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| Neelkanth Mahadev Temple | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Pauri Garhwal |
| Deity | Neelkanth (Shiva) |
| Festivals | Maha Shivaratri |
| Location | |
| Location | NearPauritown &Rishikesh |
| State | Uttarakhand |
| Country |  India |
  Location in Uttarakhand | |
| Coordinates | 30°04′51″N78°20′27″E / 30.0807°N 78.3409°E /30.0807; 78.3409 |
| Architecture | |
| Creator | Mekh Chand (Shadhu) |
Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is aHindu temple dedicated to Nilkanth, an aspect ofShiva. The temple is about 120 km fromPauri town, the district headquarters, 32 km fromRishikesh in thePauri Garhwal district ofUttarakhand,India. The temple architecture is very much influenced by the Dravidian style of temple architecture.
The temple is dedicated to Shiva and is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. It is surrounded by dense forests and is adjacent to the mountain ranges of Nar-Narayan. It is enveloped between the valleys of Manikoot, Brahmakoot, and Vishnukoot and is located at the confluence of the rivers Pankaja and Madhumati.
According toHindu sacred texts, the place where the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple[1] currently stands is the sacred location where Shiva consumed the poison that originated from the sea whenDevas (Gods) andAsuras (Demons) churned the ocean in order to obtainAmrita. This poison that emanated during theSamudramanthan (churning of the ocean) made his throat blue in color. Thus, Shiva is also known asNeelkanth, literally meaningThe Blue Throated One.[2]
As per Shruti-Smriti Puran, Devas and Asuras churned the ocean to obtain Amruta. 14 ratnas were obtained of which one was the "Kalkut" poison capable of destroying the whole world . This was consumed by Lord Shiva making his throat blue. To allay the effect of Kalkut poison, Lord Shiva meditated for 60 thousand years here at the confluence of Pankaja and Madhumati river beneath the Panchpani tree where the current Garbha Gruh of the temple is constructed. After his penance, Lord Shiva installed the current day "throat" shaped shivaling beneath the Panchpani tree.
The temple has a Gopura or the shikhara as in any Pandya (Tamil) style temple and is raised high in a tiered way in pyramid style. Motifs and Friezes are carved on these towers. Theshikhara of the temple is adorned with sculptures of various Devas and Asuras depicting theSamudramanthan.Neelkanth Mahadev in the form ofShivalinga is the presiding deity of the temple. The temple complex also has a natural spring where devotees usually take a holy bath before entering the premises of surrounded by dense forests.[3]
Maha Shivaratri is the most prominent festival celebrated in the temple and many devotees flock to the temple during the festival. The devotees who pay a visit to Neelkanth Mahadev make an offering ofBael leaves, coconut, flowers, milk, honey, fruits and water to Lord Shiva. The temple observes two fairs that are held annually on the occasions of Maha Shivratri (Feb-Mar) and Shivratri ofShraavana (month ofHindu calendar) (July-Aug) during which the devotees (Kawarias) trek fromHaridwar to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple.[4]
