Sunday 6 April 2014

Rare pic of Kedarnath 1882

Rare photo: Peaks and temple of Kedarnath - 1882

Some more rare images of Kedarnath at the Geological Survey of India website:

http://bit.ly/11EUW2K

Kedarnath

Amidst the dramatic mountains capes of the majestic Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve 'Jyotirlingas' of Kedar or Lord Shiva, the protector and the destroyer. Lying at an altitude of 3584 metres (11,760 feet) on the head of river Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus.

The origin of the revered temple can be found in the great epic - Mahabharata. According to legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kaurava in the Kurukshetra war, felt guilty of having killed their own brothers and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. He repeatedly eluded them and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed he dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. This conical protrusion is worshipped as the idol in the shrine.

The remaining portions of Lord Shiva are worshipped at four other places - the arms (bahu) at Tungnath, mouth (mukh) at Rudranath, navel (nabhi) at Madmaheshwar and hair (jata) at Kalpeshwar. Together with Kedarnath, these places are known as the Panch Kedar.

Kedarnath Temple

An imposing sight, standing in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow covered peaks. The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard.

Shankaracharya Samadhi

The Samadhi of Adi Guru Shankaracharya is located just behind the Kedarnath temple. It is said that after establishing four sacred Dhams in India, he went into his samadhi at an early age of 32 years.





Source:http://www.spiritualjourneys.net/

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