This Maha Shivaratri, Visit One of These Oldest Temples of Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva has supreme power, the deity blesses his worshippers with a happy and blissful life. In mythologies, he has been known for his contrasting personality traits like a peaceful entity as well as a fierce deity.

This year the festival of Maha Shivaratri is being celebrated on February 18. This occasion marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati. On this day, a grand celebration is organised in all the Shiva temples. Devotees usually keep fast on this day and worship Lord Shiva. Many devotees prefer to visit temples and have darshans. To celebrate this auspicious day, here are the oldest temples of Lord Shiva that you must visit:

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Uttar Pradesh:

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples in India. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the current structure of the temple was built on an adjacent site in the year 1780 by the Maratha ruler, Ahilyabai Holkar. Among the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, the temple is considered to be the 7th Jyotirlinga, which stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga. Lord Shiva is also known by the name Vishwanath, meaning the ruler of the universe. During the festival of Maha Shivratri, lakhs of devotees gather at Kashi Vishwanath Temple to worship Lord Shiva.

Gola Gokarannath, Uttar Pradesh

Located in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, Gola Gokarannath Temple is also known as Choti Kashi. According to mythological beliefs, Lord Shiva was pleased with Ravan’s tapasya and offered him a boon. Ravana then requested Lord Shiva to go with him to Lanka. On the way, when they arrived at Gola, Ravana kept the Shivling on the ground and after many attempts could not lift it. Since then, Lord Shiva is worshipped here. On the occasions of Sawan Mela and Maha Shivratri, thousands of people gather in Gola Gokarannath temple to have darshans of the deity.

Neelkanth Mahadev, Uttarakhand

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is located 32 kilometers away from Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. According to mythological beliefs, in this sacred place, Lord Shiva consumed the poison when Devas and Asuras churned the ocean to obtain Amrita. This poison emanated during the Samudra Manthan and made Shiva’s throat blue in colour giving the God his other famous name Neelkanth. The architecture of the temple is influenced by the Dravidian style. This holy place is surrounded by dense forests and valleys, situated at the convergence of the Rivers Pankaja and Madhumati. On the eve of Maha Shivratri, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is a must-visit place for devotees.

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