Panch Kedar
(IPLTOURS)
Panch Kedars are located in the beautiful Himalayan Range of Nanda Devi, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth mountain peaks. Panch Kedar comprises of five Kedars Kedarnath, Rudranath, Tungnath, Madya Maheshwar and Kalpeshwar. Pilgrims can visit the Pancha Kedar in summer season when actually there is winter atmosphere prevails. The Temples except Tunganath will be covered with snow fall in the winter and is not feasible to visit in winter season. The Temples are nearly 12000 to 7000 feet height above from sea level.
These temples are built in ancient times by Pandvas to please Lord Shiva. In these Five Kedars Lord Shiva is worshipped in five divine forms. The hump of the bull, information of Lord Shiva is worshipped in Kedarnath, the Nabhi (Navel) and Stomach in Madhya Maheshwar, the arms in Tunganath, the face at Rudranath and the Jata Jhoot with the head in Kalpeshwar, five different places of Panch Kedars.
According to Puranas, the Front part of the bull reappeared at Pashupatinath in Nepal. Panch Kedars except Kalpeshwar are not accessible in winter due to snowfall. The culmination of the pilgrimage is at Pashupatinath temple in Nepal, where Lord Shiva’s head is worshipped and later at Kedarnath where the hump is worshipped. The embalm of Kedarnath displayed in Pasupathinath Temple dome of Katmandu.
Many Pilgrim places in Uttarakhand have no road facility and have to travel by trekking. The pleasant atmosphere will give relief from body weariness. There are only two seasons in the year winter and snow fall winter. The opeing dates of the temples decided by the committee on the atmosphere conditions. There are dollies and Horses available to the persons unable to trek in the mountains. Pilgrims are less than mountaineers in these places. The way is desolate for the said reason. Consumables and hot drinks available at the starting places of trekking. Pilgrims are advised to start their yatra before sun rise and close before or at sun set to escape from hurdles. The will generally changed from time to time with rain and sunny.
After completing the pilgrimage of Lord Shiva’s dharsan in Panch Kedar temples, Pilgrims have to visit Badrinath Temple to get the blessings of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The Priests or Pandas in Pancha Kedar except in Tunganath were hailed from South India. Namboodri Brahmins hailed from Malabar in Kerala State are the chief priests at Badrinath Temple. Jangamas or Veerasaaiva Lingayats are the priests in Madhya Maheswar Temple. Dasnami Gosaina are the Chief priests in Rudranath and Kalpeswar nominated in ancient times by Adi Sankaracharya. Kasi Brahmins serve in Tunganath. The Kedarnath Teerth Purohits or Pandas are the ancient Brahmins of the Himalayan region residing from the end of Tretha Yuga and start of the present Kaliyuga. Janamejaya, the grandson of Pandavas came to Kedarnath and gave the right to worship to these Brahmins and they reside at Guptakshi.
There is no Air, Rail and Bus facility to the Pancha Kedar except Kedarnath and Badrinath. Pilgrims have to travel nearly 800 km by road engaging private taxi or by bus and to travel nearly 130 km by walk or trekking. Pilgrims are advised to practice walking daily from 6 months before their Pilgrimage. Old age Pilgrims suffer from Diabetes, B.P. and heart complaint are advised not to think about this Pilgrimage. Uttaranchal Tourism Corporation provides Pancha Kedar Yatra for Rs.45000/- per head which will complete in 14 Nights/15 days. It is feasible to start from Badarinath to continue Kalpeswar, Rudranath, Tunganath, Madyamaheswar, Kedarnath and lastly to Pasupathinath after reaching Rishikesh as shown in the map. But Pancha Kedar Yatara has to be start from Kedarnath after Pasupathinath and ends with Badrinath.
The legend is that Pandavas, the heroes of the Mahabharata, defeated and killed Kauravas in Kurukshetra war. They wished to free from their sins of Gotra Hatya and Brahmana Hatya in the war. Pandavas handed over the ruling of their kingdom to their kin and left searching Lord Shiva and to get his blessings. They went to Varanasi, the favourite city of Lord Shiva. Shiva wanted to avoid them as felt angry to the death and dishonesty in Kurukshetra war and not insensitived to Pandavas prayers. Shiva assumed the form of a bull (Nandi) and disappeared in the Garhwal region. Pandavas have not find Shiva in Varanasi and gone to Himalayas searching Shiva. Bhima stand between Two mountains and started to find out Shiva. He find a bull grazing near Guptakshi and Bhima recognised the bull to be Shiva. Bhima caught hold the tail of the bull and it was disappear in the ground and later re-appeared. The body of the bull spitted into five parts. The parts spread hump in Kedarnath, arms in Tunganath, navel and stomach in Madhya maheshwar, face in Rudranath and hair and head in Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas, built temples at the five places for worshipping Shiva and thus freed from their sins. The front body of Shiva appeared at Doleshwor Temple, Nepal. Pandavas meditated at Kedarnath and performed Yagna after construction of the Pancha Kedar Temples. They have attained Swargarohana through the Mahaprastana.
