The Kedarnath temple is encircled by mountains on all three sides, at one side there are 22000 ft high Kedarnath mountain, on the second side it has 21600 ft. high Karch Kund and on the third side, it has 22000 ft. high Bharat Kund. Along with the three mountains, it is also considered to be the confluence of five rivers: the Mandakini, Madhu Ganga, Kheerganga, Saraswati, and Swarngauri. Only the Mandakini river is visible.

History behind the sacred Kedarnath temple

The history of how the Kedarnath temple was built has been the subject of numerous discussions. This temple, which is thought to be 1,000 years old, was allegedly built by the descendant of the Pandavas – Janmjay. 

The Kedarnath temple was built in the tenth century by the King bhoj of Malwa, according to a Stuti of the raja bhoj of Gwalior. Another popular belief holds that Guru Adi Shankaracharya erected the temple’s foundation stone in the eighth century. On the backside of the temple, there is also a recently built memorial of Shankaracharya. 

Two tales are very popular pertaining to the Kedarnath temple. According to the first one, two incarnations of Lord Vishnu, great ascetics Nar and Narayan, used to meditate on the peak of the Kedar Parvat. Lord Shiva became pleased with their devotion and appeared before them, promising to reside there in the form of a Jyotirlinga. This tale is one of the two most well-known ones relating to the Kedarnath Temple.

In the second narrative, after winning the war with the Kauravas, there was a sin on the Pandavas for killing their family members. To get rid of this sin and to obtain Lord Shiva’s blessings, who was furious with the Pandavas for killing their siblings, Pandavas arrived at the Kedar looking for Lord Shiva.

To avoid meeting the Pandavas, Shiva took the form of a bull and got mingled in a vast herd of bulls. Bheem placed his legs on both mountains to locate Lord Shiva because the Pandavas believed that he must be among the bulls. Other bulls crossed beneath Bheem’s legs, but Shiva did not. Bheem grabbed the bull. When Lord Shiva noticed the Pandavas’ strong devotion and resolve, he stood before them and absolved them of their sins. Since then, Lord Shiva is worshipped as the hump of a bull in the Kedarnath temple.

Significance of the Kedarnath Temple

The temple is 187 feet broad and 85 feet tall. Outside the temple, in the entryway is a large statue of “Nandi” that welcomes you. Inside the Kedarnath temple, a conical rock formation known as the “Sadashiva” form of Shiva is worshipped. Inside the temple are a “Garba Griha” for worship and a “Mandap” for visitors.

Kedarnath Dham, located in the foothills of the Himalayas is the largest temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Uttarakhand. It is believed that worshipping the deity who rules the temple will grant all of your wants as well as free you from sin and evil powers. People’s devotion to the temple is evident in the increasing number of pilgrims that come here every year.

The overwhelming cosmic light positivism that the holy site delivers is what draws devotees to the auspicious Kedarnath temple, to enlighten their spirits. Pilgrims fervently think that a trip to the Kedarnath Dham will give them the path to achieve Moksha, or freedom from all of their wrong-doings, in addition to the calm, tranquilly, wisdom, and mesmerizing scenic beauty of the Himalayas.

The serene scenery of Valley of Flowers National Park contrasts beautifully with the harsh, mountainous environment of Nanda Devi National Park. Together, they form a special transition zone between the Zanskar and Great Himalaya Mountain ranges that has long been revered by mountaineers, botanists, and Hindu mythology.

The Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, brown bear, and blue sheep are just a few of the rare and imperilled creatures that call this area home. The Valley of Flowers National Park, which spans an immense 87 square Km in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, is set against the breathtaking backdrop of the majestic Himalayan peaks. 

A hidden gem of Uttarakhand, the Valley of Flowers will make you fall in love with nature and its beauty at first sight. You will find yourself in a natural baroque of flowers with approximately 600 species, including blue poppies, lilies, saxifrages, calendula, Geranium, marigolds, orchids, Himalayan daisies, river anemone, primulas, zinnia, and petunia giving the park a magical appearance. Perhaps, for this reason, the location has gained the moniker “Centre of Plant Diversity.” This place is also home to a variety of Indian Himalayan birds like the Himalayan Monal, golden eagle, Himalayan snowcock, sparrow, and snow pigeon. 

Only accessible from June through October, the Valley of Flowers is at its most beautiful between mid-July and mid-August when it is in full bloom. If you go there during this time, you may stroll through a sea of flowers containing every colour that one could imagine and will witness the beauty of the breathtaking landscape. Trekkers get a fantastic opportunity to explore the valley’s many regions and catch a view of the region’s stunning Flora and rolling hills. The Nanda Devi National Park, which is the valley of flowers, is a great place to visit.

Additionally, the stunning gurudwara and one of the most revered Sikh shrines that draw countless worshippers each year is the Hemkund Sahib, which is located on the way to the Valley of Flowers. Guru Gobind Sahib, the tenth Guru, meditated here. Seven mountains covered in snow encircle the shrine. Away from the pollution and rush of cities, there is no vehicular pollution in this part of the mountains. The beautiful weather, snow-laden peaks, cascading falls, and serene lakes are highly attractive and together add up to the beauty of this place. Truly a paradise on earth, a treat for the eyes, and a great escape to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul.

A new season officially begins with Harela. The Saavan Harela is celebrated on Karka Sankranti, the first day of the saavan month. The communities that are centered on agriculture celebrate the festival with the utmost joy. The seeds of five or seven different grains, including maize, mustard, horse gramme, barley, wheat, rice, soybeans, and other crops, are sown in a wooden or mud pot called a “chauk” just ten days before the great festival. Then, this pot is maintained in a dimly lit area with no access to sunshine, and it receives two or three daily sprinkles of water. These plants are cut on the 10th which is celebrated as Harela.

On the auspicious day of Harela, it is said that if a branch of any tree is planted, it would take five days for the branch to form roots and the tree will then grow roots, which will make it immortal forever. In certain areas, however, the Harela is planted inside the temples and dedicated to the local deity instead of being planted at home as is customary. The seeds are not planted when someone passes away on Harela; instead, they wait until a child or calf is born on that day.

According to the festival’s mythology, it commemorates the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Given that Uttarakhand is considered the home of Lord Shiva, hence Saavan (the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar) and Harela are very significant here. On this day, idols of Lord Shiva are made in households and are referred to as ‘Dhikare’. Shiva, Ganesha, Parvati, and Kartikeya are shaped into figures made of pure soil and painted with natural hues.

The Harela festival demonstrates the unbreakable connection between Uttarakhand’s residents and nature. The Harela festival is an illustration of how the celebrations, customs, traditions and rules of our daily lives are a perfect synthesis of reason, faith, and science. The interaction between the various Uttarakhandi folk festivals and nature, agriculture, and animals is unique, which is why the festival of Harela has been celebrated for such a long time. Seeing the importance of Harela in Society and its benefits to the environment, the Uttarakhand govt. has requested the masses to celebrate this festival in large numbers and is raising awareness about it in the cities as well.

Harela is not merely a festival, but a reflection of the lifestyle of Uttarakhandis. The lesson of this celebration is to find harmony in nature’s simplicity. There is a widespread notion that any plant that is sowed on this day will flourish. The hills have a long tradition of protecting and caring for the natural world. Greenery pleases everyone, seeing foliage around him, every man gets happy and jubilant. 

The important thing about this festival is that it departs from the theory of individualism and gives importance to socialistic principles. All around the world where man is considered an enemy of nature, this festival teaches us to move ahead making a balance with mother nature.

 Happy Harela to All!!