Learnings for the Modern Architecture from the Disaster Immune Kedarnath Temple Structure

Situated amidst the altitudes of the Uttarakhand Himalayas and characterized by rugged terrain is the famous ancient Kedarnath temple. Due to its strategic location, the town of Kedarnath witnessed numerous natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, avalanches, and landslides. More than 1600 years since its inception, the temple stands so firm as well and stable without any hint of damage even after being struck by intense disasters. The temple's unique location, design elements, solid construction, and restoration efforts have played a significant role in its disaster resilience, enabling it to withstand and recover from adverse natural events. Predominantly built in stone, the temple is a remarkable example of ancient architecture and craftsmanship. This paper aims to give an overview of the temple structure in terms of its architectural style, construction technique, and structural stability as well as review its performance in the numerous major disasters that hit the region since time known. This temple structure is definitely an interesting aspect for study so that modern architecture and engineering can draw inspiration.