Lying slightly behind the Kedarnath Temple is the grave of Adi guru Shankaracharya, the saint who is said to have established the four sacred dhams in India that are an important pilgrimage for Hindus. The famous Hindu philosopher had attained nirvana (enlightenment) at a young age of 32. It is said that Shakaracharya merged with the land itself. Visited by thousands of pilgrims, the Shankaracharya Samadhi is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kedarnath. Legend has it that Shankaracharya came to Kedarnath in the 8th century and built the Kedarnath shrine and established one of his four mathas. A hot water spring believed to have been created by Shankaracharya is visited by his disciples to get relief from the extreme climatic conditions in the area.