Harihar Dham

Getting there

• By road

  Harihar Dham is about 1 km from the Grand Trunk Road (NH 19, old NH 2) at Bagodar, on the Hazaribagh-Bagodar road of NH 100 from Ranchi. It is about 60 km south-west of Giridih town, the district headquarters.

Why devotees come here

Harihar Dham in Bagodar, Giridih district, Jharkhand, is known for its huge Shivalinga. The lingam stands 65 ft (20 m) tall and is described as the tallest in the world. Devotees from all over India visit every year on Shravan Poornima.

The Shivalinga here stands 65 ft (20 m) tall. Building it took around 30 years. The temple was built in 1987 by Pandit Amarnath Mukhopadhyay, the late Chief Justice of the Kolkata High Court. The complex covers 25 acres (10 ha), and a river surrounds it.

Devotees from all over India visit every year on Shravan Poornima, the full moon night of the holy month of Shraavana, to worship Shiva. Nag Panchami falls on the fifth day of the bright half of Shraavana, when devotees worship the cobra. In the month of Sawan, devotees carry water from the nearby Jamunia River to offer to the Shivling.

Because of its religious importance, the temple is a popular place for marriage among Hindus, and it has a large marriage hall. A Radha-Krishna temple has since been built within the premises. The temple lies in the North Chotanagpur division of Jharkhand. It is also a major tourist spot, visited by devotees from all over India.

Festivals

• Full moon of the holy month of ShraavanaShravan Poornima

  Visitors come from all over India to worship Shiva.

• Fifth day of the bright half of ShraavanaNag Panchami

  Devotees worship the cobra on this day.

• The month of SawanSawan month

  Heavy crowds of devotees offer Jal (holy water) from the nearby Jamunia River to the Shivling.

Tips for your visit

• Buses from Hazaribagh to Vishnugarh, Giridih or Deoghar run on the main road, so the temple is easy to reach by bus.
• A Radha-Krishna temple stands inside the grounds, so one visit covers two shrines.
• In the month of Sawan, expect a heavy rush of devotees.

Questions people ask