Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Complete Knowledge

January 27,2026 | Added by: Astro Editorial Team

The Story of Kedarnath Jyotirlinga (केदारनाथ ज्योतिर्लिंग)

The name "Nara-Narayana" can be broken into two terms, Nara and Narayana. “Nara” means human, while “Narayana” refers to the name of the supreme deity Lord 'Vishnu'. They are considered as the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu by some devotees. They were twin sage brothers born to “Dharma Dev(धर्म देव)” and his wife Murti, is the daughter of king Daksha.

Daksha have four sons were born to them such as Krishna, Hari, Nara and Narayana. While, Hari and Krishna engaged themselves in the practice of Yoga. But Nara and Narayana went to the Himalaya Mountain and started doing penance for the welfare of humans. There was a demon called “Sahastra Kavach(सहस्त्र कवच राक्षस)”, a fierce demon and have thousands of armours they fight the demon and defeated him in the war.

Nara and Narayana, later reincarnated as Arjuna and Sri Krishna on the earth. Believed that, that demon “Sahastra Kavach” was reborn as Karna. The whole story of Nara-Narayana defeating the demon can be found here on the legend of Krishna as Nara and Narayana.

Nara-Narayana is depicted jointly or separately in images. When depicted separately, Nara is portrayed with two hands and wearing deer skin while Narayana is shown on the right in the usual form of Vishnu.

The Temple Re-Built by Shankaracharya

The present temple of Kedarnath was built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya in the 8th-9th century. This temple is one of the four Dhams of Uttarakhand. The temple is at an altitude of about 3,583 meters above sea level. The temple is in the Himalayan region, hence remains closed during winter season. As per our ancient history, Kedarnath temple was built by Pandava king “Janamejaya(राजा जनमेजय)”. Later Adi Guru Shankaracharya renovated the temple once again.

Kedarnath is the Fifth Jyotirlinga

Kedarnath is the fifth Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva is in Uttarakhand. This temple is also included in the Char Dhams of Uttarakhand. The history of this abode of Lord Shiva is related to the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Nar-Narayan, Pandavas and Adi Guru Shankaracharya(आदि गुरु शंकराचार्य ). Nara-Narayana both are twin brothers of sage, who are considered to be partial incarnations of the custodial deity of Vishnu.

This temple is in the ice regions area of Uttarakhand in the Himalayan region. During winter the temple is covered with ice. Which is not possible here and also lack of oxygen here, due to this it remains closed for about 6 months and is opened for devotees during summer season. It is said that Nar-Narayan was the son of a sage and a twin brother. Pleased with the penance of both the sages, Lord Bholenath appeared here.

Believed that, Nar-Narayan asked for a boon that Lord Shiva should always stay here, so that other devotees can also have the darshan of Lord Shiva easily. Hearing this, Lord Shiva said that from now on he will stay here and this area will be famous by the name of Kedar area.

The Pandavas, during the time of Mahabharata i.e. in the Dwapar Era(द्वापर युग), in the Kedarnath area, Lord Shiva had appeared to the Pandavas in the form of a vine. It is believed that this self-proclaimed Shivalinga is established in Kedarnath Dham.

How you can Reach Kedarnath

By Road Only

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is in “Rudra Prayag” district of Uttarakhand. To reach Kedarnath, you can reach from Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun.

From these cities you can come by bus or taxi. Many modes of transport are easily available from across the country to reach Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun.

After reaching “Gauri Kund”, the person has to cover a distance of about 16 km on foot which is a tough part, or you can come by palanquin or with the help of horse.

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga in Google Map

By Road

Kedarnath is in “Rudra Prayag” district of Uttarakhand. To reach Kedarnath, you can reach from Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun.

From these cities you can come by bus or taxi. Many modes of transport are easily available from across the country to reach Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun.

After reaching “Gauri Kund”, the person has to cover a distance of about 16 km on foot which is a tough part, or you can come by palanquin or with the help of horse.

By Train

The nearest railway stations to Kedarnath are at Rishikesh is 215 kms, Haridwar 241 kms.

By Air

The nearest airport to Kedarnath is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, located around 238 kms away.

Frequent Asked Questions(FAQs)

Kedarnath Dham typically opens in late April or May and closes in October or November. Specifically, the temple doors open on Akshaya Tritiya and close on the day following Diwali.

To reach Kedarnath, you must first travel to Haridwar, Rishikesh, or Dehradun. From there, you need to proceed to Sonprayag or Gaurikund. From Gaurikund, a 16-kilometer trek on foot is required to reach Kedarnath.

The best time to visit is from May to June and from September to October. This is because, during these periods, rainfall is not heavy enough to pose a risk of landslides, nor is the weather excessively cold.

For Darshan (viewing) at Kedarnath, the temple remains open from 4:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is situated in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) district of the state of Maharashtra. It is located in a village named Verul, where the temple of Lord Grishneshwar stands.

Aarti is performed three times a day at the Grishneshwar temple: once early in the morning at 4:00 AM though this timing is subject to change, particularly in case of inclement weather, once at 12:00 PM (noon), and finally, the Mangal Aarti is held at 9:30 PM at night.

The best time to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is during the months of October to March. This period offers pleasant weather neither too hot nor too cold making it the ideal time for sightseeing and exploration.

If you wish to visit of the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, you must first travel to Aurangabad. You can reach Aurangabad by road, air, or train. From Aurangabad, you then need to proceed to Verul village, a journey that typically takes about one hour. The Grishneshwar Temple is situated within Verul village.

Women are prohibited from entering the sanctum sanctorum where the Shivalinga is located during the Bhasma Aarti. They can view the Aarti from the Nandi Hall or from outside, behind a curtain.

The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is located on the banks of the Kshipra River in Ujjain city, Madhya Pradesh, India.

The timing of Bhasma Aarti at the Mahakaleshwar Temple is from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM in the early morning.

Malikarjuna Jyotirlinga is situated in Sree Sailam of Andhra Pradesh. Where are you coming from India? You came to Hyderabad and from there. You will get everything by train, by air and by road. The nearest railway station is Marakpur Road, around 85KM from Kurnool.

In Malikarjuna Jyotirlinga, there is a wonderful confluence of Shiva and Shakti (Parvati). This is the only place in India where the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva (Mallikarjuna) and the Shaktipeeth of Mother Parvati (Bhramaramba) are present in the same temple complex.

Yes, here Lord Shiva is present in the form of Mallikarjuna and Mother Parvati is present in the form of Bhramaramba. Here Devi Bhramaramba is 18th number of Shakti Peetha.

The darshan of Somnath temple is from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

The nearest railway station is Somnath Railway Station. Besides this, Veraval junction, Junagadh Junction are also the near to Somnath Temple.

Mobile, cameras, smart watches, electronic gadgets, laptops, leather items like belts, purse, wallets, bags, luggage and foods are not allowed inside the temple.

The Moon or Chandra which is known as “Soma Dev” built and worshiped the original Shiva Lingam in gold to regain its lost luster, which gives the temple its name as Somnath. Somanth Jyotirlingam is called the 1st Jyotirlingam.

It is written in Hindu scriptures that in ancient times, sages and saints believed that the moon god (Som Dev) established a Shivalingam of Lord Shiva here and performed severe penance to free himself from the curse of Daksha Prajapati. Hence, it is known as Somnath.

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is located in Bhorgiri village, Maharashtra, around 110-120 km from Pune city.

The darshan timing of Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is from 4:30 AM to 9:30 PM.

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is the 6th Jyotirlinga. This place is especially known for its religious significance, beautiful architecture, and rich natural diversity. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva killed Bhasmasura here, and during the battle, he sweated profusely. Later, it took the form of a river, which is known today as the Bhima River.

The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple doors generally open at 4:30 AM for the Kakada Aarti and close at 9:30 PM. For Abhishek Pujas, you can typically book between 5:30 AM and 12:00 PM, and again in the afternoon from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM.

There is 5 times Aarti performed in Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The temple generally opens in 2:30 AM and closes 11:00PM daily.

The Arti Timing is basically like following:

Day time

Mangla Aarti: 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM

Bhog Aarti: 11:15 AM to 12:20 PM

Night Time

Saptarishi Aarti: 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM

Shringar and Bhog Aarti: 9:00 PM to 10:15PM

Shayan Aarti: 10:30 PM to 11:00 PM

Mandir opens in very early 2:30 AM, go very early for Mangala Aarti. You will see calm and empty lanes. If you want to entertain lights and music with Aarti, come in the evening aarti called Saptarishi Aarti. You will be experienced a huge crowd.

Carry a printed ticket and an ID. Some entries ask for ID like Aadhar Card, Election I Card, Driving License, Passport. Carry a small water bottle and basic medicines for headache, stomach, loose motion. Keep some changes for autos and small shops. Big notes can be hard to change in lanes.

The Rameshwaram Jyotirlingam was consecrated by Lord Rama to mark the inauguration of the union. He invited Ravana as a priest to consecrate the Shivalingam. That is why this Jyotirlingam is known as Rameshwaram. Most importantly, Rameshwaram is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams and is one of the four Dhams.

Rameswaram is one of the four Dhams and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams. Therefore, people go there to attain salvation, liberation from sins, and to pay homage to their ancestors and perform the immersion of ashes.

October to March are the best months to visit Rameshwaram temple. Because that time is neither very hot nor very cold, and is the best time to travel anywhere in India.

Yes, there is a strict dress code for darshan at Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga. To maintain the sanctity of the temple, all devotees are advised to wear modest and traditional Indian clothing. For men, dhoti and shirt, or kurta-pajama. For women, saree or salwar kameez with dupatta. Avoid jeans, short dresses, t-shirts, shirts, and transparent dresses.

Yes, women are fully permitted entry into the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram! Women can not only visit the temple, but can also bathe in the 22 sacred ponds called “Theerthams” inside the temple before entering the main sanctum sanctorum. But only in sarees, salwar suits, with dupattas. Women in wet and filthy clothes are strictly prohibited.

The Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is located on the Saurashtra coast in Gujarat, India. It is situated just 17 km from the city of Dwarka. The exact location is Daarukavanam, Goriyali, Gujarat-361335.

The timings for Darshan at Nageshwar Temple are from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM.

No cameras, mobile phones, and other electronic gadgets are not allowed inside Nageshwar Temple. Furthermore, please note that in India, for security reasons, mobile phones, cameras, and electronic gadgets are generally not permitted inside any major temple, Jyotirlinga shrine, or pilgrimage site (Dham).