Kedarnath Dham:
The Eternal Shrine of Lord Shiva
Kedarnath Temple is a Hindu temple, one of the twelve jyotirlinga of Shiva. The temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range[1] near the Mandakini river, in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open to the general public only between the months of April (Akshaya Tritiya) and November (Kartik Purnima, the autumn full moon). During the winters, the vigraha (deity) of the temple is carried down to Ukhimath to be worshiped for the next six months. Kedarnath is seen as a homogeneous form of Shiva, the 'Lord of Kedarkhand', the historical name of the region.[2] The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 17 kilometres (11 mi) uphill trek from Gaurikund. According to Hindu legends, the temple was initially built by the Pandavas, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva.
The tentative opening date for Kedarnath Temple in 2025 is May 2nd, with a closing date of November on the eve of Bhaiya Dooj. The temple is open everyday from 4:00 AM to 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM There is a two-hour recess between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, during which the temple's kapat (doors) are closed to the general public.
The Kedarnath Temple is only open to pilgrims for six months throughout the summer, from late April to mid-November. Even throughout this era, the months of May-June and September-October are the most optimal, providing a great atmosphere and nice weather. The monsoon season lasts from July to August, bringing torrential rains that can cause roadblocks and landslides.