Spiritual PlaceHindu temple

Moteshwar Mahadev Temple, Kashipur

Kashipur Shiva temple, also called Bheem Shankar, with a lingam too broad for two hands to span

Photo: आशीष भटनागर · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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01 — The story

The story

Shree Moteshwar Mahadev, also called Shree Bheem Shankar Mahadev, is a temple to Shiva in the Ujjanak area of Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar district. Its devotees regard it as the Bheem Shankar Jyotirlinga, one of Shiva's twelve, identifying the area with the ancient Dakini country, though temples near Pune, near Guwahati and in Odisha are also put forward for that title. Local tradition holds that Dronacharya taught the Kauravas and Pandavas at the nearby Kila and urged Bhima to rebuild the temple, and it is believed to date from around 302 AD.

The lingam is so broad that two hands cannot cover it, which gave the temple its name, and it is believed to be still growing. The complex also has a Bhairav Nath temple and the Shiv Ganga and Shiv Manokamna kunds, with the temple of Maa Jagdamba Bhagwati Balsundari to the west, where a large fair is held each Chaitra. Fairs also mark Maha Shivratri and Shrawan.

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02 — About

About Moteshwar Mahadev Temple, Kashipur

Coming soon

We’re still writing about Moteshwar Mahadev Temple, Kashipur: its history, what’s there and why it’s worth the trip.

Where it is

Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand

29.21° N 78.96° E