Panchvaktra Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Kullu Airport at Bhuntar is about 75 km from Mandi, the nearest airport.

• By train

  Jogindernagar, the current terminus of the Kangra Valley Railway, is almost 50 km from Mandi.

• By road

  Buses run from Chandigarh to Mandi, and Mandi lies 145 km north of Shimla.

Why devotees come here

Panchvaktra Temple stands at the confluence of the Suketi and Beas rivers in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. It is a protected monument, and its main idol is Shiva with five faces.

Panchvaktra Temple stands at the confluence of the Suketi and Beas rivers, and it is one of the protected monuments in Mandi town. The Archaeological Survey of India looks after it, and it has been declared a national site. Its main idol is a large Shiva with five faces.

Locals say the temple is over 300 years old, and they believe the power of Shiva spared it when floods struck. Historical accounts indicate that Raja Sidh Sen, who ruled Mandi from 1684 to 1727, had the shrine restored after flood damage. The date of its foundation is not known. Large numbers of devotees come, particularly during the annual Maha Shivratri festival.

In the floods, 15 feet of debris filled the temple premises and buried a five-foot idol of Shiva. The main porch, or mandap, rests on four carved pillars, and its stone carries divine figures, inscriptions and decorative motifs. The temple follows the traditional shikhara style.

Festivals

• February or March, with the Mandi Shivaratri fairMaha Shivratri

  The temple draws large numbers of devotees during the annual festival, and Mandi's Shivaratri fair runs for seven days.

Tips for your visit

• According to a February report, a heritage walk through Mandi's temples, including Panchvaktra, was planned to run daily during the Mahashivratri fair.
• The Mandi Shivaratri Fair is an international fair that runs for seven days in February or March.

Questions people ask