Shri Kedarnath Temple

Kedāranātha Mandira

श्री केदारनाथ मंदिर · கேதார்நாத் கோயில்

Kedarnath, Uttarakhand · Śaiva · every claim sourced

Overview

Kedārnāth, highest and remotest of the twelve Jyotirliṅgas, stands in the Garhwal Himalaya and opens only for a summer season each year. The Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) administers the shrine, and Char Dham yatra registration runs through the official Uttarakhand government portal.

Sources: [Śāstra] Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga Stotram (traditionally attributed to Ādi Śaṅkara) · [Official] Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) — official site (badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in) · [Official] Uttarakhand Tourist Care & Registration portal (registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in)

Sthala Purāṇa tradition · sacred narrative

Per the Koṭirudra Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa, the twin sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa, performing austerities at Badarikāśrama, worshipped Śiva daily; pleased, Śiva granted their prayer to remain for the world's welfare at Kedāra as the Jyotirliṅga. A regional Kedārakhaṇḍa tradition further elaborates the kṣetra's māhātmya.

Sources: [Purāṇa] Śiva Purāṇa, Koṭirudra Saṃhitā · [Purāṇa] Skanda Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa — Kedāra Khaṇḍa

Festivals pending sourcing

Festival and ritual calendar to be added once verified from BKTC pages — not shipped unsourced.

Visiting verified official data

Seasonal Opening: Open only in the summer season. 2026 opening: 22 April 2026 at 8:00 AM (announced by the BKTC chairman on Mahā Śivarātri at Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath). The 2025 season closed on Bhaiyā Dūj, 23 October 2025, at 8:30 AM.
last verified 2026-08-01 · official source
Darshan Hours pending sourcing: No daily darshan hours are published on the BKTC site or the government yatra portal; the portal issues darshan slot tokens. Hours will be added once published on an official page.
Yatra Registration: Char Dham yatra registration (QR yatra letter, darshan slot tokens, health registration) via the official Uttarakhand portal registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in; BKTC online pūjā/ārtī/bhog booking requires an Indian mobile number; helicopter services only via IRCTC HeliYatra.
last verified 2026-08-01 · official source

Official

Trust: Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), constituted under the 1939 Act
last verified 2026-08-01 · official source
Website: https://badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in/
last verified 2026-08-01 · official source

Book darshan, pooja or donations only through the verified official channel above. MandirPal links to no other channel.

Map

Related in the knowledge graph

Part of circuit

Collection
The Twelve Jyotirlingas
Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga

Enshrines

Deity
Shiva
Śiva

Where traditions differ, MandirPal shows each view with its sources and declares none of them absolute. Sacred narrative is labelled as tradition, history as documented evidence. Timings and rules change, so confirm with the official temple channel before you travel.