History and Facts
One of the first references of Shri Kedarnath Dham is in the Skanda Purana that was written around the 7th and 8th century AD. The present structure is believed to have been constructed by Adi Shankaracharya about 1,200 years ago. It stands next to the site of a temple that is said to have been built by the Pandavas. It has been renovated many times over the centuries. The temple is built with huge stone slabs over a rectangular platform. There are inscriptions in Pali on the steps. There are figures of various deities and scenes from Hindu mythology on the inner walls. A large statue of the Nandi Bull, Shiva”s mount, stands as guard at the entrance. The Jyotirlinga is in the shape of a conical rock formation inside the temple – Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form. Since Shri Kedarnath Dham is located at such an altitude, winters are severe, making the temple inaccessible. So, it is open to the Pilgrims only between April (Akshaya Tritiya) and November (Kartik Purnima – the autumn full moon) every year. During the winters, the Murtis(idols) from Shri Kedarnath Dham temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshiped there for six months. One of the most significant calamities occurred at Shri Kedarnath Dham in 2013 when it was affected by flash floods, which was one of the worst disasters that occurred in 100 years of its existence. Bhim Shila stands for ‘God’s rock’, which saved the holy temple of Shri Kedarnath Dham from being washed away by the turbulent flood water.
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