Often, Indian history and Indian mythology are interlinked. This has real-world effects which children can pick up on. The story behind the Kedarnath Temple is one of them. This story will encourage kids to :
Develop an interest in geography and architecture when it is introduced to them through entertaining stories;
Be curious about the world around them, and link their lessons to the real world.
Introduction to the Story behind Kedarnath Temple
While the Mahabharata is one of the most influential texts in Indian mythology, its history affects how temples in India are built. After reading this story, children will understand the history behind the Kedarnath temple.
Young kids can relate this history to stories they already know from the Mahabharata. Therefore, it will inculcate interest and curiosity in history, geography and mythology while simultaneously entertaining them.
Summary of the Kedarnath Story in English
As per the Mahabharata epic, the five Pandava brothers fought their Kaurava cousins for the kingdom of Hastinapura. The Pandavas won the war, but it came at the cost of many lives of their own family. The Pandavas had immense guilt because of this.
To relieve their guilt, they sought forgiveness and blessings from Lord Shiva. However, Lord Shiva did not want to give them any darshan (audience) and forgive them. To avoid the Pandava brothers, he disguised himself as Nandi (a bull) and fled to the Himalayas.
After tracking Lord Shiva for a couple of days, the brothers located Lord Shiva. To avoid facing them, Lord Shiva started digging into the ground. However, Bhima, the strongest of the Pandavas, held on to the bull’s hump. Pinned by his strength, Lord Shiva abandoned his avatar by leaving his hump behind at Kedarnath and returned to his original form. The other limbs of Lord Shiva’s avatar resurfaced across five spots on the mountain range. These spots together are known as “Panch Kedar”.
Picture of the Kedarnath Temple
Some Morals from the Kedarnath Story
The most important moral to understand in this story is the importance of forgiveness. It should be pointed out to children that the determination of the Pandava brothers to seek forgiveness is something they should implement in real life.
Some Facts on the Kedarnath Temple
The temple is built on the banks of the Mandakini and the Saraswati rivers. In 2013, the state of Uttarakhand faced severe and heavy floods that destroyed the state. While the periphery of the temple was severely damaged, the shrine stood strong with only a few cracks. The Uttarakhand government started reconstruction work to preserve the heritage site.
Note to Parents
By providing children with the back story to the Kedarnath Temple; parents will be able to encourage kids to be more curious. For instance, now parents will be able to explain why people still go to pray at the temple. The holiness of the place will be more contextualised for the children. This story will increase the interest of children in ancient epics also. To continue this trend, they should try to tell the children to find out the history behind every historical place to understand its significance.
Conclusion
Lord Shiva then appeared in the sky in his five-faced avatar and told the brothers to undertake a religious pilgrimage to the Panch-Kedar locations to earn his forgiveness. Hence, in order to worship the Lord, the Pandava brothers made the Kedarnath temple and undertook the pilgrimage. They also built temples at the other Panch Kedar locations.
FAQs on The Kedarnath Story in English for Kids
1.How old is the Kedarnath Temple?
The oldest record of the temple is said to be more than 1200 years old. However, the temple is said to be much older than that. Its existence pre-dates our records.
2.Who built the Kedarnath temple?
The original temple is said to be built by the Pandavas. However, the current shrine was said to be constructed by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century A.D.
3.Why did the Pandavas want to seek forgiveness from Lord Shiva?
When the brothers were feeling very guilty, they were advised by Sage Vyasa to seek forgiveness from Lord Shiva.
Often, Indian history and Indian mythology are interlinked. This has real-world effects which children can pick up on. The story behind the Kedarnath Temple is one of them. This story will encourage kids to :
Develop an interest in geography and architecture when it is introduced to them through entertaining stories;
Be curious about the world around them, and link their lessons to the real world.
