Jageshwar Dham is a town in the Almora district of the state of Uttrakhand, India. Situated amid tranquil natural surroundings, with a calm ambience for meditation, the serene temple town is a cluster of over 100 stone temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. A heritage site protected by the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ), the temple complex has around 125 temples and around 174 sculptures, including idols of Lord Shiva and Parvati. According to the ASI, the temples belong to the post-Gupta and pre-medieval eras. Jageshwar draws crowds during the Shivratri Mela ( carnival ) in spring ( March ).
Best time to visit: April to June and September to November.
The nearest airport is Pantnagar, about 150 kms away. The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, about 125 kms away. The site is connected by motorable roads to all the major towns and cities.
Recommended stay: One day.
The main temples of Jageshwar include Dandeshwar Temple, Chandika Temple, Jageshwar Temple, Kuber Temple, Mrityunjaya Temple, Nau Durga, Nava-grah Temple, a Pyramidal shrine, and the Surya Temple. The Maha Mrityunjaya Temple is the oldest while Dandeshwar Temple is the largest shrine of Jageshwar.
Architecture: Most of the temples have the stone lingams, and very impressive stone images around the altar. A carved doorway leads to the square sanctum sanctorum. There is a tall curvilinear spire ‘shikhara‘, surmounted by an ‘amalaka’ (capstone) 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 also e seen here.
