Kedarnath Temple stands in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, worshipped as a naturally formed conical rock (Sadashiva) Jyotirlinga. It is also known as Shri Kedarnath Dham, Kedarnath Jyotirlinga.
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva (regarded as the highest of them) and part of both the Char Dham and Panch Kedar circuits of Uttarakhand. By legend, after the Mahabharata war the Pandavas sought Lord Shiva's blessings to atone for their sins.
Uttarakhand carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Dev Bhoomi, the Land of the Gods, home to the Char Dham Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and the Shakti temples of Haridwar.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | Opens ~4:00 AM for Mahabhishek; general darshan ~7:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Evening | ~5:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Shayan Aarti ~7:30-8:30 PM) |
The temple closes ~3:00-5:00 PM for afternoon rituals. Before 3:00 PM devotees may touch the Shivalinga directly; after 5:00 PM only visual darshan is allowed. Open only during the yatra season (around late April to early November); worship shifts to Ukhimath in winter.
Poojas and daily rituals
Mangal Aarti and Mahabhishek open the day, followed by Rudrabhishek, Laghurudrabhishek, Shodashopachaar and other 'Attending' pujas performed in the pilgrim's presence in the morning, and Shiv-path recitations and the Entire Evening Aarti in the evening. The temple also offers 'Non-Attending' pujas (performed by BKTC priests on the pilgrim's behalf) such as daily Bhog, Yagya/Hawan, Akhand Jyoti and Atka Prasad sent by post. Full current rates for all puja/paath/bhog options (33 line items) are published and bookable on badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Temple Opening (Kapat Khulna) | Late April - early May (announced on Maha Shivratri) | The doors open for the yatra season |
| Badri-Kedar Utsav | June | Joint cultural festival with Badrinath |
| Temple Closing (Kapat Bandh) | Bhai Dooj, early November | The doors close and the Utsav Doli travels in procession to Ukhimath |
History and architecture
Architecture
Built of massive, evenly cut grey stone slabs on a large rectangular platform, about 80 feet high. It has a Garbha Griha for worship and a Mandap for pilgrims, with Pali inscriptions on the steps and a large Nandi statue outside the door.
History
By legend, after the Mahabharata war the Pandavas sought Lord Shiva's blessings to atone for their sins. Shiva eluded them and took the form of a buffalo, diving into the ground at Kedarnath and leaving his hump on the surface, now worshipped as the conical rock. His other parts appeared at the four Panch Kedar shrines. The present temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century.
Planning your visit
How to reach
The roadhead is Gaurikund/Sonprayag, reached from Rishikesh (~215-243 km) or Haridwar; from Gaurikund it is a 16 km uphill trek (6-8 hours), or a helicopter from Phata, Sirsi or Guptkashi. Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun (~250 km); nearest railway station is Rishikesh. Char Dham Yatra registration is mandatory.
Kedarnath Temple in photographs
4 freely-licensed photographs of this temple, from Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its photographer.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. Badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in was verified live in September 2026 and confirms 'Yatra-2026 is in progress'. The full current puja/paath rate card (Attending and Non-Attending pujas) was read directly from the official site's own Kedarnath 'Pujas Offered' tab, correcting materially outdated prices in the previous entry. No official 2026 closing (Kapat Bandh) date had been announced yet on the official site as of this research; BKTC traditionally announces it at Vijayadashami. Third-party travel sites project around 11 November 2026 (Bhai Dooj), but since this is not yet an official BKTC confirmation it is deliberately left out of the temple's timings/notes rather than stated as fact.