Kedarnath holiday packages are organized pilgrimages of the Hindu devotees to the northern most Jyotirlingam situated in the lap of the Himalayas.
Kedarnath Dham is reached by wading through a rugged and hilly terrain. The journey to Kedarnath usually commences from Haridwar / Rishikesh.
The train runs up to Rishikesh (about 14 miles from Haridwar) where the actual pilgrimage begins. Rishikesh is home to temple of Bharat, the only one of its kind in the country. There are also temples of Sri Ram and Sita. The road to Kedarnath starts from Lakshman Jhula, a hilly station on the other side of the Ganga, which is crossed by a hanging bridge. There are temples and ‘dharmashalas’ (धर्मशाला - hospice) on the bank of the river where there are Lakshman Kund, Sita Kund, Ram Kund etc. Due to heavy snowfall, Kedarnath Temple remains closed throughout the winter season.
Kedarnath Dham marks the spot where according to an authority “Sadashiv (सदाशिव), a form of Shiva, in his flight from the Pandavas, assumed the form of a buffalo and attempted to dive into the earth to escape his pursuers but left his hind quarters on the surface. A rock is still worshipped as part of the deity and the remaining portions of the body are reverenced elsewhere at Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. Four miles from the temple on the way to the Mahapanth peak is a precipice known as the Bhairav Jhamp where devotees formerly performed ‘harakari’ by flinging themselves from the summit. The practice has now been suppressed by the Government. The chief priest of Kedarnath is always a Jangama from Mysore or some other part of South India, demonstrating again the fundamental unity of the Hindus of all India from Kanyakumari (the Cape Camorin) to the Himalayas. During a trip to Kedarnath, a pilgrim is suggested to visit Gaurikund, Bhairava Temple, Chorabari Tal, Sonprayag and Vasuki Tal. For a customized Kedarnath tour itinerary and package, contact Optima Travels.