Maha Shivratri special: visit these temples to get acquainted with the lesser-known legends of Lord Shiva

With the onset of Maha Shivratri, we remind ourselves yet again that the three-eyed Lord Shiva who is the master of creation and destruction in the universe. One of the better ways in which we can pay our respects to the God is by visiting some of his famous temples across the country. Understandably, most of us neither have enough leaves nor have enough time to cover them all. That’s why we have handpicked a few unique temples in the land of the gods, Uttarakhand, that are not too far from each other and yet, are home to some unique legends of Lord Shiva.

Read more: Mahashivratri 2018: travel to these places for unique experiences


Daksheswara Mahadev Temple


You can start your journey from Haridwar, wherein lies the Daksheswara Mahadev Temple. The exact location of the temple is in Kankhal, town lying 4 km away from the temple town of Haridwar. Named after King Daksha Prajapati, who was the father of Lord Shiva’s wife, this temple has a special tale associated to it. Once the king organised a yajna, at the same place where the temple is situated now. It was the same yajna in which Lord Shiva was not invited, and made Sati feel insulted for the same. As a result, Sati burnt herself in the fire of the same yajna kunda. Lord Shiva got angry and sent his gana s (attendants), Vidarbha and Bhadrakali, who as per his instructions stormed into the ceremony and waged a war between the Gods and the mortals. This ultimately resulted in the beheading of King Daksha. Later, King Daksha was given another life by Brahma with the head of a goat.

Triyuginarayan Temple


The Triyuginarayan Temple in Rudraprayag, near the confluence of Mandakini and Songanga rivers, is one of the holiest temples in the country. Although dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this temple is known for being the pious place where Lord Shiva got married to Goddess Parvati, who won his heart through very intense meditation. It is believed that this is the very place where they got married in the presence of Lord Vishnu, who is said to be the brother of Parvati, while the wedding rituals were conducted by Lord Brahma in the form of a priest. The temple is home to an Akhand Dhuni or a flame which has been burning since time immemorial. It is a major attraction among the pilgrims and is believed to be the same fire which acted as a witness to the divine marriage. Pilgrims offer wood to the fire as sacrificial offerings and take back some of the ash as prasad. The exact spot where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati had tied the knot is called Brahma Shila.

Tungnath Temple

This temple has a special place in the hearts of many devotees and yogis in India. As the only temple of Lord Shiva located at a very steep altitude, it can be reached by a 4 km long stairway from Chopta. The enshrined lingam is very ancient, and the temple remains under the cover of heavy blanket of snow in winter season. One of the legends associated with the temple states that Lord Rama had meditated at the Chandrashila peak, located near Tungnath, to attain deeper divine realisations. The shrine of Tungnath is a part of the panch kedar teerth established by the Pandava brother as a redemption from the guilt of fratricide post the Mahabharata war.

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple

You need not climb high altitudes and ice-clad peaks to gain access to Lord Shiva's blessings. All it would need is the will to drive only 32 km from Rishikesh in Uttarakhand to visit Neelkanth Mahadev Temple. This temple is very old because many thousands years ago, Shiva himself meditated at this place to pacify himself after he drank the lethal poison generated during the churning of the ocean. This site is very much charged with the divine energies of Shiva.