Mystery of Lakhamandal Temple

It was a delightful misty morning that started with music of birds chirping, which soon turned into a wonder morning with lakeside breakfast.

With whole day at our disposal and only 100 km. between us and Lakhamandal, there was no hesitation in taking the seats in our vehicle. Soon misty hills began to disappear as we started driving our car to reach out for the mysterious Lakhamandal temple. With connection going back to the times of Mahabharata, Lakhamandal temple is picturesque and fascinating at same time. Little we knew that we are about to visit a temple so sacred/ miraculous that even dead people come back to life for a while.

Enjoying one spot after another, we continued towards Lakhamandal. Road is in reasonably good condition, however is narrow at some stretched due to ongoing widening work. 

Lakhamandal temple is located on Yamunotri road in Jaunsar-Bawar district. With a couple of pit stops, it took us approx. 4 hours to reach the temple. 100m. walk from the parking, we were at the temple premises. 

Just at the gate of main temple, there are 3 Shivlingas of different colors. Priest told that the Green colored Shivlinga dates back to द्वापर युग (Dwapar Yug) and Red colored to त्रेता युग (Treta Yug).

This temple was discovered when the locales found out a cow which used to daily visit this temple to pour the milk onto the शिवलिंग (Shivlinga, form of Lord Shiva). The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Goddess Parvati killing demon महिषासुर (Mahishasura) on the temple outer wall.

Roaming around in the temple premises and talking to locales and temple priest we got to know about the legacy of this temple.

1.      This is the place where Duryodhana led Kauravas tried to kill the Pandavas along with their mother Kunti by burning them alive in a palace made of Lac/ Lacquer & Wax (Lac is traditionally used in making bangles). However Pandavas escaped by digging a tunnel from inside of the palace helped by a miner. 

It is believed that, after the battle of Kurukshetra, Pandavas returned to this place and established this city with One Lakh temple premises (also known as Mandal, in Hindi) dedicated to Lord Shiva. That is why the name Lakh-a-mandal. 

Now this all area is under Archaeological Survey of India. With ongoing excavations in nearby region more of Shivlings are being found and perhaps we will get to know more about the “Lost City of Lakhamandal”. Check out the premises:

Even very small sized Shivlings or Shivlings as sized below, multiplied by One lakh, the count of Shivlings erected by Pandavas; will surely require space to make Lakhamandal a reasonably big flourishing centre of ancient times.

On way to the temple the exit of cave from where Pandavas escaped can be seen, mentioned as Gupteshwar Mahadev. You can only see the tunnel opening, entrance has been blocked.

2.    Many people told that this temple has been blessed with miraculous power of the Lord Shiva. Person met with "Unnatural Death" comes to life when priest sprinkles water on the body placed in front of the two gatekeepers (द्वारपाल), Jay and Vijay. 

The soul re-enters the body for a moment; the person gets to see his near and dear ones for a last time and chants name of Lord Shiva. Thereafter holy Ganga Water is poured inside his mouth by the priest and the soul of the person leaves for heaven. May be difficult to believe but many elderly locales talked about this and visualized experiences. But there are numerous such mysterious associations with our rich heritage and many of them have been getting proven correct. Hinduism is no doubt not just a religion, but a way of life based on scientific principles.

All of a sudden noticed that hand of one of the gatekeepers is broken. There are numerous statues placed in the temple premises, few of them broken as well. Reasons are not well known, but locales say that temple and statues were damaged by colonialists who came to rob the wealth. 

And there is a Shivling made of graphite which becomes reflective like a mirror as soon as water is poured onto it. 

As located inside these beautiful hills, the view from temple premises is too good. Nearby mountain ranges appear like “Lotus Flower” and locales actually address the ranges as Kamal Pahadi. 

People visit here from far off places to seek blessings of Lord Shiva. Coming here is a special experience and we feel lucky to have got a chance to pray to Lord Shiva in this sacred place.

Present temple is said to have been built during the period of Gupta dynasty, 5th to 8th century. 

During return journey there was no stopping, so we came back in 3 hours at our place of stay, Asan Barrage. Mountains epitomize romance with flowery trees, falling water streams and misty cloud lines. Driving on these decorated hills is something which is extremely irresistible, at least to me. Why not if the drive comes with such spots: 

Lakhamandal is 110 km. from Dehradun. Keep exploring Guys.