Kedarnath Temple, One of the Oldest Shrines of Hindus Shut Down for One Year

The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Vijay Bahuguna announced on 19 June 2013 that the Kedarnath shrine situated in the Himalayan ranges will remain shut down for a minimum period of one year, following devastation because of early Monsoon rains.

Though the shrine is safe, but it has suffered heavy slush. Debris in huge quantity is lying around the shrine which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The debris will take one year time period to be cleared up completely.

Situated in the hills of Himalayas, the Kedarnath temple is one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus. It is one of the Char Dham of Hindus. It is situated at a height of 3584 meters near the Chorabari glacier. It is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims from all across the world and attracts lakhs of tourists. In the year 2012, 548166 tourists visited Kedarnath Pilgrimage. In 2013, the number of tourists was expected to be somewhere around 6 lakh.

It will remain close for 3 years because damages are so heavy, it will take more than a year to get back things at normal.