This question definitely comes in everyone's mind that who built Kedarnath Temple and for what purpose and the most surprising thing is that why is the Shivling of Kedarnath Dham so different from other Shivlings? What is the secret hidden behind this? Thousands of years ago, when science had not progressed like today, how did the people of that time know modern technology like interlocking to build this temple and the most surprising thing is that without How did this temple remain buried in snow for 400 years without any damage? What is the story behind this? When the doors of the temple are closed for six months, then how does the lamp burning inside continue to burn continuously for six months and the biggest question is that during the flood of 2013, when the entire area was destroyed, then people came back to save the temple. Who laid the huge Bhima rock that came from? Was all this just a coincidence or a miracle of some divine power? You will get the answers to all these mysterious incidents in this article. Unheard secrets of Kedarnath Temple, the answers to which are still not available to science.
Kedar means marshy land. This valley is present on a floating ground. It seems that Kedarnath Temple is built on the most stable place in this unstable valley. Kedarnath Temple situated in Uttarakhand, India is not just a temple but a wonderful confluence of faith, mystery and miracles. One of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the heights of the Himalayas, this holy place has been attracting devotees since ages, but do you know that behind every stone of this temple, there are countless stories which are related not only to faith but also to miracles and science.
Disaster of 2013
That dark night of June 16, 2013, when nature showed its orgy and caused destruction everywhere in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, but amidst this destruction, a miracle happened which deepened the faith of the people. Let us tell you the horror of that time and Tells about the miracle which saved Kedarnath temple. That night, flood water was rising from Mandakini river in Kedarnath. The situation became even more dire due to heavy rains and melting of Chaura Bari glacier. Water, stones and debris were engulfing the city. Where earlier there was beauty of the mountains, there was now an orgy of destruction. Hotels, houses, shops, everything was washed away. Nearly 6000 people were killed and lakhs were rendered homeless but one thing was clear that this disaster was moving towards Kedarnath temple, was it going to destroy the holy abode of Lord Shiva. As the water moved towards the temple suddenly a huge rock appeared which is now called Bhima Shila. Flowing with the flow of water, it stopped behind the temple. The stone stopped about 50 feet behind the temple and divided the flood water into two parts. At that moment, it seemed as if the grace of Lord Shiva himself saved the temple from destruction. All the flood water hit the Bhima Shila and swept away from both sides of the temple. All the surrounding structures were washed away but this holy abode of Shiva, the temple, miraculously remained safe. This was not just an incident, it became a living testimony of the devotees' faith in Shiva. The local people named this huge rock as Bhima Shila. This stone, named after the brave warrior Bhima of Mahabharata, has now become a symbol of the miracle of Kedarnath Dham. Why was it named Bhim Shila and what was the relation of Pandavas with Kedarnath. We will talk about that further.
People believe that it symbolizes the grace of Lord Shiva and the power of Bhima of Mahabharata. Even today devotees worship this rock. It is considered an integral part of the temple philosophy. Even scientists were surprised by this incident. They believe that this stone had slipped from the mountain and flowed down, but how was it possible that this stone stopped just behind the temple and divided the flow of water into two parts. This rock was about 20 to 25 feet long and 10 to 15 feet wide. Its weight is believed to be around 1000 metric tons. If this rock had hit the temple, it would have completely destroyed the temple. At that time, about 300 people had taken shelter in the temple and because of this rock, all their lives were saved. This question definitely comes in the mind of all of us that despite such a terrible flood of 2013, how is Kedarnath temple standing safe even today.
The answer lies in ancient interlocking technology. With this technique, the heavy stones of the temple were joined without any mortar or cement in such a way that they fit perfectly into each other. Thousands of years ago, when there was no trace of technology and modern equipment, this temple was built with heavy stones. Ancient Indian craftsmen carved stones in such a way that they locked into each other precisely. This technology has saved the temple from natural disasters whether it is earthquake, heavy snowfall or flood. Even when the entire area was destroyed during the severe floods of 2013, the Kedarnath temple remained completely safe. Not only this, the walls of this temple still stand the same way as they did centuries ago. It was this interlocking technique that made the stones so strong that no disaster could shake them. One technology which is surprising scientists even today, is the wonder of Indian architecture. The biggest question that arises in our mind is who built the Kedarnath temple with such strong and state-of-the-art technology. It is very interesting to know the story and history behind it, so let us peek into the depths of the history of this holy temple from the beginning and understand who and how built this wonderful temple.
Construction of Temple
The construction of Kedarnath Temple is considered very mysterious and ancient. This temple is not only important from the religious point of view but the mythological stories associated with its construction make this place even more supernatural and mysterious. We will talk about three stories, the most famous story of which is Mahabharata, so let us know. According to the story described in religious texts about the construction of this temple, after winning the war of Mahabharata, Yudhishthir was declared the king of Hastinapur. He ruled Hastinapur for almost four decades. One day Pandavas were sitting with Lord Shri Krishna and reviewing the Mahabharata war. At that time Pandavas said to Shri Krishna - O Narayan, we brothers have the stigma of killing our brothers and teachers. How to remove this stigma? Shri Krishna replied, even though you have won the war, you have killed your relatives and because of this you have become guilty of sins. Only Mahadev can liberate you from these sins. Therefore, now the time has come for you to take refuge in Mahadev. After this, Shri Krishna returned to Dwarka and the Pandavas started worrying about getting rid of their sins. At the same time, Pandavas got the news that Lord Shri Krishna had left his body. This sad news shocked the Pandavas. Now when even his eternal helper Krishna is no more. The Pandavas handed over the kingdom to Parikshit and set out in search of Lord Shiva along with Draupadi. First of all Pandavas reached Kashi but Bholenath was not seen there. They also went to many other places, but wherever the Pandavas reached, Lord Shiva would leave from there.
In this search, one day they reached the Himalayas and when Lord Shiva saw the Pandavas coming, he took the form of Nandi and went to the herd of animals. Bhima made a plan to get Lord Shiva. He assumed a huge form and spread his legs on both sides of Kedar Mountain so that any animal could pass between his legs but Lord Shiva in the form of Nandi did not do so. Then Bhima recognized Nandi and tried to catch him but Lord Shiva started sinking into the earth. Bhima caught hold of his backside. Lord Shiva was pleased with the devotion of the Pandavas and appeared to them and freed them from their sins. Since then Lord Shiva is worshiped here in the form of Nandi's back. For this reason the Shivalinga of Kedarnath is different from other Shivalingas.
It is said that when Lord Shiva freed the Pandavas from their sins and accepted their penance, the Pandavas built the Kedarnath temple. It is also said that the body of Lord Shiva appeared in different parts of the earth. From which Panch Kedar originated. Lord Shiva's body appeared in the Pashupatinath temple of Nepal, arms in Tunganath, face in Rudranath, navel in Madmaheshwar and matted hair in Kalpeshwar. These five places are worshiped as Panch Kedar. Kedarnath is considered to be the most prominent among the Panch Kedars because the Peetha form of Lord Shiva is worshiped here.
The second oldest and important mythological reference to the construction of Kedarnath Temple is linked to the penance of Nar Narayan Rishi, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is mentioned in the Koti Rudra Samhita of Shiv Purana that in Badri forest, Nar Narayan, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, used to worship him by making a mortal Shivalinga. It is said that pleased with the severe penance of Nar Narayan, Lord Shiva appeared before him and asked him to seek a boon. Nar Narayan prayed to Lord Shiva to always reside in this holy place in the form of Jyotirlinga so that all the devotees can see him in person. Could see. Lord Shiva accepted this boon and since then he is worshiped here in the form of Jyotirlinga. According to this story, the Jyotirlinga of Kedarnath is an important form of Lord Shiva, which was established due to the penance of Nar Narayan. This place symbolizes the unique unity of Shiva and Vishnu. Where Lord Shiva is present in the form of Jyotirlinga in Kedarnath and Lord Vishnu is present in Badrinath Dham.
It is said that Adi Shankaracharya rebuilt the Kedarnath temple in the eighth century and played an important role in the renaissance of Hinduism. He established the Jyotirlinga in Kedarnath temple and established this temple as a major pilgrimage site. Adi Shankaracharya spent his last days in Kedarnath and it was here that he attained salvation. His mausoleum is still situated behind the Kedarnath temple. Where devotees worship and remember him. Prominent historian Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral believes that followers of the Shaiva sect were active in the region long before the arrival of Adi Shankaracharya and his students. Based on this assumption it is possible that it may be difficult to accurately determine the antiquity of the temple. Especially when the script written in Pali or Brahmi language has not yet been completely deciphered.
A stone inscription found in Gwalior state of Madhya Pradesh confirms that King Bhoj of Malwa ruled from 1077 to 1099 AD. He was responsible for the construction of Kedarnath temple. This claim is also supported by the book Epigraphia Indica Volume 1. This inscription is an important evidence which indicates the construction of the temple during the time of Raja Bhoja. According to the Himalayan Gazetteer written in the year 1882, a large part of the Kedarnath temple is made of stone, with a gold-plated tower present on the roof of the sanctum sanctorum. The pucca houses of the Pandavas in front of the temple are for the accommodation of pilgrims, while the priests or priests live on the southern side of the building. According to this description the present structure of the temple is relatively new. Whereas the old building had collapsed and been destroyed.
Little Ice Age
Now we are taking you to a chapter which will surprise you. This is that part of the history of Kedarnath Dham, when this grand temple remained buried in snow for 400 years and still remained safe. How was this possible? Was it the grace of Lord Shiva or the miracle of nature's amazing science. To understand this mystery we will have to delve deeper into the pages of history. It is said that the Kedarnath temple remained buried under a thick layer of ice for about 400 years, from the 13th to the 17th century. This is also called the Little Ice Age. When the expansion of glaciers in the Himalayas had increased so much that large areas like Kedarnath Dham were completely covered in snow, but the most surprising thing is that despite being buried under snow for so many years, there was no serious damage to the structure of the temple. Under the leadership of scientist Vijay Joshi of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, a thorough investigation of this area was carried out and it was found that even today the marks of ice pressure and glacial activities can be clearly seen on the walls and stones of the temple, but which The most special thing that came to light was the luminous dating of the stones of the temple. Which proved that if the temple remained buried under snow during that period, was it only architectural skill or some other mysterious power. The strong structure of Kedarnath temple kept it completely safe despite being buried under snow. The temple is built with huge stones. Which have been connected by interlocking technique, without cement, the bond between these stones was so strong that even the heavy pressure of snow could not move it.
Kedarnath-Rameshwaram
Now we are going to introduce you to a mystery which has surprised even modern scientists. The deep geometrical alignment between Kedarnath and Rameshwaram is truly astonishing. Imagine how these two temples can be in a straight line, even though they are thousands of kilometers apart. You will be surprised when you know about this secret.
It is a wonderful example of ancient Indian knowledge and architecture. Which is difficult to understand in today's modern world. Have you ever wondered how distant temples like Kedarnath and Rameshwaram can be on the same line? This mystery has surprised not only the devotees but also the scientists. Kedarnath of Uttarakhand and Rameshwaram Jyotirling of South India, which are situated on 79 degree longitude line, but not only this, there are five more Shiva temples between them which represent the five elements of creation - water, air, fire, sky and earth. Now imagine how our ancient architect established these temples in a straight line with such precision thousands of years ago when there was no modern technology like satellite technology or GPS. It is surprising to know that there is a distance of 2383 kilometers between Kedarnath and Rameshwaram and the presence of these seven temples in the same line cannot be a mere coincidence. These temples were established 1500 to 2000 years ago and are part of an amazing geometrical alignment from a scientific point of view. It gives a glimpse not only of religious but also of cosmic balance. This is proof that our ancestors had deep knowledge of architecture and geography.
Now let's talk about this amazing 79 degree longitude line. On this line, five more important temples are located between Kedarnath and Rameshwaram - Kaleshwar, Sri Kalahasti, Ekambareshwar, Arunachaleshwar and Chidambaram temples. It makes one wonder how the ancient architect did all this without any modern technology.
Professor Dr. Upendra Bhargava of Maharishi Panini Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Ujjain also says the same. It is true that this temple is situated at 79 degrees longitude, although they were established at different times. Therefore, it is difficult to say that they were built under any particular geometrical alignment, but one thing is certain that in the establishment of these temples, full care was taken of latitude and longitude and Vaastu principles were followed exactly. This mystery remains even today. Which introduces us to the depth of ancient Indian knowledge and science.
The secret of the continuously burning lamp
Now let us talk about the mystery of Kedarnath which has been puzzling devotees and scientists for years. Every year, when the doors of Kedarnath temple are closed in winter, the lamp burning inside the temple keeps burning without extinguishing for the next six months. How is this possible when no one is present there and not only this, when the doors of the temple are closed, the question arises that who worships the Shivalinga during this time. Even today, after the doors of the temple were closed, these mysterious incidents are a matter of deep surprise for the people. Which has neither been completely understood nor have scientists been able to provide any concrete evidence for it.
Every year in winter, after Bhai Dooj, when the white blanket of snow spreads over the Himalayas and it becomes impossible for humans to reach this height, then the doors of Kedarnath are closed. This temple remains closed for about six months. According to mythology, when the doors of Kedarnath temple are closed during winter, the gods and Gandharvas come here and worship Lord Shiva. It is believed that when the worship of common people in the temple is closed then Lord Shiva resides here along with the deities and Gandharvas.
When the doors of the temple are closed, a lamp is lit inside the temple. This lamp keeps burning continuously for six months without any maintenance and when the doors are opened again, this lamp is found burning as if the divinity of Shiva never gets extinguished at that place. Is it really less than a miracle that a lamp burns continuously even in the absence of humans and that too for months? This mysterious incident has created deep faith in the hearts of the devotees. Therefore, this is a proof that the position of Lord Shiva remains here all the time and even when humans are away, this Dham is not empty because of the arrival of the Gods. From the scientific point of view, the lamp burning for six months and the cleanliness of the temple is still a mystery.
During the closing of the doors, the idol of Lord Shiva and the religious symbols associated with the temple (called Dandi) are taken to Ukhimath with special respect. Ukhimath is a holy place in Uttarakhand, where the idol of Lord Kedarnath is kept safe during winters. The worship of Lord Shiva continues there regularly for six months. Ukhimath is the place where Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers meet and is known as the winter abode of Kedarnath. The chief priest of the temple and other priests-cum-honourers take the idol of Lord Shiva to Ukhimath at the foot of the mountain. This process is done with special mantras and rituals.
The worship system of Kedarnath temple is very special and linked to ancient traditions. The worship in this temple is exclusively conducted by the priests of Veera Shaiva Jangam community of Karnataka, called Rawal. Rawal priest is the chief priest here and conducts all the rituals of Lord Shiva. This tradition is centuries old and has been passed down from generation to generation. Rawal priests are selected from this community of Karnataka and only their family members play this special role. The special thing is that all the major rituals of Kedarnath temple are performed in Kannada language only. This tradition has been going on since ancient times and even today it is followed with full devotion and method.
This was the mystery of Kedarnath Temple, the miracle of Bheem Shila, the supernatural construction of the temple, being buried in snow for 400 years, the worship of Gods and Gandharva, the lamp burning continuously for six months and the prayers of the devotees. Unbreakable faith: All this is not just a religious story, but a symbol of the supernatural power that keeps this holy abode of Lord Shiva sacred for eternity. On the one hand, this temple surprises us with scientific mysteries and on the other hand, it makes our faith even stronger.
Read this also : Rameshwaram Temple Mystery | Rameshwaram Temple Story & Secrets
By Anil Paal
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