Kyunkaleshwar Mahadev Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is about 150 km away, the nearest airport.

• By train

  Rewale station in Kotdwar is about 109 km away. Take a bus or jeep from there.

• By road

  The temple is about 3 km from Pauri town on the Kaidolia-Ransi motorway. A short drive is followed by a walk through the forested landscape.

Why devotees come here

Kyunkaleshwar Mahadev Temple is a Shiva temple in Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand, at about 1,800 metres above sea level. It overlooks the Alaknanda Valley. Local tradition says Adi Shankaracharya established it.

Local tradition says Adi Shankaracharya established this Shiva temple during his travels across the Himalayan region. The Pauri district site says he set it up on a visit to Pauri to revive Hinduism. The temple is believed to date back to the 8th century. Shiva is the principal deity, and the complex also holds idols of Parvati, Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Rama, Lakshmana and Sita.

The temple is built of stone in a style reminiscent of Kedarnath Temple. A Shivling stands in the sanctum. A circumambulation path has been built around the temple, which sits at the foot of Mount Kenash. Inside the complex, a platform honours George V, and his name appears in an inscription.

The temple stands about 1,800 metres above sea level and overlooks the Alaknanda Valley. Government tourism material calls it one of Uttarakhand's lesser-known spiritual landmarks. The peaceful forest trail to the shrine adds to the quiet of the place.

Tips for your visit

• On clear days the peaks around the temple look especially fine against the blue sky.
• The last approach is a peaceful forest trail that leads to the shrine.

Questions people ask