Spiritual · Jageshwar, Kumaon
Dawn walk through the Jageshwar temples
Walk among about 125 stone temples in the main Jageshwar compound at opening time, as priests begin the day's puja and mist lifts off the deodars. It is the best way to feel the scale of a site that pilgrims have visited for more than a thousand years.
Photo: Amritamitraghosh · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsThe main compound sits on the south side of the road beside the Jataganga stream. Inside, temples of many sizes stand close together around paved courtyards, with the largest towers dedicated to Shiva as Jageshwar and Mrityunjaya. Many have the curved Nagara-style shikhara, topped with a ribbed stone disc and finial, and some have small wooden canopies added later.
Arrive soon after opening. In the early hours the temple priests wash the lingams and light lamps, devotees ring bells and the courtyard smells of ghee and incense. You can watch quietly or arrange a puja through a priest; offerings are voluntary. Keep to the paths, do not climb on structures, and ask before photographing any ritual.
Allow time to look at the details: carved doorframes with river goddesses, small niches with deities, and inscriptions on some pillars. The ASI museum just outside holds the finest loose sculptures. In winter the stone is icy underfoot, so wear socks. In Shravan, from July to August, the compound is crowded all day.
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Trips through Jageshwar
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Questions
Before you book
How many temples are there at Jageshwar?
The main Jageshwar group has about 125 temples, built between roughly the 7th and 14th centuries. Including Dandeshwar and other clusters in the valley, there are well over 200 structural stone temples.
Is Jageshwar a Jyotirlinga?
Jageshwar is regarded by many devotees as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, as Nageshvara, though this identification is disputed with a temple in Gujarat. Either way, it is one of Kumaon's most important Shiva shrines.
Can I take photos inside Jageshwar temples?
Photography is usually allowed in the open courtyard but not inside the sanctum or during certain rituals. Follow posted ASI rules and ask priests before photographing puja.