In the mountainous abode of the Himalayas, amidst the enchanted forest of Darukavan (forest of Deodar trees) lies a complex of ancient temples with a lost history. Jageshwar Dham in Uttarakhand‘s Almora district is one of the most intriguing sights to see, as it has a set of 125 temples of various sizes, spread across 3.5 km with an untraceable past. Once you lay your eyes on these temples, you cannot stop yourself from being mesmerised by it’s existence.
Join me as I take you along on this journey to Jageshwar Dham!
In late June, at the onset of monsoon, our trek to the captivating forest began. The gush of cold air and the continuous drizzle of icy raindrops made the trek very memorable. Although there was hardly any visibility, we followed the calling in our hearts and the route shown by a trusty mountain hound. The dewy atmosphere, lush greenery, crunch of the footsteps on the gravel path and the smell of Deodar trees kept us hooked throughout.
Dandeshwar Temple Complex:
The first stop on our journey was the Dandeshwar Mandir (temple). At a distance of 2km from the primary temple complex of Jageshwar Dham, Dandeshwar temple complex is an unexplored, less popular sight. It is easily missed as most people travel via hired jeeps to the main temple complex.
By the banks of the stream Jataganga, Dandeshwar Temple complex consists of 14 temples, all dedicated to Shiv Mahadev. The word Dandeshwar can be split into Dand (staff) and Eshwar (God). This temple houses Shiva in the form of Kshetrapala (protector of the land). It is architecturally different from the Jageshwar Temples and was built in the 9th and 10th century CE by the Katyuri Dynasty.
Surrounded by mist, this place seemed to be an undiscovered picturesque beauty with just us, the mountainous hound and a family of reptiles. The crimson flame of the earthy lamp lit at the entrance of the temple provided the much needed warmth and courage to continue this journey through the elusive forest.
ASI Sculpture Museum:
We walked through the forest into the narrow lanes of the settlement around the temple. Restaurants, lodges, resorts, tiny eateries and shops form a haphazard cluster which can be traversed only on foot. Just a few meters away from the main temple complex, is an ASI sculpture museum. It houses all the sculptures and idols excavated from in and around this region. Unfortunately I couldn’t capture them on camera as photography was not allowed.
To understand and connect with the heart of Jageshwar, it is a must to visit this museum. This place has sculptures of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh, Kartikeya, Surya, Navagraha and Vishnu just to name a few. Each sculpture has been crafted magnificently and one cannot stop oneself from spending hours admiring the brilliant craftsmanship.
Two sculptures which connect the dots of the lost history is that of Pon Raja and Lakulish. It is said that Lakulish, the last incarnation of Shiv Mahadev and a contemporary of Shri Krishna lived in this region and practised tantric form of worship. Pon Raja‘s sculpture of Ashtadatu ( made of 8 metals) was found in the Dandeshwar Temple complex. The locals believe he was the King under whose rule Jageshwar flourished but there aren’t much sources to confirm this.
Jageshwar Temple Complex:
After learning a bit about the history of this place, we proceeded to continue on our journey to the Jageshwar Temple complex.
As the fog lifted and bells rang, our eyes laid on the exquisite and surreal Jageshwar Dham!
A group of 125 temples of all sizes with the Jyotirling Mandir right at the centre forms the structure of the Jageshwar Temple complex.
As soon as you walk into the complex, the eclectic energy surrounds you!
Temples of Chandika Devi, Nanda Devi, Navgraha, Mrityunjaya, Surya and others are found here. The temples in the complex are 2500 years old and are from the Gupta dynasty. They were later renovated and maintained by the Kings of the Katyuri dynasty. Seeing the miniature size of the temples, it won’t be surprising if other beings such as the Yaksha (nature spirits) regularly worship this place, as mentioned in the scriptures.
One can spend hours together walking on the cold Earth, barefoot around the temple complex with a feeling of devotion and sanctity in the heart. Words fail to describe the peace and stillness that I felt. I would suggest you to visit Jageshwar Dham to experience this tranquility and inner peace.
Kuber Mandir Complex:
A few kilometers ahead is the Kuber Mandir. It is situated by the banks of Jataganga, on a little cliff. It was built between the 9th and 14th century CE. The poojari (priest) believe that this temple houses one of the oldest Kuber deity in the country. Devotees offer prayers for their material growth.
As soon as we left this temple to explore ahead, the sky grew dark and it started raining cats and dogs. We found shelter in a tiny restaurant which served homely Kumaoni food. This simple yet scrumptious local delicacy was heartwarming and energised us for the last part of the journey.
Vriddh Jageshwar:
The trekking trail from Jageshwar to Vriddh Jageshwar is about 3 to 4km and it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the destination. The path is very steep as the altitude sharply increases from 6135ft to 7217ft.
Although we had planned to trek this trail, the weather wasn’t conducive. We decided to take the taxi instead. The road to Vriddh Jageshwar is one of scenic beauty. As we drove through the cluster of Deodar trees and rhododendron flowers, there is a narrow winding road with ecstatic views of the snowcapped Himalayas behind dense fog on both sides.
At that moment, I only wanted to stand in the middle of the road, catch a glimpse of this view beyond the curtain of fog and be enveloped by the icy cold air from the peaks!
Vriddh Jageshwar looked older in appearance than Jageshwar Dham. Locals believe that this was the original temple where prayers were offered to Lord Shiva in his meditative form whereas he is worshipped as his younger self (balswarup) in Jageshwar Dham.
If there is an abode of solitude, this is it!
I started this journey as a trek and completed with immense peace, gratitude and revelations to the questions I didn’t seek. Jageshwar Dham is an unmissable experience in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region. It is a mystical forest that will stay in my heart forever. If you would like to continue exploring this region, Patal Bhuvaneshwar: the ancient cave city is located nearby. Check out my blogpost for more.
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