Baijnath Temple Complex, Baijnath, Uttarakhand

Baijnath Temple Complex, Baijnath, Uttarakhand

Baijnath Temple Complex is a cluster of 18 Hindu temples, situated in the town of Baijnath in Bageshwar District  in Uttarakhand, India. The complex is situated along the banks of Gomati river at an elevation of 1,125 m (3,691 ft) above mean sea level. These temples are renowned for possibly being one of the very few temples in the world where Parvati is depicted with her husband Shiva. Pilgrims arrive here on occasion of Shivaratri and Makar Sankranti. Baijnath Temple Complex has been recognized as Monuments of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India in Uttarakhand. Baijnath has been selected as one of the four places to be connected by the ‘Shiva Heritage Circuit’ in Kumaon, under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Government of India.

Legends

Lord Shiva’s divine marriage:

The temple holds significance because, according to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva and Parvati were married at the confluence of River Gomati and Garur Ganga.

Brahmin woman built this Temple:

Legend goes that the temple was built by a Brahmin woman and dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Katyuri Kings built this Temple in one night:

It is also believed that it was built in one night by katyuri kings.

History

Baijnath, then known as Kartikeyapura, was the seat of the Katyuri kings who ruled over an area consisting of combined parts of Garhwal and Kumaon in modern-day state of Uttarakhand, India and Doti in Modern day Nepal. When the Katyuri kings shifted their capital from Joshimath to Kartikeyapura, a large number of followers of Shaiva sects like the Lakulisa, Nath (Kanphata), Jangam, Vairagi, Sanyasi also followed them. In order to rehabilitate them, The Katyuris built a large complex of temples dedicated to Vaidyanath Shiva, the name later got corrupted to Baijnath.

The first permanent settlement of the area was a town named Karvirpur or Karbirpur. The ruins of this town were used by Katyuri King Narsingh Deo to establish his capital in the area. Nepalese invader Kranchaldev invaded Baijnath in 1191, and defeated the Katyuri kings. The weakened Katyuri Kingdom later disintegrated in the 13^th century giving rise to 8 different princely states. Baijnath remained under the rule of Baijnath Katyurs, descendants of Katyuri kings, till 1565 until king Balo Kalyan Chand of Almora annexed Baijnath to Kumaon.

In 1791, the Gorkhas of Nepal while expanding their kingdom westwards across Kali River, invaded and overran Almora, the seat of the Kumaon Kingdom and other parts of Kumaon. The Gorkhas were defeated by the East India Company in Anglo-Nepalese War in 1814 and were forced to cede Kumaon to the British as part of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816. In 1901 it was a small village with a population of 148.

This Temple is said to have been built by the Kumaon Katyuri king in around 1150 A.D. Several inscriptions dating back to AD 1202 have been found in the Temple complex. The temples were restored and rebuilt during the reign of king Gyan Chand. The temple complex was plundered by the Rohillas in AD 1743-1744 which led to the destruction of the Shikhar of the main shrine.

The Temple Complex

Baijnath Temple complex is a cluster of 18 stone temples, located in the eastern part of the Baijnath town on the left bank of Gomati river. The temple is approached from the riverside by a flight of steps made of stones constructed by the orders of a Katyuri queen. On the way to the main temple, just below the house of the Mahanta, is the temple of Bamani. The main shrine in the complex is dedicated to Vaidyanath Shiva in the form of a lingam. The depiction of Parvati, made of grey chloride schist, is a marvel of art. 

Another sculptural element of note is a life-size image of Kal Bhairava in vilasasana seated outside the Vaidyanath Temple. There are 102 stone images, some of which are under worship, while other have been reserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. The principle deities at Baijnath temple complex are the Vaidyanath (Shiva), Parvati, Nrithya, Kartikeya, Narsimha, Brahma, Mahishasuramardhini, Sapta Matrikas, Surya, Garuda and Kubera.

An artificial lake near the temple compound was announced in 2007-2008. It was completed and inaugurated on 14 January 2016 by Harish Rawat, the then Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. The lake is full of “Golden Mahaseer” fishes. Although fishing is strictly restricted at this site, the lake is a major tourist attraction where tourists offer Chana to fishes. The nearby market is Garur which is supposed to be one of the oldest in the region.

Satyanarayan temple is also located nearby. It is just a small walk away from the main temple complex. Around 2 Kms from Baijnath there is a temple of Bhagwati Mata Kot Bhramri Devi Temple or (Kot Ka Mandir), which once was a fort owned by the Katyuri Kings. Also, there is a myth that Adi Guru Shankaracharya stayed on this temple overnight while en route to Badrinath.

There is widespread belief among the local populace that the goddess, (after whom the temple is named) Kot Bhramri Devi’s, Goddess face should not be shown to anyone except the priest of the temple if not followed this advice the entire Katyur Valley will face ill luck and massive disaster will follow hence backside of the goddess is worshipped, except during the annual festival of Nandaashtmi during Bhadrapad Ashtami or Radha Ashtami during September month (the state government declares as State holiday) or when the Raj Jaat Yatra which takes place once in twelve year.

Since last 150 Years buffalo and Lamb used to be sacrificed in the name of Nandaashtmi has been stopped by The Honorable High Court of Nainital on a Public Interest Litigation filed by Animal Protection Society and as a result under police protection this practice has stopped. Though the Goddess Ma Bhramri is Satvik but some 200 years back during Nepalese Invasion and their Kingdom, local deity Ma Nandadevi’s status got installed at Kot Bhramri Mandir as a result animal sacrifice got started some 200 years back.

Connectivity

The Temple Complex is located at about 17 Kms from Kausani, 21 Kms from Bageshwar, 69 Kms from Almora, 90 Kms from Karnaprayag, 98 Kms from Jageshwar, 131 Kms from Nainital, 150 Kms from Kathgodam Railway Station, 184 Kms from Pantnagar Airport and 443 Kms from New Delhi Airport.

By Road:

Baijnath is well connected by motorable roads with major destinations of Uttarakhand state and northern India.

By Train:

Nearest Railway Station is Kathgodam Railway Station. Kathgodam is the last terminus of the broad gauge line of North East Railways that connects Kumaon with Delhi, Dehradun, and Howrah.

By Air:

Pantnagar Airport, located in Pantnagar is the primary Airport serving entire Kumaon Region. Indira Gandhi International Airport, located in Delhi is the nearest international Airport.

Location | Photos