Mahamrityunjaya Mantra of Lord Shiva, muttering this mantra 108 times , one will get ability to be immortal or will get shake of rebirth. Shiva, the hero of Hindu Mythology, has appeared in many forms in widespread spiritual beliefs. whereas within the Puranas, he’s noted as the destroyer of evils and represents one of the 3 primary aspects of the Trinity, in folklore and legends, he has been picturized a lot .
However, Shiva in each of these avatars has one thing common that is his residence, that has been legendary to air chain. To mark his divine presence in Himalaya variety of temples area unit are engineered at completely different heights so that one can feel the existence of the supreme soul [LORD SHIVA].
Here are the Top 20 Shiva temples found in Dev Bhumi Uttarakhand that talks about the thousand years old tales connected to the current mystical land:
1. Tungnath – Highest Temple of Lord Shiva
Known as the best Shiva temple in Uttarakhand,Tungnath temple is the highest temple among the five Panch Kedar temples and one of the highest Shiva temple in the world, located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It is the most significant temple of Lord Shiva located at a height of 3,680 m (12,073 ft) above sea level just below the peak of Chandrashila.
This most elevated temple of Lord Shiva is amusingly least demanding one to accomplish. Tungnath Temple can be a simple trek of 4km starting from Chopta (2700mts). The district gets overwhelming snowfall in the middle of winters making Tungnath sanctuary intense to access. The best time to visit is from April to November. Tungnath temple is also popular during the winter months due to the snowfall that the area experiences.
The sanctuary is devoted to Lord Shiva and a couple of different symbols of Goddess Parvati and different divine beings can be found in the region. This sanctuary was found by Adi Shankaracharya and now the minister of this sanctuary is a neighborhood Brahmins of Makk.
The Tungnath Temple which literally offers “Lord of the Peak” is one of the tallest Shiva temples in the world and one of the highest five Kedar temples adorned at Tungnath in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. After the bloodshed of the Mahabharata, the Pandavas who killed their own Kaurava brothers sought salvation.
They traveled to the Himalayas but could not find Lord Shiva who could help them get rid of their guilt. Shiva disguised himself as a bull and hid in Guptakashi. The Pandava brothers chased him but could not succeed. Later, Shiva’s arm or arm is seen in this place. Since then the place is considered religious and is visited by many devotees.
2. Baijnath Temple, Baijnath
Located in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand, Baijnath could be a settlement in style for its ancient Mahadeva Temple. The holy stream Gomati flows by this city creating it Associate in Nursing impeccable spot to hunt mental peace.
The temple is at a distance of 16 km from Kausani and encompasses a handful of temples dedicated to alternative deities. The Baijnath Temple is stylishly located on the banks of the river Gumti and is a quiet abode for devotees to find spirituality and peace. This temple is located at a distance of 16 km from Kaushani.
Kot Bhramari Devi temple, a noted Shakta seat is found at a distance of 2 km from the temple. Devotees ought to keep in mind that rather than the face, the rear facet of the god is adored here.
3. Bagnath Temple, Bageshwar
The literal which means of Bagnath is that the master of Tiger. As Shiva is found seated on a tiger skin, he’s additionally called Baghnath. The temple stands on the confluence of Gomti and Sarayu Rivers at a distance of 90 km from Almora, a noted hill station of Uttarakhand.
Throughout the holy month of Shravana devotees provides a visit to the present temple to pay their deference to Shiva, the rescuer. The temples around Baghnath area unit Durga temple, Dattatrey Maharaj, Hanuman temple, Kalika temple, Ganga Mai temple, Panchnam Junakhara, Thingal Bhairav temple, and therefore the Vaneswar temple.
4. Baleshwar Temple, Champawat
Located within the heart of town Champawat within the state of Uttarakhand, Baleshwar could be a tiny temple settled at a distance of approx seventy-four klick from Pithoragarh district. The Baleshwar Temple is located in the center of Champaot, about 1 km from Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. This Hindu temple is 10-12 centuries old and has remarkable murals on its walls and pillars. This temple is also listed in top shiva temples in Uttarakhand.
The temple of Shiva in Baleshwar dates back to the tenth-twelfth century and depicts a beautiful work of art on its walls and pillars. beside Baleshwar, the temple compound additionally encloses the seats of Ratneshwar and Champawati Durga. Shivaratri competition is that the most significant celebration in Baleshwar temple.
5. Binsar Mahadev Temple, Chamoli
A middle altitude temple perked up 2480 m on top of water level, Binsar Mahadev Temple is enclosed by the natural loftiness of thick cedar forest in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. The awful hill station of Uttarakhand, Ranikhet is barely nineteen clicks from this temple. the idea goes that the temple was in-built one day.
On Vaikunth Chaturdashi women pay deference to the present temple wish healthiness of their youngsters and the prosperity of their family. Cleanliness of the temples neighborhood and contemporary inexperienced background
augment the snobbishness of this temple. Binsar Mahadev Temple is located in the middle of the ghostly wood of Devdar in Almora district. This old temple dates back to the 9th-10th century and it is said to be built in a day. This temple is only 19 km away from Ranikhet. During Vaikuntha Chaturdashi, women carry diyas or lamps on the palms of their hands and pray to God for the birth of a child.
Suggested Read: 12 Jyotirlingas of lord Shiva in India
6. Budha Kedar Temple, Tehri Garhwal
A calm and composed place in Tehri Garhwal district within the state of Uttarakhand, Buda Kedar is blessed by the existence of this holy temple. The temple dates back to the times of the religious text and has its association with the Pandavas of religious text. The temple is around fifty-nine klicks from New Tehri and enclosed by the lofty hills lined with thick cedar forest.
The temple gets additional importance for standing by the confluence of stream Bal Ganga and Dharam Ganga. The Shiva Linga found during this temple is believed to be the largest in Northern Bharat.
7. Gananath Temple, Almora
A popular cave temple of Lord Shiva, Gananath is settled close to Satrapi village (Takula) at a height of 2116 m on top of the water level. The temple is at a distance of around forty-seven klicks from Almora and is crowded by individuals throughout the truthful remained the occasion of Hindu calendar month Purnima.
The truthful is in style among the locals for its elegance and fervor. metrical hymns, appealing songs, and interesting people dance fill the air of the temple reverberant with these joyous sounds.
8. Gopinath Temple, Gopeshwar
Famous lord Shiva temple Gopinath in gopeshwar district within the state of Uttarakhand, Gopinath temple is that the witness to many myths and legends. The temple is found at a distance of around three klicks from the most city gopeshwar.
The temple stands apart for its distinctive worshiping vogue, as not like the common Shiva temple, milk and water don’t seem to be poured upon the Linga, instead solely Billapatra (leaves of Aegle marmelos) area unit offered on the Linga. it’s same that in the earlier period a cow wont to bathe the Shiva Linga every day along with her milk.
Witnessing this, the king of Katyuri kinfolk engineered the temple. This temple is located in the beautiful environment of Gopeshwar village, a part of Gopeshwar town in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. This ancient temple was built by the Katiuri dynasty in the 9th-11th centuries and is believed to be the sacred abode of Rudranath. Gopinath is the only Shiva temple where milk and water are not adorned on the body of the deity and only the bell bride is given.
9. Jageshwar Temple, Almora
2500 years previous temple advanced standing altogether its glory with tortuous styles on its exteriors, Jageshwar is found at a distance of thirty-seven klicks from Almora. enclosed by spectacular natural views at the background, this temple neighborhood is a perfect retreat for people who area unit trying to find mental peace.
On traditional days the temple advanced remains less thronged.Folks, WHO like to explore subject field grandeur, should see the location to urge higher information regarding the various dynasties WHO became the patron of the temple.
Aside from the abode of Shiva, the advanced additionally home a handful of alternative temples dedicated to Mrityunjay Mahadev, Surya, Chandika, Kuber, Nau Durga, Nav Graha and a few alternatives in style Hindu deities. This famous pilgrimage site is located about 35 km from Almora and is considered as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. The temple complex contains hundreds of wonderful stone statues, including about 125 temples.
10. Maha Mrityunjaya Temple, Jageshwar
One of the oldest and preferred seats of Lord Shiva found in Uttarakhand state, Maha Mrityunjay temple is found within the neighborhood of Jageshwar. The symbol of Lord Mahadev found during this temple appearance distinctive for its eye formed gap. it’s believed that folks vocalizing the Mrityunjay Mantra get relief from the worry of death and gain immortality.
11. Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Temple is located in the Garowal Himalayas near the Mandirini River. It is believed that after the battle of Mahabharata, the Pandavas made a pilgrimage to the Himalayas through Haridwar for austerities. They saw a glimpse of Lord Shiva from a distance but the Lord hid himself from them.
The Pandavas then proceeded towards Guptakashi (Rudraprayag) and finally reached Gaurikund. Then a Jyotirlinga or a divine divine light flashes and Lord Shiva is immersed in it. Lord Shankara then said to the Pandavas, From now on, I will be here in the form of a triangular jyotirlinga. By adopting the philosophy of Kedarnath, the devotees will attain righteousness.
12. Madhyamaheshwar Temple
The Grand Madhyameshwar Temple adorns the village of Mansuna in the Garowal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. According to a famous Hindu legend, Lord Shiva was annoyed by the misconduct of the Pandavas during the Battle of Kurukshetra and tried to avoid disguising himself as a bull or Nandi.
He hid in the Garowal Himalayas but the Pandavas recognized the deity and tried to hold the bull with its tail and hind legs. The bull disappears and later appears in five different places in the form of Kedarnath’s hump, as Tungnath’s arm, like Rudranath’s mouth, his navel in Madhyameshwar and his braid in Kalpeshwar in the form of belly. The Pandavas were blessed with five different forms of Shiva and attained salvation. They also built temples in honor of the gods in these places.
Also Read: Top 23 Shiva Temples in India
13. Rudranath Temple
This holy temple is located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It was here that the Pandavas saw Lord Shiva in the form of a hump. A palanquin or dolly of Lord Shiva is brought to Gopeshwar for worship, which passes through Luti Bugial, Panar and reaches the patriarchy where the ancestors are paid homage. Doli then reached Rudranath through Dhalabani Maidan.
14. Neelkanth Mahadev
This Hindu temple is located in Pauri Garowal district of Uttarakhand. Nilakantha Mahadev is the place where Lord Shiva drank ‘halahala’ or poison which originated from the sea when the gods and demons churned the sea to get nectar or nectar.
Poison obtained during churning of the sea (churning of the sea) makes Lord Shiva’s throat blue. Therefore, he was known as Nilakantha which literally suggests “blue-throated”. This is one of the best Shiva temples in Uttarakhand.
15. Kalpeshwar Mahadev
This huge temple of Lord Shiva is located in the village of Kalpeshwar in the Garowal Himalayas of Uttarakhand in the Urgam Valley. It was here that Shiva’s lock appeared and Lord Shiva forgave the Pandavas.
16. Vishwanath Temple
This ancient Hindu temple is on the way to Udshikesh-Gaurikund, Rudraprayag. It is a famous temple of Lord Shiva as the “Lord of the Universe”. The temple has several temples dedicated to energy and a huge brass trident has been made in the temple premises, where there are inscriptions of how the temple was built. This is one of the best Shiva temples in Uttarakhand.
17. Koteshwar Mahadev
Koteshwar Mahadev Temple is located at a favorable distance of km from Rudraprayag town. This is one of the famous Shiva temples in Uttarakhand. According to Hindu belief, this is the place where Lord Shiva meditated to get rid of Bhasmasura, an asura who had the power to burn a person at the touch of his hand.
18. Tapkeshwar Mahadev
Located in the lap of the Dun Valley, Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple is a cave temple that places a Shivling inside a dark cave. It is located near a beautiful stream about 6.5 km from the city of Dehradun.
A Hindu myth is associated with this temple, where it is said that when Guru Dronacharya’s wife Kalyani gave birth to Ashwatthama, she could not breastfeed him and Guru Dronacharya could not buy a cow to feed the baby.
Ashvatthama then prayed to Shiva for milk. Shiva was fascinated by his prayers and fulfilled his wish. Drona will squeeze milk from the Shivling placed inside the cave, where Guru Dronacharya’s family lived.
Even today water comes down from the roof on Shivling which is a really beautiful sight. Tapak is a Hindi word meaning drop, so the temple was named Tapkeshwar Mahadev. This is one of the top Shiva temples in Uttarakhand.
19. Kamleshwar Mahadev
This small hill temple is located in the fresh vista of Pauri Garhwal in Srinagar region. The temple is visited by several devotees and it is said that if a childless couple stands in front of the temple during Kartika Chaturdashi, holding the earthen lamp all night is a blessing to the child. Also, during the auspicious ritual Saptami, i.e. the second day of Basanta Panchami, 52 types of food are prepared for the deity.
20. Trijuginarayan
Sitting in a secluded spot in the village of Triyuginarayana in Rudraprayag district, this temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva is also worshiped here. According to the beliefs of the devotees, the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati was held in this temple.
This is one of the best Shiva temples in Uttarakhand. The temple is also called Akhand Dhuni Mandir which means a flame is burning incoherently here. It is believed that flames have been burning for the last three eras or eras.
Conclusion
Devotees celebrate the union of Lord Shiva and Parvati as Maha Shivaratri. The festival of Maha Shivaratri will be celebrated all over the country today. Millions of devotees visit various temples of Mahadev in Uttarakhand and get the blessings of God.
The Uttarakhand Tourism Department has shortlisted 224 Shiva temples in Garowal and Kumaon region of Uttarakhand under the religious ‘Shaiva Circuit’ for devotees coming to Uttarakhand from India and abroad. The state of Uttarakhand is known as Devbhoomi and there are numerous temples of gods and goddesses.