He is the Neelakantha, the Adiyogi, the Destroyer, the Ardhanari, he is Lord Shiva. On the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri on 11 March 2021, devotees across the nation worshipped Him. As we spent Thursday night taking His sacred name, here are 7 unique temples of Lord Shiva in India you must visit:
7 unique temples of Lord Shiva in India you must visit
#1 Tungnath, Uttarakhand
One of the highest Shiva temples in the world, Tungnath is located at an altitude of 12,073 ft. The temple is found just below the Chandrashila peak in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand. Owing to its altitude, the Tungnath temple is only accessible during the summer months as it gets completely covered by snow during winters.
#2 Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir
Here, Lord Shiva is enshrined in the form of an ice-linga in a cave in Jammu and Kashmir. This shrine is situated at an altitude of 3,888m and at a distance of 14 km from Baltal, Jammu and Kashmir. This naturally formed sculpture is said to vary in size synchronizing with the Moon’s cycle.
#3 Atmalinga, Karnataka
Considered to be the only Atmalinga temple in the world, this temple is a unique shrine of Lord Shiva. Situated in the city centre of Gokarna, a quaint town in Karnataka, it has an interesting tale of origins. It is believed that Lord Ravana on his way back to Lanka, at this place, had to put down the linga he was carrying which could not be retrieved. It also goes by the name Mahabaleshwar temple.
#4 Badavilinga, Karnataka
This linga is built within a stone chamber with no ceiling. During the day, the Sun rays fall upon this linga, making it glow in a golden hue. It is surrounded by a circular pedestal called the yone pitha of the linga. The whole sculpture is surrounded by water which is considered synonymous with the river Ganga.
#5 Kailashanath Temple, Maharashtra
This temple is considered to be the largest rock-cut temple at Ellora Caves, Maharashtra. Owing to its magnificent sculpting and architectural designs, it is known throughout the world. The construction of the temple is supposedly done from top to bottom (vertical excavation) using traditional carving techniques.
#6 Kotilingeshwara Temple, Karnataka
Set in the small town of Kammasandra in the Kolar District of Karnataka, this temple hosts the tallest Shivalinga in the world. The 33-metre tall linga is accompanied by a huge number of Shivalingas of different sizes, bringing a total of 1 crore lingas to the temple. Hence, the name Kotilingeshwara Temple.
#7 Jalmagna Shivalinga, Uttarakhand
Visible only during the winter season, the linga at this temple is submerged in water otherwise. Located near Gangotri temple, this temple is also called Kelp Kedar. With the river Bhagirathi flowing through the temple, it is believed that this is where Lord Shiva took Ganga into his matted locks.
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