Lord Shiva is one of the most celebrated deities in India. He is known for his extreme nature; one is of extreme kindness, and the other is of fierce diet. Lord Shiva is credited with being the creator, protector, and destroyer of this universe. He is also considered the deity of deities and hence known as Devo Ke Dev, or Mahadev. There are thousands of temples present across India and abroad dedicated to Lord Shiva. These temples serve as some of the most prominent pilgrimage sites. Every year, millions of devotees visit these temples to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Here is a list of the top 5 Shiva temples, along with the mythological stories linked to them. Get ready to take a dip in the ocean of Bhakti, Lord Shiva.
Kedarnath Temple, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand:-The most famous temple among all the temples of Lord Shiva is Kedarnath Temple. This temple is among the 12 jyotirlingas, Panch Kedar, Chota Char Dham Yatra, and Do Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. In addition to the pilgrimage spot, this temple is also known for its natural beauty. Located at an altitude of 3583 meters above sea level, Kedarnath Temple has amazing vistas all around. This temple remains open just for six months a year due to heavy snowfall in this area. During these six months, thousands of devotees go on Kedarnath yatra to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Some visit on their own some others take a Kedarnath tour package. It's a belief that just by visiting the Kedarnath Temple, one can get rid of their sin and attain salvation. As per the holy scriptures, it is believed to have been constructed by the Pandavas during their last time on earth. It's also believed that Lord Shiva had promised them that he would stay at the Kedarnath temple to relieve people from their sins and help them attain salvation. Kedarnath yatra package costs you around 8000 to 12000 per person depending upon quality of service, places to visit, etc.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: This is another magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Like Kedarnath temple, Kashi Vishvanath is also among the 12 jyotirlingas in India. Located in Vishwanath Gali, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, this temple is considered to be one of the oldest Shiva temples and is one of the favorite places of Lord Shiva. As per the Shiva Puran, it is said that once Lord Brahma and Vishnu came into collision about their supremacy. So they went to Lord Shiva to decide about that. Then Lord Shiva parsed the earth with some pillars of light and asked Lord Vishnu to search for the lower end, while Lord Brahma was supposed to search for the upper end. Lord Brahma lied and said that he found the top point of Pilar, but Lord Vishnu accepted that he was not able to find its end. Lord Shiva cut the fifth head of Lord Brahma and cursed him, saying that he would no longer be worshipped as he lied. There was no endpoint in the pillar of light. All those pillars of light that were created by Lord Shiva are now worshipped as jyotirlingas. Kashi Vishwanath temple is one of those jyotirlingas in India.
Amarnath Temple, Anant Nag, Srinagar: Located at an altitude of 3888 meters above sea level in the Ananat Nag district of Srinagar, Amarnath temple is the highest Shiva temple with natural Shiv linga, hence known as Swambhu lingam. The Shivlinga formed due to the water droplets falling from the roof of the 40-meter-high cave. The pilgrimage to Amarnath Temple operates from 20 to 60 days a year. As per the holy scriptures, it is believed that Amarnath is a place where Lord Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his wife, Maa Parvati. But as Lord Shiva wanted to keep it secret, he left all his belongings, like Nandi at Pahalgam, the Moon at Chandanwadi, the Snake at Sheshnag, the Five Elements of Life at Panchtarini, and at last his son at Mahaguna Top.
Maha Kaleshwar Temple, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh: Another gem of this series is the Mahakaleshwar Temple. This Shiva temple is the most famous in India, with a vibrant culture and tradition. The origin of temples is hard to tell, but as per the Puranas, they are credited with being built in the 6th century by Prajapati Brahma. But the coins of the 4th century bear the figure on them. This Shivlinga is also considered to be a Swayambhu Shivlinga. Every year, thousands of devotees visit this temple to offer prayers to Lord Shiva. This temple is very distinctive due to its impressive idol, known as Mahakaleshwar, and its unique way of performing Bhashma Aarti, which is believed to have been earlier done by the ash of a corpse. But no ash is created after burning the dung cake of a cow. The evening
Shringar aarti is also very popular among devotees when Lord Shiva is decorated with flowers, jewelry, chocolates, dry fruits, etc.
Murudeshwar, Uttar Kannad District, Karnataka: Known for having the tallest Shiva statue in the world, Murudeshwar is another famous pilgrimage destination dedicated to Lord Shiva. Every year, millions of tourists visit this temple to admire the beauty of it. In addition to being a pilgrimage spot, this temple is also a favorite picnic spot for people from Kerala and Karnataka. The sea on its three sides makes it even more beautiful and offers some breathtaking views from its top. The origin of the Murudeshwar temple dates back to the time of the Ramayana.
