Kedarnath

 Kedarnath is perched at an altitude of 3584 meters in the lap of the majestic mountain peaks near the Mandakini river, located in Rudraprayag district in an Indian state of Uttarakhand. The popular holiest pilgrim destination, Kedarnath is famous for the ancient Kedarnath Temple(Dham) dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the most paramount locations for worshipers of Shiva in northern India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April (Akshaya Tritriya) to November (Kartik Purnima - the autumn full moon). During the winters, the vigrahas (deities) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshipped there for six months. It is one of the 12 Jyotir Lingams and is also the most important temple among the Panch Kedars (group of 5 Shiva temples in Garhwal Himalayas). This scenic locale in the Gharwal region proffers an unruffled ambiance with it's snowy hilltops, alpine forests and colourful rhododendron. The famous tourist spots nearby Kedarnath are Kedarnath Temple, Gaurikund, Chorabari Tal, Bhairav Temple And Vasuki Tal.