Madhyamaheshwar Temple is one of the famous Lord Shiva situated in Mansoona village, Grahwal region, Uttarakhand. Chaukhamba, Neel Kanth and Kedarnath peaks surround this temple. Also, it comes forth, if one follows the order of Panch Kedar temples followed by Kalpeshwar Temple.
Mahashivratri and Dussehra are the main festivals celebrated. The main priests of the Madhyameshwar temple are members of the Lingayat Brahmin caste from southern India. The locals call the chief priest by the name of Jangam. The members of the Jangam Brahmin family mainly belong to Mysore, Karnataka, but this family has worshiped as a chief priest in the Madhyameshwar temple for many centuries.
Madhyamaheshwar Temple Timings:
Open Time: 6.00 AM
Close Time: 7.00 PM
Morning Aarti: 6.00 AM
Evening Aarti: 6:30 PM
Madhyameshwar temple is open for devotees only for 6 months in the summer season (from May to November). Because of heavy snowfall, the temple will be closed.
On Akshaya Tritiya, the doors are opened for the devotees. After Diwali, the doors are closed for the next 6 months.
Madhyamaheshwar Temple History:
The mythological background of the Madhyamaheshwar Temple is associated with the epic Mahabharata. Vyas Rishi told the Pandavas that they were guilty of killing their own brothers in the war and that their sins would only be forgiven if Lord Shiva forgave them. First, they went to Varanasi / Kashi, which is said to be Shiva’s favorite city and known for the Kashi Vishwanath temple. But, Lord Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was deeply outraged by the death and dishonesty of Kurukshetra’s war. Therefore, he took the form of a bull (Nandi) and hid in the Garhwal area.
Not finding Lord Shiva in Varanasi, the five brothers went to Garhwal Himalayas. Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers, standing astride two mountains, began to seek Shiva. He saw a bull graze near Guptakashi (“Hidden Kashi”). Bhima immediately recognized that the bull was Lord Shiva. Bhima grabbed the bull by the tail and hind legs. But the bull disappeared into the ground and then reappeared in 5 places, the arms appearing in Tungnath, the face showing up at Rudranath, the nabhi (navel) and stomach surfacing in Madhyamaheshwar and the hair appearing in Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas, pleased with this reappearance in five different ways, built temples in all five places to worship Lord Shiva. The Pandavas were thus freed from their sins. It is also believed that the front parts of Shiva appeared in the Doleshwor Mahadeva temple in the Bhaktapur district of Nepal.
How to Reach Mansoona Siva Temple:
By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport at a distance of 198 km.
By Rail: The nearest railway station is Rishikesh at a distance of 174 km.
By Road: Buses to Rishikesh are available from ISBT Kashmere Gate. Then one has to travel by bus or taxis to Ukhimath.
Madhyamaheshwar Temple Address:
Mansoona Village,
Garhwal District,
Uttarakhand – 246469.
Other Panch Kedar Temples:
- Kedarnath Temple
- Tungnath Temple.
- Rudranath Temple.
- Madhyamaheshwar Temple
- Kalpeshwar Temple
