According to Hindu History, during the Mahabharatha war, the Pandavas killed their relatives; to absolve themselves of this sin, the Pandavas undertook a pilgrimage. But Lord Vishweshwara was away in Kailasa in the Himalayas. On learning this, the Pandavas left Kashi. They reached the Himalayas via Haridwar. They saw Lord Shankara from a distance. But Lord Shankara hid from them. Then Dharmaraj said: "Oh, Lord, You have hidden yourself from our sight because we have sinned. But, we will seek You out somehow. Only after we take your Darshan would our sins be washed away. This place, where You have hidden Yourself will be known as Guptakashi and become a famous shrine."
From Guptakashi (Rudraprayag), the Pandavas went ahead till they reached Gaurikund in the Himalayas valleys. They wandered there in search of Lord Shankara. While doing so Nakul and Sahadev found a buffalo which was unique to look at.
Then Bheema went after the buffalo with his mace. The buffalo was clever and Bheema could not catch him. But Bheema managed to hit the buffalo with his mace. The buffalo had its face hidden in a crevice-in the earth. Bheema started to pull it by its tail. In this tug-of war, the face of the buffalo went straight to Nepal, leaving its hind part in Kedar.
The devotees can experience a great peace of mind and undertaking a spiritual trip here always rekindles human beings faith in the almighty. Devotees flock to this holy pilgrimage site every year. Kedarnath in Uttarakhand is one of the most prominent sacred pilgrimages, particularly for the Hindus. The temple opens its gates for the visitors in the first week of May on the eve of Akshaya Tritiya and shuts down in the month of October-November. Gandhi Sarovar, Vasuki Tal, Gaurikund, Sonprayag, Triyuginarayan, Agastyamuni Temple and Deoria Tal are some of the memorable sites around Kedarnath.
The mesmerizing vistas and splendid sceneries in the form of the snow-fed mountains, rhododendron forests, and salubrious environment make the place truly enchanting.