Baijnath Temple

Himachal Pradesh is land of Gods and Goddesses and encloses in numerous temples and shrines in its premises. One of most famous and highly visited sacred places is “Baijnath Temple” which lies in the Dhauladhar range in the western part of the Himalayas. Baijnath basically is a name of a small town situated in the district of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh and is located almost 51 kilometers away from Dharamshala. This town is situated almost in the middle of the way of the two towns of Kangra and Mandi.

It is here in Baijnath town that the 13th century constructed ancient Shiva Temple “Baijnath” is situated which is dedicated to Lord Shiva in his Vaidyanath epitome which means “the lord of physicians” and because of this fact, the water of this sacred temple is thought to have medicinal properties that can cure ailments which brings millions of people here every year. This beautiful temple depicts the magnificent artwork of the medieval period known as the Nagara style of temple architecture.

Since its construction in the year 1204 A.D., the Baijnath temple has been worshiped continuously. It is believed that the temple existed here even before the construction of the current temple and evidence of this are the two long inscriptions that are on the porch of the temple.

The temple holds a great importance in the Hindu religion and it's believed that the Shivlinga, which is found in Svayambhu form with five projections on all sides and is roofed by a Shikhara, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas as per the legends. It is believed that the Shivlinga of this temple was established here by a trick played by Devas for deceiving revenue.

Every morning and evening here witness special prayers which are offered to the deity besides special occasions and festivals. Maha -Shivaratri is celebrated every year at this temple and a state level function is organized for five days. Along with is a number of other sacred days are celebrated with great enthusiasm and majesty which include Makara Sankranti, Shravana Mondays, Vaisakha Sankranti etc.

The visitors of this sacred shrine would also find several other temples, monasteries in the nearby places which are of equal religious importance to the local people.