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- Written by Anchal B Chaudhary
Places to Visit in Kedarnath
Shankaracharya Samadhi
The Samadhi of Adi Guru Shankaracharya, a great Hindu reformer and founder of the four ‘Mathas’, lies right behind the Kedarnath Temple. To propogate Adwaita philosophy through discourses and debates with other thinkers, Adi Guru made relentless journeys through India and other parts of South Asia.
It’s said that after establishing the four sacred ‘Dham’ in India he went into Samadhi at an early age of 32 years.
Agastyamuni (63 km)
Agastyamuni is a pilgrimage centre, 18 km beyond Rudraprayag, enroute Kedarnath. An ancient temple dedicated to sage Agastya is the main attraction here and draws scores of devotees for Baisakhi celebrations. The Agasteshwar Mahadev Temple is also noted for its exquisite architecture with its walls adorned by beautifully carved images of Gods and Goddesses.
Agastyamuni is also one of the bases for Helicopter services to the Kedarnath shrine.
Trijugi Narayan (25 km)
A short 12 km drive from Sonprayag is a small place called Trijugi Narayan where wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati is said to have solemnized. Opposite the Shiva Temple, is an eternal flame which is said to have witnessed the marriage ceremony and is burning ever since.
Kashi Vishwanath at Guptkashi
Popular for temples of Ardhnareshwar and Vishwanathji, Guptkashi is home to Udar Kund. As per Kedarkhand of Shiv Mahapurana, water of udar Kund is mixture of all the five oceans and remains fresh even if kept bottled for many years. Considered pure and holy, its water is used for purification rituals by Hindu devotees.
Bhairon Nath Temple
Not very far from Kedarnath temple is the temple of Bhairon Nath, who is believed to guard the shrine during winters.
Also Check Out
Vasuki Tal – This difficult trek is only for adventurous and leads to a high altitude lake surrounded by snowy mountains.
Once there, the view is simply breathtaking!
Gaurikund – Trekking base for the Kedarnath yatra, Gaurikund is a small place with a temple dedicated to ‘Gauri’ and thermal springs of medicinal value.
