Jageshwar Dham Almora

Jageshwar Dham Almora : Jageshwar Dham is a group of temples located at a short distance from Almora. Jageshwar Dham is very famous as the largest temple group of Uttarakhand. The Jageshwar Dham temple group dedicated to Lord Shiva includes the main Mahamrityunjaya temple and 124 other small and big temples.

Jageshwar Dham is an iconic place as the most prominent religious and historical attraction of Uttarakhand. Jageshwar Dham temple group is quite famous for its special architecture and construction style. These huge temples built with big stones are very beautiful and surprising.

Significance – Jageshwar Dham 

Jageshwar Dham Hindi, जागेश्वर धाम मंदिर
Jageshwar Dham Almora

Lord Shiva is known by many names like Dev of Gods, Adidev, Pashupati and many such names. One of the many names of Lord Shiva is Mrityunjay which means one who has conquered death. Jageshwar Dham is considered a Jyotirlinga. There are 12 Jyotirlingas in India, of which Jageshwar Dham is considered the 8th Jyotirlinga. The main and largest temple located in the Jageshwar Dham temple group is dedicated to the Mahamrityunjau form of Lord Shiva. This temple holds special importance for Shiva devotees.

It cannot be said exactly how ancient the Jageshwar Dham temple group is, but based on beliefs, it is considered to be about 2500 years old. People believe about this place that Lord Shiva used to come down from the Himalayan peaks and meditate here and that is why this place is considered especially important.

Some temples of Jageshwar temple group are also considered to be from the Mahabharata period. It is said that some temples were established here by the Pandavas.

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Mythology – Jageshwar Dham

Jageshwar was known as Hatkeshwar in ancient times. Many stories related to Jageshwar Dham are told. Jageshwar Dham is considered to be the penance place of Lord Shiva. According to the legend, this place has been the abode of Lord Shiva as well as seven sages known as Saptarishi. Due to the curse of Saptarishis, Shivalinga was born here for the first time. This temple is also known as Yogeshwar. It is also mentioned in the Puranas.

Jageshwar Dham is considered to be related to Luv and Kush, sons of Lord Ram. Luv Kush had organized a Yagya here.

History – Jageshwar Almora

The Jageshwar Temple Group is considered to be one of the oldest established temples thousands of years old. When Adi Guru Shankaracharya was on his tour to India, he visited Jageshwar temple before going to Kedarnath and during that time he also renovated and re-established many temples here.

Katyuri rulers have made a major contribution in the re-establishment of the temples of Jageshwar. The temples built in the 8th and 10th centuries were built by the Katyuri kings. After Katyuri rule, some temples of Jageshwar were also constructed during the reign of Chand kings. Along with the temple group, the cremation ground of some kings is also situated here.

Jageshwar Dham Temple

Jageshwar Dham Almora Temple

Although the main temple in Jageshwar Dham is dedicated to Lord Shiva, but apart from this, there are many temples located here which are dedicated to Gods and Goddesses. The main temples of Jageshwar include Dandeshwar Temple, Chandi Devi Temple, Kuber Temple, Nav Durga-Nav Graha Temple, Pyramid Temple and a Sun Temple. Worship is not done in all the temples of this temple group but only in 5-6 temples.

Jageshwar Dham is also called the fifth Dham of Uttarakhand. This temple group is made up of the famous Hindu temple building style called Nagar style. It is also called Kedarnath style. The structure of the temples of this temple group looks similar to the Kedarnath temple.

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Parisar – Jageshwar Dham

A total of 250 temples are located in Jageshwar and out of them, 125 temples are located in this temple group. Many cedar trees can be seen in the temple premises but there are two special trees here. This is a creation which devotees associate with the form of Lord Shiva and Parvati. It is a cedar tree which looks like two different trees growing in height. Devotees consider this tree as the Ardhanarishwar form of Lord Shiva.

There is another cedar tree located near this tree, whose shape gives the impression of a Ganesha statue. Devotees consider it to be an image of Lord Ganesha and pray here.

Timing – Jageshwar Dham

Jageshwar Dham main temple is open from 4 am to 6 pm. These timings may be subject to change during special occasions such as the month of Sawan and celebrations of Maha Shivratri.

Festivals – Jageshwar Dham

Jageshwar Dham Almora

This temple remains open for devotees throughout the year. In the Hindu calendar, the month of Sawan is given special importance for praying to Lord Shiva. Special Shiva worship is also done in Jageshwar Dham in the month of Sawan. During this time, there is a festival here and devotees from all over the country come to participate in this festival. During this period, special religious rituals etc. keep happening here. Jageshwar Monsoon Festival is organized in Jageshwar from 15 July to 15 August.

Apart from this, Shivratri festival is also specially celebrated here. This annual Maha Shivratri fair organized in the spring season is considered as a big festival in the entire Kumaon region.

When to visit – Jageshwar Dham

Jageshwar Dham temple group, apart from being a place of religious importance, is also a center of attraction for a large number of tourists due to its special structure and historical mythological importance. The best season to visit here is between March to June and September to November. During this period the weather here remains pleasant.

If you want to experience the festivals organized then July August and February March are the best times. During this time the atmosphere here is completely different from the rest of the time. Jageshwar Festival during monsoon is a special attraction for the tourists and the local people.

How to reach – Jageshwar Dham

Jageshwar Dham is located in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state. It is only 35 kilometers away from the famous tourist city Almora. One can easily reach here through any means.

By Road

Jageshwar is well connected by road to many big cities of Northern India. If you want to reach Jageshwar Dham by your own vehicle or through state transport, then you can reach Almora by bus. You can use local transport or taxi etc. from Almora to Jageshwar.

By Flight

If you are traveling to Jageshwar Dham by flight, then the nearest airport here is the airport located in Pant Nagar, Uttarakhand. You can travel by taxi from Pantnagar Airport to Jageshwar Dham. The journey from Pant Nagar to Almora can also be done by state transport bus.

By Train

If you are planning to travel to Jageshwar by train then the nearest railway station is Kathgodam. The distance between Almora and Jageshwar Dham can be covered by state transport bus or taxi etc.