Dharmrajeshwar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  The nearest airport is in Indore, about 220 km away.

• By train

  Shamgarh is the nearest railway station, about 22 km away.

• By road

  The temple is about 80 km from Mandsaur city. Buses and taxis run from Mandsaur to the temple.

Why devotees come here

Dharmrajeshwar Temple stands in the Garoth tehsil of Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh. It is a Shiva temple carved out of a solid rock monolith, with caves cut from the same rock. Its sanctum holds a large shivalinga, and the lingam is the focal point of worship.

Dharmrajeshwar is a Shiva temple. The sanctum, or garbhagriha, holds a large shivalinga, the focal point of worship, and an icon of Harihara. Seven smaller shrines surround the main temple, each holding statues of various deities. The entrance gate has intricate carvings of Vishnu and Lakshmi. Devotees come here from far and wide, especially for the festival of Maha Shivratri.

Accounts differ on the date. One puts the temple complex in the 5th and 6th centuries AD, and the other in the 8th century. Both say the site first honoured Vishnu and was later made a Shiva temple. The temple is carved directly out of a solid rock monolith, and its style bears some resemblance to the rock-cut heritage sites at Ellora in Maharashtra. Caves cut from the same rock serve as meditation halls and living quarters. On the way, the landscape changes from open fields to rocky terrain.

Festivals

• Main festivalMaha Shivratri

  The main festival here. The temple has celebrations that draw devotees from far and wide.

Tips for your visit

• Devotees believe the first rays of the sun reach the sanctum and light the shivalinga.
• The path to the temple descends about nine metres.
• The approach runs through open fields, and the land turns rocky as you near the temple.

Questions people ask