Page 16 - NIS - English, 01-15 January 2023

Cover Story Development and Legacy
Redevelopment of Shri Kedarnath Dham
n Several buildings in the temple complex's
10-foot-narrow corridor were damaged prior to
the disaster. 30 thousand tonnes of debris were
scattered throughout the area. This waste was
transformed into an 840-foot terraced temple
corridor.
n It was built by local artisans using 20,000 locally
available stones.
n This circular arrival plaza with a diameter of 104
metres was built at the confluence of two rivers
using 51,000 local stones.
n The temple plaza is 4,340 square metres in size
and was built with 15,200 local stones.
14 New India Samachar January 1-15, 2023
n Shri Kedarnath Dham, Hinduism's holiest
pilgrimage city is situated in the Himalayas
at the confluence of the Mandakini and
Saraswati rivers.
n This pilgrimage was heavily damaged in
2013 as a result of the horrific disaster.
n The temple was hidden somewhere because
unplanned buildings were built there.
n In 2017, the Prime Minister proposed the
Shri Kedarnath Dham Reconstruction Plan to
restore Kedarnath Dham's spiritual glory and
divine form.
n Based on this vision, a master plan for
environmental balance was developed with
the participation of all stakeholders.
n Executing a scheme of this scale in Dham,
which is 16 kilometres by foot from
Gaurikund, was a significant challenge
due to harsh weather and topographical
conditions, as well as building materials. The
first task assigned was to build the approach
road to the temple.
n Flood protection walls have been built on
both rivers to restore the temple complex
as an island by reclaiming flood-washed
land along the banks of the Saraswati and
Mandakini rivers, as well as multi-layered
flood protection measures.
n The fourth task was to rebuild the pilgrimage
priests' houses that had been damaged by
the disaster.
n The pilgrim priests' residences are being
built in phases in local architectural style
using local materials.
n The fifth task was to rebuild Sri Adi Guru
Shankaracharya Samadhi, which had been
damaged by the disaster. The underground
structure to reach the mausoleum, which
requires pilgrims to walk between the
monumental walls, provides a one-of-a-kind
experience. This journey concludes with the
darshan of mountains and panoramic views
after walking on the path of contemplation
after seeing the idol.