Markandeshwar Mahadev Temple

Getting there

• By road

  The town is on National Highway NH-1 and the Grand Trunk Road. The New Bus Stand is 25.2 km away.

• By train

  The town has a railway station on the Delhi-Ambala line. Kurukshetra Junction is 28.2 km away.

Why devotees come here

Markandeshwar Mahadev Temple is a Shiva temple in Shahabad Markanda, Haryana. The town sits on the left bank of the Markanda River, about 22 km from the historical city of Kurukshetra. Shahabad Markanda is a sub-division of Kurukshetra district.

The temple is dedicated to Shiva, worshipped here as Markandeshwar Mahadev. Shahabad Markanda has many Hindu temples, and this Shiv Mandir is one of them. The town has a sub divisional court under the Kurukshetra Sessions Division.

The town lies on the left bank of the Markanda River, a tributary of the Ghaggar. The river is said to be part of the ancient Vedic Saraswati river basin system. The railway station and railway bridge were built in 1930. Ambala Cantonment lies about 20 km to the north, and Kurukshetra is about 22 km away. The town is a major market for farm produce, and the land by the river grows paddy, wheat and vegetables. Poultry farming also adds to the local economy. Shahabad also has a government sugar mill.

After partition most of the town's Muslim inhabitants left, and Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from Pakistan were resettled here. Mughal emperors Babur and Humayun stayed here for some time, and the Marathas captured and sacked the town. Shahabad was once famous for making scissors and musical instruments.

Tips for your visit

• Pipli, Nilokheri and Karnal lie to the south of the town along the Grand Trunk Road.
• Direct roads link the town to Ladwa, Radaur and Yamunanagar, so those towns are an option for road travel.
• A road from Panchkula, via Ramgarh and Dosarka, comes out near the town.

Questions people ask