Jageshwar Dham-Almora,Uttrakand

Jageshwar

 

In Uttarakand Almora district around 36km from northeast in Kumaun regoin the Jageshwar shiva temple  is located. It is located at an attitude of 1870mts in the river valley where two streams Nandini and surabhi flow down from the hills and meet near the sacred spot. Dedor forest is wondeful with flowing river in the valley temple adds more beauty.

                                  Steam flowing the valley,Jageshwar Dham.

                                                   Village near Jageshwar Dham.

      The temple is located starting from Artola village on Almora -Pithoragarh Highways.The nearest rail head is Kathgodam 125 km. Jageshwar has direct road links with Almora (35 km), Haldwani (131 km.), Pithoragarh (88 km) and Kathgodam. State transport, and private jeeps and taxis ply from these place for Jageshwar regularly. 



  

 Kuber temple Jageshwar.

  The temple architecture belongs to Nagara style. The  temples have the stone lingams and very impressive stone images around the altar. A carved doorway leads you to the square sanctum sanctorum. There is a tall curvilinear spire shikhara, Surmounted by an amalaka(cap stone) and a kalasha crown. Some ashtadhatu (an alloy of eight metals) images are outstanding. One of the rarest specimens in northern India, the Ekamukhalinga can be seen here.

The temple city comprises a cluster of 124 large and small stone temples, dating 9th to 13th century AD,prerved by ASI, which include 

Dandeshwar Temple, 

Chandi-ka-Temple,

 Jageshwar Temple,

 Kuber Temple, 

Mritunjaya Temple, 

Nanda Devi or Nau Durga, 

Nava-grah temple, a Pyramidal shrine, and 

Surya Temple, 

In that  the oldest shrine is the Mrityunjaya Temple and the biggest shrine is the Dandeshwar Temple. 

Stone Carving in temple complex.

 

A cave near Jageshwar temple.

It is believed that the Nagesh Jyothilingam. That means one of the twelve joythi lingam establised by vishnu, among that 8th one is Jageshwar temple. These temple range in the period from the 8th century(early Ktyuri Dynasty)to the 18th century(chand dynasty).The temple were renoavted durning the regin of Katyuri king Shalivahandev. There is an inscription of Malla Kings on the main temple premises indicating their devotion to Jageshwar. The Katyuri Kings also donated villages to the temple priests for its maintenance. The Chand Kings of Kumaun were also patrons of the Jageshwar temple. Numerous Jageshwar temples were constructed or restored during the Gujara Pratijara  era. While leaving from Kendranath Adi Shankarar renovated and rebuilt the temple.

The pilgrimage to Jageshwar was considered as sacred as the famous chardham yatra. The temple was construed by stone and woods.the stone and wood carved wth god and goddess.

 

The Place merits mention in the Manas Khand of Skanda Purana. It is believed that Lord Shiva himself had done tapasya here for untold years and consequently all the gods and goddesses have done tapasya here, making it a place of powerful divine energies. It is referred to as Rikheshwar, where rishis have done tapasya.

 

                The Tree at one end of the complex is said to be some 5000years.

The imposing and spectacularly large devadar tree at one end of the complex is said to be some 5,000 years old. At the entrance is a Bhairav mandir. On the opposite side, there is also a sanyasin dhuna. Behind the Jaganath temple, within the complex is the living siddha samadhi of a Puri sanyasin, where bhog is offered, as at the temples in the complex. Across the river is a temple dedicated to Kuber, the god of wealth.

The folklore in the regions around Jageshwar tells us a gripping story about building the Main temple Near Kot Linga Temple Complex. Shiva selected this place to be his abode. During the Tapasya by Shiva, Demons obstruct His penance. Then God "Sam" come into being as Trinetra and send His Ganas to kill the demons. It is believed that Sam will come to Kot Linga temple premises to save humanity and Jageshwar in Kalyuga. Adi Shankacharya tried to build the main temple at Kotlinga but to no avail as Sam wanted Kotlinga to be specifically reserved for the meditation of Shiva. Old ruins of a temple structure can be found near Kotlinga. Local people still believe that Sam or Lakulisha, the Lord with a stick shall come and built the real Jageshwar temple near Kotlinga and thus save the mankind from adversities of Kalyuga.

The statue of Lakulisha; meaning, the Lord with a staff or mace or club or stick; is back at Jageshwar after almost 50 years. Lakulisha has been stated to have born in Gujarat and propagated Saivism. The resemblance in kumaoni language and Gujarati are actually an indication of Lakulisha and his disciples visiting and influencing people and culture of not only Jageshwar but entire Kumaon region.

Jageshwar Mahadev


      Jageshwar temple complex.

Tarun Jageshwar is one of the principal temples situated in the temple premises. The temple has two dwarapalas (door guardians) in the form of the armed Nandi and Skandi. This is a west facing temple of Shiva. Here, Shiva is worshipped in the form of Nagesh/Jageshwar. In the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, the Shivlinga is divided into two parts. The larger one depicts Shiva and smaller one his consort Parvati. An Akhand Jyoti, (an immortal flame) burns in the temple. There are two Asthadhatu statues of Chand Kings Deepchand and Tripalchand in the standing posture behind the Shivlinga.

Sri Mahamritunjaya Mahadev

The Mahamrityunjay temple is the largest and oldest temple in the Jageshwar temple complex. This temple of Shiva is eastern facing and the Linga is worshipped as the saviour from death - महामृत्युंजय. The unique linga has an eye shaped opening. Pilgrims believe that reciting the Mahamritunjaya Mantra  is a fruitful, auspicious and powerful method of self-realisation, removal of evil effects, and freedom from all kinds of fears, illness and negativity. The Mahamritunjaya Mantra is attested in the Sukla Yajurveda Samhita III/60 -

ॐ हौ जूँ सः

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः

ॐ त्रयंबकं यजामहे सुगन्धिम् पुष्टिवधर्नम्

उर्वारूकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्यॊर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्

ॐ स्वः भुवः भूः ॐ

सः जूँ हौ ॐ

We pray Lord Shiva, the All-Seeing One, three eyed, who bears grace of all-pervading divine fragrance and enricher of all kinds of powers and viguour by His enormous prosperous bestowals. May He release me from the grip of premature untimely death, but not from immortality like pumpkin or watermelon separates after ripening from its vine.

Jhanker Sam Mahadev

This temple is situated south of Jageshwar. Legend has it that during the Tapasya by Shiva, Demons obstruct His penance. Then God Jhanker "Sam" come into being as Trinetra and send His Ganas to kill the demons. It is believed that Sam will come to Kot Linga temple premises to save humanity and Jageshwar in Kalyuga.

Kot Ling Mahadev

Kot Ling is Situated at the "Sangam" of Jata Ganga and Sam Ganga Rivers.As per the local folk lore, Kot Ling was originally selected as a place by Shiva for meditation. This place is around 2 km walk from the main temple complex of Jageshwar. A small mountainous trek leads to this place. Currently this place has ruins of an Old Shiva Temple

Dandeshwar Shiv temple complex

Situated slightly upstream from the Jageshwar temple complex, the Dandeshwar temple complex is in a dilapidated condition. The stone lingam is a natural rock, and, unlike the lingams of the Jageshwar complex, is not carved.

Vinayak Kshetra

This place is 200 mts from Artola village from where temples of Jageshwar starts. From this place Vinayak Kshetra or sacred area begins. This place lies between Jhanker Saim temple,Vrudhh jageshwar and Koteshwar temples.

Sri Briddha or Bud Jageshwar

This temple is situated three km north to Jageshwar.This temple is situated at the top of the hill and comes after an uphill trek. It is contemporary to Jageshwar group of temples.

Pushti Devi or Pushti Bhagawati Maa

It is the temple of Goddess Devi. The temple enshrines the full murti of Goddesses. This temple is situated in the Jageshwar main premises.

During the entire month of Shravan (July-August) there is a fair here and the festival of Shivaratri is celebrated here with piety. At other times, it mostly remains a quiet, sleepy village, hidden from the glare of publicity. The Kalash-Manasarovar Yatra to Tibet, organised by Govt.  India, and the Adi Kailash Yatra in pithoragarh, passes through Jageshwar on appointed days from June to Sept.

 The Jageshwar Monsoon Festival, during the Hindu month shravan.

-Anbe Sivam.