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{{short description|Hindu temple in Uttarakhand, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Kedarnath Temple
| image = Kedarnath Temple.jpg
| alt = Kedarnath Temple
| caption = Kedarnath Temple
| map_type = India Uttarakhand
| map_caption = Location in Uttarakhand
| coordinates = {{coord|30|44|6.7|N|79|4|0.9|E|type:landmark_region:IN_scale:100000|display=inline}}
| native_name =
| country = {{IND}}
| state = [[Uttarakhand]]
| district = [[Rudraprayag district|Rudraprayag]]
| location = [[Kedarnath]]
| elevation_m = 3583
| deity = [[Shiva]]
| Direction_posture =
| Pushkarani =
| Vimanam =
| festivals = [[Maha Shivratri|Maha Shivaratri]]
| architecture = North-Indian Himalayan Architecture
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator = [[Pandavas]]
| website = {{URL|badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in}}
}}
{{Chota Char Dham}}
'''Kedarnath Temple''' ([[Sanskrit]]: केदारनाथ मंदिर, [[IAST]]: ''Kēdāranātha Mandira'', {{lit|temple of the God of the field}}) is a [[Hindu temple]] roughly 1200 years old<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indiathrills.com/kedarnath/|title=Travel guide to Kedarnath Dham}}</ref> dedicated to [[Shiva]]. The temple is located on the Garhwal [[Himalayan range]] {{citation needed|date=January 2023}}
near the [[Mandakini river]], in the state of [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]. Due to [[extreme weather]] conditions, the temple is open to the general public only between the months of April ([[Akshaya Tritiya]]) and November ([[Kartik Purnima]], the autumn full moon). During the winters, the ''vigraha'' (deity) of the temple is carried down to [[Ukhimath]] to be worshipped for the next six months. Kedarnath is seen as a homogenous form of [[Shiva]], the 'Lord of Kedarkhand', the historical name of the region.<ref name="official">{{cite web|year=2006|title=Kedarnath Temple|url=https://badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in/|access-date=16 May 2021|publisher=Kedarnath - The official website}}</ref>

The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a {{convert|22|km|mi|abbr=}} uphill trek from [[Gaurikund]]. Pony, mule and ''manchan'' service is available to reach the temple. According to [[Hindu]] legends, the temple was initially built by the [[Pandava]]s, and is one of the twelve [[Jyotirlingas]], the holiest Hindu shrines of [[Shiva]].<ref name="James G. Lochtefeld 2002 363–364">{{cite book |author=James G. Lochtefeld |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5kl0DYIjUPgC&pg=PA363 |year=2002 |publisher=Rosen |isbn=978-0-8239-3179-8 |pages=363–364 }}</ref> The Pandavas were supposed to have pleased Shiva by doing penance in [[Kedarnath]].<ref name="James G. Lochtefeld 2002 363–364" /><ref name="ABC-CLIO">{{cite book |editor1=J. Gordon Melton |editor2=Martin Baumann |title=Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices |volume=1 (A-B) |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2yiyLLOj88C&pg=PA1624 |year=2010 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-204-3 |page=1624 }}</ref> The temple is one of the four major sites in India's [[Chota Char Dham]] pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas and is the first of the [[Panch Kedar]] pilgrimage sites. This temple is the highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas.<ref>{{cite news |title=KEDARNATH |work=chardhamtour |url=https://www.traveltoindia.org/kedarnath-dham.html}}</ref> It is one of the 275 [[Paadal Petra Sthalam|''paadal petra sthalams'']] expounded in the ''[[Tevaram]],'' a sacred [[Tamil language|Tamil]] [[Shaivite]] text written during the 6th and 7th centuries by 63 saints called [[Nayanars]]. This temple is sung of by [[Sambandar|Thirugnanasambandar]], [[Appar]], [[Sundarar]] and [[Sekkizhar]] in their ''Tevaram'' texts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shaivam.org/hindu-hub/temples/place/206/thirukkedaram-kedareswrar-temple|title=Tiruketharam (Kedarnath)|language=tamil|access-date=6 November 2021|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20211106055017/https://shaivam.org/hindu-hub/temples/place/206/thirukkedaram-kedareswrar-temple|archivedate=6 November 2021}}</ref>

Kedarnath was the worst affected area during the [[2013 North India floods|2013 flash floods in North India]]. The temple complex, surrounding areas, and Kedarnath town suffered extensive damage, but the temple structure did not suffer any major damage, apart from a few cracks on one side of the four walls which was caused by the flowing debris from the higher mountains. A large rock among the debris acted as a barrier, protecting the temple from the flood. The surrounding premises and other buildings in the market area were heavily damaged.<ref>{{cite news |author=Joanna Sugden |author2=Shreya Shah |date=19 June 2013 |title=Kedarnath Temple Survives Flash Floods |work=WSJ |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/06/19/kedarnath-temple-survives-flash-floods/}}</ref>

== History and legends of origin ==
[[File:Panda visit Kedarnath.jpg|thumb|The Pandavas visit Kedarnath after the [[Mahabharata War]]]]
The temple, at a height of {{convert|3583|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}, {{cvt|223|km}} from [[Rishikesh]], on the shores of [[Mandakini river]], a tributary of [[Ganga]], is a stone edifice of unknown date.<ref name="abram">{{cite book|last=Abram|first=David|title=The Rough guide to India|year=2003|publisher=Rough Guides|location=New York}}</ref> It is not certain who built the original Kedarnath temple and when. The name "Kedarnath" means "the lord of the field": it derives from the Sanskrit words ''kedara'' ("field") and ''natha'' ("lord"). The text ''Kashi Kedara Mahatmya'' states that it is so called because "the crop of [[moksha|liberation]]" grows here.<ref name="Diana_2013">{{cite book |author=Diana L. Eck |title=Banaras: City of Light |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2LgO6TJhFDwC&pg=PT185 |year=2013 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday |isbn=978-0-307-83295-5 |pages=185–186 }}</ref>

Many folk legends related to the Garhwal region, Lord [[Shiva]] and the creation of the Panch Kedar temples are narrated.

A folk legend about Panch Kedar relates to the [[Pandavas]], the heroes of the Hindu epic [[Mahabharata]]. The Pandavas defeated and slew their cousins — the [[Kauravas]] in the epic [[Kurukshetra war]]. They wished to atone for the sins of committing [[fratricide]] (''[[gotra]] [[hatya]]'') and [[Brāhmanahatya]] (killing of [[Brahmin]]s — the priest class) during the war. Thus, they handed over the reins of their kingdom to their kin and left in search of lord [[Shiva]] and to seek his blessings. First, they went to the holy city of [[Varanasi]] (Kashi), believed to be Shiva's favourite city and known for its [[Kashi Vishwanath Temple]]. But, Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was deeply incensed by the death and dishonesty at the Kurukshetra war and was, therefore, insensitive to Pandavas' prayers. Therefore, he assumed the form of a bull ([[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]]) and hid in the Garhwal region.

Not finding Shiva in Varanasi, the Pandavas went to [[Garhwal Division|Garhwal]] [[Himalayas]]. [[Bhima]], the second of the five Pandava brothers, then standing astride two mountains started to look for Shiva. He saw a bull grazing near [[Guptakashi]] ("hidden Kashi" — the name derived from the hiding act of Shiva). Bhima immediately recognized the bull to be Shiva. Bhima caught hold of the bull by its tail and hind legs. But the bull-formed Shiva disappeared into the ground to later reappear in parts, with the hump raising in Kedarnath, the arms appearing in [[Tungnath]], the face showing up at [[Rudranath]], the nabhi (navel) and stomach surfacing in [[Madhyamaheshwar]] and the hair appearing in [[Kalpeshwar]]. The Pandavas pleased with this reappearance in five different forms, built temples at the five places for venerating and worshipping Shiva.<ref name="travel">{{Cite web |title=Panch Kedar Yatra |url=https://www.badrikedar.org/panch-kedar/ |access-date=5 July 2009}}</ref><ref name=ecology>{{Cite book |author= Kapoor. A. K. |author2=Satwanti Kapoor |title= Ecology and man in the Himalayas |year=1994 |pages=250 |publisher= M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. |isbn=9788185880167}}</ref>

A variant of the tale credits Bhima of not only catching the bull, but also stopping it from disappearing. Consequently, the bull was torn asunder into five parts and appeared at five locations in the [[Kedar Khand]] of Garhwal region of the Himalayas.<ref name=travel/> After building the Panch Kedar Temples, the Pandavas meditated at Kedarnath for salvation, performed [[yagna]] (fire sacrifice) and then through the heavenly path called the Mahapanth (also called Swargarohini), attained heaven or salvation.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Panch Kedar |url=https://www.chardhamtour.in/panch-kedar.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=chardhamtour.in|date=5 March 2014 }}</ref> The Panch Kedar Temples are constructed in the North-Indian Himalayan Temple architecture with the Kedarnath, Tungnath and Madhyamaheshwar temples looking similar.

After completing the pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's [[Darśana|darshan]] at the Panch Kedar Temples, it is an unwritten religious rite to visit [[Lord Vishnu]] at the [[Badrinath Temple]], as a final affirmatory proof by the devotee that he has sought blessings of Lord Shiva.<ref name=jyoti>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jyotirlinga.com/panchakedar.htm |title=Panch Kedar |access-date=15 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831110615/http://www.jyotirlinga.com/panchakedar.htm |archive-date=31 August 2009 }}</ref>

The ''[[Mahabharata]]'', which gives the account of the Pandavas and the Kurukshetra War, does not mention any place called Kedarnath. One of the earliest references to Kedarnath occurs in the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'' (c. 7th-8th century), which contains a story describing the origin of the [[Ganges river]]. The text names Kedara (Kedarnath) as the place where [[Shiva]] released the holy water from his matted hair.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |author=Alex McKay |title=Kailas Histories: Renunciate Traditions and the Construction of Himalayan Sacred Geography |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l3HsCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA135 |year=2015 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-30618-9 |page=135}}</ref>

According to the hagiographies based on Madhava's ''Sankshepa-shankara-vijaya'', the 8th century philosopher [[Adi Shankara]] died at the mountains near Kedarnath; although other hagiographies, based on Anandagiri's ''Prachina-Shankara-Vijaya'', state that he died at [[Kanchipuram]]. The ruins of a monument marking the purported death place of Shankara are located at Kedarnath.<ref name=":1">{{cite book |author=N. V. Isaeva |title=Shankara and Indian Philosophy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J43SDe9ilOsC&pg=PA91 |year=1993 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=978-0-7914-1282-4 |pages=90–91}}</ref> Kedarnath was definitely a prominent pilgrimage centre by the 12th century, when it is mentioned in ''Kritya-kalpataru'' written by the [[Gahadavala]] minister Bhatta Lakshmidhara.<ref>{{cite book |author=Edward Quinn |title=Critical Companion to George Orwell |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hZET2sSUVsgC&pg=PA232 |year=2014 |publisher=Infobase |isbn=978-1-4381-0873-5 |page=232 }}</ref>

Kedarnath Teerth Purohits are the ancient Brahmins of this region, their ancestors (Rishi-Muni) have been worshiping the lingam since the time of [[Nara-Narayana]] and [[Daksh Prajapati]]. King Janmejay, grandson of the Pandavas, gave them the right of worshiping this temple and donate the whole [[Kedar region]], and they have been worshiping pilgrims ever since.<ref name="Diana_2013" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

According to a tradition recorded by the English mountaineer [[Eric Shipton]] (1926), "many hundreds of years ago" one priest used to hold services at both the Kedarnath and [[Badrinath temple|Badrinath]] temples, travelling between the two places daily.<ref>{{cite book |author=Jean M. Grove |title=Little Ice Ages: Ancient and Modern |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ifEVJ6lytsC&pg=PA238 |year=2004 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-33422-8 |page=238}}</ref>

==The temple==
{{Panch Kedar}}
The presiding image of Kedarnath in the form of ''[[lingam]]'' is of irregular shape with a pedestal {{convert|3.6|m|ft|abbr=on}} in circumference and {{convert|3.6|m|ft|abbr=on}} in height. There is a small pillared hall in front of the temple, that has images of [[Parvati]] and of the five [[Pandava]] princes. There are four temples around Kedarnath itself, namely- Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar which form the Panch Kedar pilgrimage sites.<ref name=Ram>{{cite book|title=Hindu Pilgrim centres|last=Harshananda|first=Swami|isbn=978-81-7907-053-6|year=2012|publisher=Ramakrishna Math|location=Bangalore, India|edition=2nd|pages=71–3}}</ref> The first hall inside Kedarnath Temple contains statues of the five [[Pandava]] brothers, [[Krishna]], [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]], the vehicle of [[Shiva]] and [[Virabhadra]], one of the guards of [[Shiva]]. Statues of [[Draupadi]] and other deities are also installed in the main hall.<ref name="official"/> An unusual feature of the temple is the head of a man carved in the triangular stone lingam. Such a head is seen carved in another temple nearby constructed on the site where the marriage of [[Shiva]] and [[Parvati]] was held. Adi Shankara was believed to have revived this temple, along with Badrinath and other temples of Uttarakhand; he is believed to have attained Mahasamadhi at Kedarnath. Behind the temple is the [[samādhi]] mandir of [[Adi Sankara]].<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://gov.ua.nic.in/uttaranchaltourism/districts/uttarkashi/Kedarnath.html
| title = Uttarakhand government website
| publisher = Government of Uttarakhand
| access-date = 9 September 2013
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080610074948/http://gov.ua.nic.in/uttaranchaltourism/districts/uttarkashi/Kedarnath.html
| archive-date = 10 June 2008
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

[[File:Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, India, by Yogabrata Chakraborty.jpg|thumb|150px|Front view of the Kedarnath Temple in October 2022]]
The head priest (''Raval'') of the Kedarnath temple belongs to the [[Veerashaiva]] community from Karnataka.<ref name=priest>{{cite news|title=Kedarnath priest's family prays for his safe return|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/340818/kedarnath-priest039s-family-prays-his.html|access-date=9 September 2013|newspaper=Deccan Herald|date=24 June 2013}}</ref> However, unlike in Badrinath temple, the Raval of Kedarnath temple does not perform the pujas. The pujas are carried out by Raval's assistants on his instructions. The Raval moves with the deity to Ukhimath during the winter season. There are five main priests for the temple, and they become head priests for one year by rotation. The present (2013) Raval of Kedarnath temple is Shri Vageesha Lingacharya from Davanagere district, Karnataka.<ref name=priest/> Surrounding Kedarnath, there are many symbols of the Pandavas. Raja Pandu died at Pandukeshwar. The tribals here perform a dance called "[[Pandav Lila]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euttaranchal.com/culture/garhwal/danceforms.php|title=Garhwali Dance Forms|date=6 March 2013 |publisher=euttaranchal.com}}</ref> The mountain top where the Pandavas went to Swarga, is known as "Swargarohini", which is located off [[Badrinath]]. When [[Yudhishtira]], the eldest of the Pandavas, was leaving for the heaven, one of his fingers fell on the earth. At that place, Yudhishtira installed a Shiva Linga, which is the size of the thumb. To gain Mashisharupa, Lord [[Shiva]] and Bheema fought with maces. Bheema was struck with remorse. He started to massage Shiva's body with ghee. In memory of this event, even today, this triangular Shiva lingam is massaged with ghee. Water and bilva-patra leaves are used for worship.

==Administration==
[[File:Way to kedarnathm.jpg|thumb|Way to Kedarnath Temple in early winter]]
The temple was included in the Uttar Pradesh State Government Act No. 30/1948 as Act no. 16,1939, which came to be known as Shri Badarinath and Shri Kedarnath Mandir Act. The committee nominated by the state government administers both temples. The act was modified in 2002 by the Uttarakhand State Government, which provisioned adding additional committee members including government officials and a vice-chairman.<ref>{{cite web |year=2006 |title=Administration of the temple |url=https://www.badrikedar.org/ |publisher=Shri Badrinath - Shri Kedarnath Temples Committee}}</ref> There are a total of seventeen members in the board; three selected by the [[Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly]], one member each selected by the [[District Councils of India|District Councils]] of [[Chamoli district|Chamoli]], [[Pauri Garhwal district|Pauri Garhwal]], [[Tehri Garhwal district|Tehri Garhwal]] and [[Uttarkashi district|Uttarkashi]] districts, and ten members nominated by the [[Government of Uttarakhand]].<ref>{{cite web |year=2006 |title=Committee members of the temple |url=https://www.badrikedar.org/ |publisher=Shri Badrinath - Shri Kedarnath Temples Committee}}</ref> On the religious side, there is a Rawal (chief priest) and three other priests: Naib Rawal, Acharya/Dharmadhikari and Vedpathi.<ref>{{cite web |year=2006 |title=Religious setup of the temple |url=https://www.badrikedar.org/ |publisher=Shri Badrinath - Shri Kedarnath Temples Committee}}</ref> The administrative structure of the temple consists of a chief executive officer who executes the orders from the state government. A deputy chief executive officer, two OSDs, an executive officer, an account officer, a temple officer and a publicity officer assist the chief executive officer.<ref>{{cite web |year=2006 |title=Power structure of the temple |url=https://www.badrikedar.org/ |access-date=9 September 2013 |publisher=Shri Badrinath - Shri Kedarnath Temples Committee}}</ref>

==Connectivity==
'''Nearest Airport''': [[Dehradun Airport|Dehradun]]

'''Nearest Railway Station''': [[Yog Nagari Rishikesh railway station|Rishikesh]]

==2013 floods==
{{Main|2013 North India floods}}
[[File:Temple in the aftermath of the flood.jpg|thumb|Rear view of the Kedarnath Temple in the aftermath of the flood with the huge rock that protected the temple.]]
[[File:Kedarnath Temple in 2014.jpg|thumb|Front view of the Kedarnath Temple in the aftermath of the flood]]
The Kedarnath valley, along with other parts of the state of [[Uttarakhand]], was hit with [[2013 North India floods|unprecedented flash floods]] on 16 and 17 June 2013. On 16 June, at about 7:30 p.m. a landslide and mudslides occurred near Kedarnath Temple with loud peals of thunder. An enormously loud peal was heard and huge amounts of water started gushing from Chorabari Tal or Gandhi Tal down Mandakini river at about 8:30 p.m. washing everything away in its path. On 17 June 2013 at about 6:40 a.m. waters again started cascading at a huge speed from river Swaraswati and Chorabari Tal or Gandhi Tal bringing along with its flow huge amount of silt, rocks, and boulders. A huge rock got stuck behind Kedarnath Temple and protected it from the ravages of the flood. The waters gushed on both the sides of the temple destroying everything in their path. Even eyewitness observed that one large rock got carried to the rear side of Kedarnath Temple, thus causing obstruction to the debris, diverting the flow of river and debris to the sides of the temple avoiding damage. The rock which protected the temple is worshipped as the God's Rock (भीम शीला).

Another theory for the temple not being destroyed is because of its construction.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tehelka.com/what-happened-on-the-night-of-16th-june-inside-kedarnath-temple/|work=Tehelka.com|access-date=9 September 2013|date=17 June 2013|title=What happened on the night of 16th June inside Kedarnath temple}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Account of survivors of Uttarakhand floods|url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/video/uttarakhand-floods-survivors-kedarnath-recount-082517606.html|date=17 June 2013|access-date=9 September 2013|work=Yahoo newsuutar}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEqzz-wWJEs| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211031/PEqzz-wWJEs| archive-date=31 October 2021 | url-status=live|title=Account of survivors|publisher=youtube.com|date=17 June 2013|access-date=9 September 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za0BGieQg5Y| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211031/za0BGieQg5Y| archive-date=31 October 2021 | url-status=live|title=Account of flood victims|access-date=9 September 2013|date=17 June 2013|publisher=youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Although the temple withstood the severity of the floods, the complex and surrounding area were destroyed, resulting in the death of hundreds of pilgrims and locals. Shops and hotels in Kedarnath were destroyed and all roads were broken. People took shelter inside the temple for several hours, until the [[Indian Army]] airlifted them to safer places.<ref name=priest/> The Uttarakhand [[Chief Ministers of India|Chief Minister]] announced that the Kedarnath shrine would remain closed for a year for clearing the debris.

The experts, who were asked by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] to examine the condition of the foundation in wake of the floods have arrived at the conclusion that there was no danger to the temple. The [[IIT Madras]] experts visited the temple thrice for the purpose. Non-destructive testing instruments that do not disturb the structure of the temple were used by the IIT-team for assessing the health of the structure, foundation, and walls. They have submitted their interim report that the temple is stable and there was no major danger.<ref>{{cite news|title=Monsoon fury leaves Kedarnath shrine submerged in mud and slush|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/monsoon-fury-leaves-kedarnath-shrine-submerged-in-mud-and-slush/1130991/|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=19 June 2013|access-date=9 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Kedarnath shrine safe, to remain closed for a year|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kedarnath-shrine-safe-to-remain-closed-for-three-years/article4830508.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=19 June 2013|access-date=9 September 2013}}</ref>

Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) was given the responsibility of rebuilding Kedarnath. Although the institute did not have the expertise in urban planning or construction, they mastered in high altitude training. Under the leadership of veteran mountaineer, Colonel [[Ajay Kothiyal]], NIM rigorously worked for a year and made the pilgrimage yatra possible from the next year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/environment/kedarnath-temple-rebuilding-flood-lessons|title=In Rebuilding Kedarnath, a New Disaster in the Making|website=The Wire|access-date=1 June 2019}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" caption="Kedarnath temple" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="160">
Kedarnath temple 1880's.jpg|1880s photo of Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Temple - OCT 2014.jpg|Kedarnath Temple in 2014, one year after the floods.
Kedarnath Temple at Dawn - OCT 2014.jpg|Kedarnath Temple at dawn
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Adi Shankara]]
*[[Badrinath Temple]]
*[[Gangotri Temple]]
*[[Gaurikund]]
*[[Jyotirlinga]]
*[[Yamunotri Temple]]
*[[Chota Char Dham]]
*[[Panch Kedar]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book
| last=Chaturvedi
| first=B. K.
| year=2006
| title=Shiv Purana
| place=New Delhi
| publisher= Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd
| edition=First
| isbn=81-7182-721-7
| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bchgql0em9YC&q=jyotirlinga&pg=PA58
|ref=Chaturvedi
}}
*{{Cite book
| last=Eck
| first=Diana L.
| year=1999
| title=Banaras, city of light
| place=New York
| publisher= Columbia University Press
| edition=First
| isbn=0-231-11447-8
| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J57C4d8Bv6UC&q=jyotirlinga&pg=PA107
|ref=Eck
}}
*{{Cite book |last=Gwynne|first=Paul |title=World Religions in Practice: A Comparative Introduction|year=2009|publisher=Blackwell Publication |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-4051-6702-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tdsRKc_knZoC&q=jyotirlinga&pg=PT271|ref=Gwynne}}
*{{cite book
| last = Harding
| first = Elizabeth U.
| title = Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar
| chapter = God, the Father
| publisher = Motilal Banarsidass
| year = 1998
| pages = 156–157
| isbn = 978-81-208-1450-9
|ref=Harding
}}
*{{Cite book | last = Lochtefeld | first = James G. | title = The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M | year = 2002 | publisher=Rosen Publishing Group | isbn=0-8239-3179-X | page=122 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5kl0DYIjUPgC|ref=Lochtefeld}}
*{{Cite book
| last=R.
| first=Venugopalam
| year=2003
| title=Meditation: Any Time Any Where
| place=Delhi
| publisher= B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.
| edition=First
| isbn=81-8056-373-1
| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtnNw_hiA9oC&q=jyotirlinga&pg=PT113
|ref=R.
}}
*{{cite book
| last = Vivekananda
| first = Swami
| title = The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
| chapter = The Paris Congress of the History of Religions
| chapter-url = http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_4/translation_prose/the_paris_congress.htm
| volume = 4
|ref=Vivekanand
}}

==External links==
{{Prone to spam|date=June 2013}}

* [https://badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in/ Official website]
* [https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/destination/kedarnath/ Kedarnath - Uttarakhand Tourism]
* [http://www.indianexpress.com/picture-gallery/kedarnath-turns-into-a-ghost-town-after-uttarakhand-floods/2957-1.html#idclsr=2957-1.html Photos 2013 floods -a big Rock behind temple]

{{Shaivism}}
{{Shiva temples}}
{{Hindu Temples in Uttarakhand|Uttarakhand}}
{{Uttarakhand}}

[[Category:Shiva temples in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Jyotirlingas]]
[[Category:Chota Char Dham temples]]
[[Category:Panch Kedar]]
[[Category:Rudraprayag district]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]

Kedarnath Temple - Revision history

CleanupBot at 06:38, 24 November 2023