With its roots in scriptures & cosmic redemption, Kedarnath is one of the oldest pilgrimage places due to its spiritual ties to the Pandavas, as they searched for Shiva after Kurukshetra war, pleading to resolve their sins. He vanished to transform as a bull avoiding their request, left behind his hump which shows his disappointment with the Pandavas.
It is believed that Kedarnath Temple’s stone architecture is over 4000 years old, despite most historians dating it around the 8th century AD. Constructed using interlocking stone slabs without mortar, it has undergone earthquakes, floods & extreme weather. The exact engineering technique remains a mystery, as no adhesive material binds the massive stones used to construct it.
Every Shiva temple has lingams, but Kedarnath features a unique hump-shaped idol, representing the back of Shiva in bull form. Hindu scriptures say, when Shiva disappeared into the earth to evade Pandavas, his hump remained in Kedarnath. The sacred conical structure is believed to have risen naturally, and devotees bow to it with the same reverence as Lingam.
All the Hindu temples are filled with the sound of ringing bells, but Kedarnath is a temple where there are no bells. As the silence is intended to maintain a meditative and deeply spiritual environment in the abode of Lord Shiva, this centuries-old custom is strictly followed & is rooted in the belief that divinity is best experienced in absolute quietude and focus around the temple.
Akhand Jyoti, an eternal flame, has been burning inside the Kedarnath Temple for centuries, even when the temple is closed for 6 months due to winter. This holy flame burns continuously without any human intervention & is said to represent Lord Shiva’s constant presence. The mystery about the flame is unsolved that how it remains burning without tending during harsh snowy winds.
Kedarnath Temple resumes darshan for devotees with processions held by priests from Jangam or Rawal of Karnataka; originally Udupi Brahmins (from South India) who are chosen from the Veerashaiva community. Adi Shankaracharya started this tradition to unify Hinduism, ensuring cultural rise. Jangams have performed all rituals & puja in Kedarnath for over a thousand years.
Even when the temple reopens after 6 months of complete snow cover, there’s not a speck of dust inside. No human cleans it during this time, and locals believe divine forces protect/purify the temple. Despite being buried under snow, the interiors remain clean, oil lamps continue burning, and the idol remains untouched, adding to the temple's mysterious divinity.
During the unfortunate 2013 Uttarakhand floods, massive landslides and a flash flood wiped out everything in Kedarnath town except the Kedarnath Temple. It was protected from the rushing water and trash by a huge stone that was later named Bhim Shila. Buildings were destroyed, thousands died, but the temple remained untouched, all for faith in divine protection & mystic of the place.
The massive rock behind Kedarnath Temple, now known as Bhim Shila, is said to have rolled down from the mountains during the 2013 disaster that stopped just behind the temple. Acted as a natural dam, absorbing the impact of massive floods, & protecting the shrine, locals & pilgrims regard Bhim Shila as a divine manifestation of the Pandava Bhima or Lord Shiva himself.