Pataleshwar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Bilasa Devi Kevat Airport (PAB), Bilaspur, is the nearest major airport.

• By train

  Bilaspur Junction (BSP) is the nearest railway station.

Why devotees come here

Pataleshwar Temple is a cave temple in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, dedicated to Shiva and Nandi. It is carved from one single basalt rock, and its underground sanctuary is thought to represent the underworld.

Pataleshwar is a cave temple carved from one single basalt rock during the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The Incredible India page dates it to the 8th century, in the Rashtrakuta period. Its underground sanctuary is thought to represent the underworld.

Malhar, a small town in Bilaspur district, lies 31 km southeast of Bilaspur city. It was once a major city and served as a capital in the 1st millennium. Today it is more village-like, with mounds, the ruins of an ancient fort and two restored Shiva temples. The Pataleshwar Kedar temple there has the Gomukhi Shivling as its main attraction.

Accounts differ on whether this cave temple is in Bilaspur city or in Malhar. The Incredible India page places it in Bilaspur. Another account gives a 12th century date for a Pataleshvara temple there, which does not match the page's 8th century date.

Festivals

• AnnualShivratri

  An annual Shivratri festival honours Shiva at the temple. The Incredible India page describes it as a celebration in honour of Shiva.

Tips for your visit

• Bilaspur Junction is a busy station, with about 340 passenger and goods trains passing through each day.
• After darshan, you can stroll into the nearby market region to see local culture.

Questions people ask