Baijnath Temple (Devanagari: बैजनाथ मंदिर) is a Nagara style Hindu temple situated in a small town of Baijnath located in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India, and was built in 1204 AD
History
According to the inscriptions on the present day Baijnath temple structure, a temple of Shiva had existed before construction of present-day structure. The inner sanctum houses a Shiva
lingam. Further images are carved in the walls and in niches on the exterior.
In 1786, ruler Sansar Chand took control of the Kangra Fort and he undertook the renovation and restoration of the temple. An inscription in the temple mentions that the family priest of Sansar Chand named Ganga Ram led the repair works of the temple, which involved reconstructing the spire of the shrine and the outer roof.
The 1905 earthquake created massive destruction in the Kangra Valley. The temple survived the earthquake with minor damages; the smaller temples of Jamadagni, Bhairava, Narmadeshwar, and Murlimanohar situated within the temple yard and the roof of the main temple sustained some damages.
Dussehra
The festival of
Vijayadashami is not celebrated at the Baijnath temple. Legends in the
Puranas say that once
Ravana was worshipping lord Shiva in Kailash, and sacrificed his ten heads to be bestowed with invincible powers. With his wishes granted, Ravana requested lord Shiva to come along with him to Lanka. He transformed into a
Lingam and asked Ravana to carry the
shivling without placing it in the ground. When Ravana reached Baijnath, then known as Kiragrama, he placed the
shivling on the ground to quench his thirst, and the
shivling settled there in the form of
Ardhanarishvara. To respect Ravana's devotion to lord Shiva, Dussehra has never been celebrated in Baijnath temple.
Archaeology
Two long inscriptions are engraved on stone slabs in the main hall. These inscriptions are in
Sanskrit written using Sharada script and local
Western Pahari in
Takri alphabet. These inscriptions provide details about the construction of the temple by the merchants
Manyuka and
Ahuka in Indian national calendar (Saka) in 8th century.
These inscriptions besides praising
Shiva, name the current ruler king Jaya Chandra, list of the names of the architects and the names of donor merchants at time of construction. Another inscription names Kangra district's old name, that is, Nagarakot, the district in which the temple is built.
Sculptures
Numerous idols are carved on the walls of the temple. Some of them dating prior to the present temple was built. Idols include:
Ganesha,
Harihara (half
Vishnu and half Shiva),
Kalyanasundara (wedding of the Shiva and
Parvati) and the defeat of
asura Andhaka by Shiva.
Travel
Baijnath temple is reachable by bus, train, and flight. It lies between Kangra and Mandi, on the Pathankot - Manali National Highway No. 154. The nearest airport is the
Kangra Airport in
Dharamshala. The nearest railway station is at Paprola, which is connected with Pathankot through a narrow gauge line, and the Amb Andaura station, which is connected through a broad gauge line. Nearest towns are Dharamshala, Palampur, Bir, and Pathankot from where taxis and buses ply daily on the Baijnath route.
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