June and September to October; avoid the heaviest monsoon rains
• Hours: open late April or May to around Diwali, roughly 4am to 9pm with ritual breaks
• Entry: free darshan; yatra registration with the Uttarakhand government is required
• Allow 2 to 3 days including the trek and acclimatisation
• Getting there: Gaurikund is about 210 km from Rishikesh by road
• Book helicopters only through the official portal; check weather and landslide updates

Nearby places

Most journeys to Kedarnath start from Rishikesh, and travellers from Singapore usually fly into Delhi airport first. Naini Lake in the Kumaon hills is a separate trip, about 250 km south-east.