Doleshwar Mahadev, Nepal

A 45 minutes drive from Bhaktapur on an unpaved road takes you to Sipadol, home to Doleshwar Mahadeva temple.  It is believed to be the head part of Kedarnath. The torso of Lord Shiv is worshipped at Kedarnath.

entrance to temple premises

It is believed that after the victory of Pandavas over Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas were overcome with guilt of being the cause of so many lives lost, they renounced their kingom and went to Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva to ask his forgiveness.

Shiva was unwilling to pardon them and to get away from the Pandavas, took the form of a bull. Pandavas, on realising that bull was none other than Lord Shiva, tried to stop Him by holding on his tail.  The head suddenly got separated, flew away and Pandavas could not trace it.

temple with Nandi sitting outside

The torso is worshipped at Kedarnath whereas the head is at Doleshwar. Let me not go into the archaeological similarities between the sculptures at both places.

lighting lamps and incense

Doleshwar Mahadev

The devastating floods in Uttarakhand, India in June 2013, caused severe damage to the temple at Kedarnath. A puja was organised here for those who died in the disaster.

View from the temple

roadside shops

Mankaamna devi temple by the road to Doleshwar

My next post is about durbar square in Patan and few temples I visited in Lalitpur, Patan Durbar Square, Nepal