Kedarnath

Kedarnath (केदारनाथ)is a Hindu holy town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas, about 3584m above sea level near the head of river Mandakini, and is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks. Kedarnath hosts one of the holiest Hindu temples and is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims from all over the world.

Accessibility

Kedarnath is accessible only after a steep 14 km trek through a paved path (horses or palanquins are available for rent) from Gaurikund, which is connected by road from Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and other important hill stations of the Garhwal and Kumaon regions in Uttarakhand. The temple is open only during the months of April/May(on Akshaya Trithiya) to October/November (closes on Diwali - festival of light), due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold weather during winter.Gaurikhund is 75 Km from Rudraprayag.In between Rudraprayag and Kedarnath there are several places of pilgrimage and tourist. Such as Agastamini, Okhimath, Pholi- Pasalat Devi MAA, Bamsu (Lamgoundi) Vanasur, MAA Kali at Kalimath and Guptakashi. There are several Guest house in Kedarnath, amoung the oldest guest house of kedarnath one is Bombay House owned by Semwal Family.

Geography

Kedarnath is located at . It has an average elevation of 3,553 metres (11,657 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Kedarnath had a population of 479. Males constitute 98% of the population and females 2%. Kedarnath has an average literacy rate of 63%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 63%, and female literacy is 36%. In Kedarnath, 0% of the population is under 6 years of age. During winter due to heavy snowfall, Kedarnath is transferred in the place called Ukhimath. It is a temporary settlement as it is very cold in winter people shift there settlement from kedarnath to nearby area specialy around Guptakashi and Okhimath. Around 360 families of Tirtha Purohit of 52 village and other nearby villages are depend on Kedarnath and in the pligrimage.This population consist some famous peoples like Social reformer Shiv Prasad Semwal, Writer-Baldev Shukla, Lalmohria and Goswami, Politician like- Aasha Nautiyal (MLA) Vipin Semwal, Gangadhar, Niwas Posti and Educationist like Prakash Shukla and Dwarika Prasad Ruwadi.