Neelkanth Mahadev Temple

Getting there

• By road

  The temple is 32 km from Rishikesh by the Barrage route, or 22 km via Ram Jhoola. Pauri, the district headquarters, is about 120 km from the temple.

Why devotees come here

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is a Shiva shrine surrounded by dense forest, near Rishikesh in Pauri Garhwal district. Shiva is worshipped here in the form of a Shivalinga. The temple is linked to the legend of the poison that Shiva drank.

Neelkanth means the Blue Throated One, and Shiva is known by this name. Legend says Shiva drank the Halahala poison that came out when the Devas and Asuras churned the ocean for Amrita. The temple is dedicated to Nilkanth, an aspect of Shiva, and the Shivalinga is its presiding deity. Legend also says Shiva meditated here for 60 thousand years, beneath the Panchpani tree.

The temple stands where the Pankaja and Madhumati rivers meet, enclosed by the valleys of Manikoot, Brahmakoot and Vishnukoot. Its architecture is strongly influenced by the Dravidian style. The tower rises in tiers like a pyramid, with carved motifs and friezes. Sculptures on the tower show the churning of the ocean. The temple is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site, and the complex is surrounded by dense forests.

Maha Shivaratri is the most prominent festival here, and many devotees come in February or March. A second fair is held in the Shraavana month, in July or August. During that fair, devotees called Kawarias walk from Haridwar to the temple. The complex also has a natural spring, where devotees usually bathe before they enter.

Festivals

• Feb-MarMaha Shivaratri

  The most prominent festival at the temple, with many devotees arriving.

• July-Aug, Shraavana monthShraavana fair

  Kawarias trek from Haridwar to the temple during this fair.

Tips for your visit

• Devotees usually take a holy bath at the natural spring in the temple complex before they enter the premises.
• The shikhara, the tower over the shrine, is carved with Devas and Asuras churning the ocean.

Questions people ask