- Kapat opens; Maha Abhishek and morning puja beginapprox 4:00 AM
- General darshan opens after the morning ritualsapprox 6:00-7:00 AM
- Ghee abhishek and physical touch of the lingam permitteduntil approx 3:00 PM
- Temple reopens for evening darshanapprox 5:00 PM
- Shayan Aarti; the deity is decorated and put to restapprox 6:00-7:30 PM
The devotional day frames darshan at both ends. It begins around 4:00 AM with the Maha Abhishek, when priests bathe the lingam and perform the principal morning puja before general pilgrims are admitted. Through the day, until roughly 3:00 PM, devotees can offer ghee to the rock and, uniquely at Kedarnath, press their hands and forehead to the lingam itself.
The day ends with the Shayan Aarti in the evening, generally in the 6:00 to 7:30 PM window, when the deity is dressed in fine shringar, offered light and then symbolically put to rest for the night. Between the morning and evening sessions the temple pauses so the priests can prepare this decoration.
Special sevas can be sponsored through the temple committee: Rudrabhishek, the elaborate Shodashopachar (sixteen-step) puja and participation in the aarti among them. If you want to book a named puja, arrange it a day ahead at the committee office in Kedarnath or Guptkashi, since the sanctum is small and daily slots are limited. All aarti times move with sunrise and weather, so treat them as approximate.
← Back to the full Kedarnath darshan guideCompiled from public sources including euttaranchal.com - Kedarnath opening/closing dates 2026 · WanderOn - How to Reach Kedarnath · Rudraprayag District (Govt of Uttarakhand) - Kedarnath Yatra · euttaranchal.com - Kedarnath tourism. Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.