The Timeless Legacy: Unveiling the History of Kedarnath Temple
Last Updated: December 04, 2023
Welcome to an exploration of captivating legends that intertwine the Pandavas, Mahadeva, and the construction of the revered history of Kedarnath Temple. Immerse yourself in the remarkable tale of Adi Shri Shankaracharya. Are you eager to delve into these intriguing stories? Let’s dive in.
The beauty of Shri Kedarnath temple can captivates anyone’s heart. The nature around the temple is a booster for the elegance of this place. The construction’s stories of this magnificent temple are more fascinating.
History of Kedarnath Temple is still a mystery to everyone. Till today, we don’t know it correctly. Some believe that it was built by the Pandavas, while others give credit to Shri Adi Shankaracharya.
About 5000 years ago, after Mahabharata, the Pandavas wanted to get rid of fratricide. They desired to get the blessings of Kailashpati Neelkanth Mahadeva*, but he was angry with them. He disappeared and settled in Kedarnath.
Pandavas followed him and arrived in Kedar valley. Shiv Ji took the form of a buffalo and mingled with other animals. The all-powerful Bhima assumed his gigantic form and spread his legs over both the mountains in the Valley. All cows and buffaloes went under Bhima’s feet. But Mahadeva, the buffalo, was not ready to go under Bhima’s feet. Bhima swooped and clutched Shambhunatha’s back. Bholenatha was delighted with Pandavas’ determination, devotion, and repentance. He manifested in his form and freed Pandavas from sin. The Pandavas built the Kedarnath temple at the same time.
Some believe that the king of Malwa, who ruled from 1019 AD to 1042 AD, constructed the Kedarnath temple. Adi Shri Shankaracharya rebuilt it.
Devotees built the Kedarnath temple so strongly that it has faced many disasters without any destruction. Temple was under snow for 400 years during the ice age between 1300 AD to 1700 AD. Similarly, on 16-17th June 2013, when Kedar valley and other parts of Uttarakhand were suffering the devastation, the temple was stable in its place.
Thousands of years ago, how magnificent the architecture of India was and how efficient those architects were!
Note*-
Kailashpati, Neelkanth, Mahadeva, Shiva, Shambhunatha, Bholenatha, and many more are names of a single person. He is worshipped in the Kedarnath temple and also known as Adiyogi (The First Yogi—Source of Yoga).
Works Cited
1. Attribution to the featured image for this post: Jaiswal, Prateek. Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, India and Architecture in Kedarnath, India . Unsplash, 26 Aug, 2021, https://unsplash.com/photos/gray-concrete-tower-on-top-of-mountain-during-daytime-WigH_YWD2Z8/. Accessed 04 Dec. 2023.
