Daksha Mahadev Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun and Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi are the nearest airports.

• By train

  Jwalapur and Haridwar are the nearest railway stations.

• By road

  Kankhal is well connected by road to National Highway 58, which runs between Delhi and Manapass.

Why devotees come here

Daksha Mahadev Temple stands on the southern edge of Kankhal town in Haridwar district, Uttarakhand. It is devoted to Shiva and Devi Sati, and Sati Kund beside it is tied to the story of Daksha's yagya.

The temple is also known as Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple. It stands on the southern edge of Kankhal town, a historic pilgrimage town in Haridwar district. It is devoted to Shiva and Devi Sati. Beside it is Sati Kund, the yagna kund where, according to lore, Sati self-immolated after her father would not accept her husband.

According to lore, King Daksha Prajapati held a grand yagya and intentionally did not invite Shiva. Sati chose to attend uninvited. After other gods intervened, Shiva resurrected his forgiven father-in-law and gave him a goat's head.

The current structure dates from 1810, when Queen Dhankaur built it. It was renovated in 1962. On Maha Shivaratri, hymns and celebrations centre on the temple and Sati Kund. Navratri is marked here as devotion to Devi Sati. The tourism site names Saavan, the monsoon month, as the best time to visit.

Festivals

• Festival dayMaha Shivaratri

  The temple and Sati Kund become the centre of Shiva worship, with hymns and celebrations.

• Festival dayNavratri

  The festival marks devotion to Devi Sati at the temple.

Tips for your visit

• Daksha Ghat on the Ganges lies next to the temple.
• Nileshwar Mahadev Temple is close by.
• Har Ki Pauri, the renowned ghat, is a short distance away from the temple.

Questions people ask