Neelkanth Mahadev Temple in Rishikesh Uttrakhand

Neelkanth Temple is one of the most revered holy shrines of the Hindus. Located on a hill above Swarg Ashram in Haridwar, Neelkanth Temple is easily accessible from here. The temple lies at a comfortable distance of 12 kms and can also be reached from Rishikesh. The way to this temple is surrounded by lush green hills and rivers, providing some of the most beautiful sights, one has ever seen. Many pilgrims come to this temple by trekking, which takes around 4 hours from Rishikesh.

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is believed to be the most complex Gods of the Hindu pantheon. The establishment of this temple has a legend behind it. According to the mythological stories, Lord Shiva drank the poison that appeared from the 'Sagar Manthan' (churning of ocean). This place is said to have been the same place, where Lord Shiva drank the poison. On drinking the poison, his throat turned blue and from that time onwards, Lord Shiva came to be known as 'Neelkantha' (One having blue throat). 

Located at an altitude of 1675 m on the hilltop of Swarg Ashram, is the shrine of Neelkanth Mahadev. The Neelkanth Mahadev temple is considered to be one of the most famous temples of Rishikesh. With temples at almost every fold of the Himalayan Range, Hindu mythology is closely associated with most of these temples. The temple of Neelkanth Mahadev is associated with Lord Shiva, and he is the presiding deity. Mahima (Magnanimous Aura) of Lord Shiva is divine. He surely drank it but did not swallow the poison. He allowed it to remain in his throat. This venom turned his throat blue. Neel defines the color blue, Kanth is throat and Mahadev means Lord of the gods. Lord Shiva came to rest in Rishikesh. The gods tried hard to comfort him and ultimately decided to pour water on his head to cool him off. This is one of the reasons why even today, devotees offer water to Lord Shiva. A drive of 32 km. from Rishikesh via Barrage or an alternate route of 22 km. via Ram Jhoola can get you there with ease. The scenic beauty is breathtaking as on one side was the mountain terrain and the other side was a steep drop into the fast flowing Ganges. I feel that if you really want solitude with Lord Shiva, you will get it here in Rishikesh. Even the 12 Jyotirlings won’t give you the solace because of the packed crowds and touts.

Architecture of Neelkanth Mahadev Temple 

The temple's exterior has a beautiful architecture. The entire Samundra Manthan has been depicted with colorful idols of Gods and Goddess. The entire story of samudra manthan has been presented on the walls in vivid colors and intricate architecture. The inner sanctum is equally beautiful. A life-sized idol of goddess Parvati is seated near the entrance. Her striking sumptuousness combined with the magnificent aura makes the place divine. The arena around the lingam is made of marble. On the columns are etched the minutiae of the Dwarpals (guards) with intricate detailing that showed their weapons. Opposite to the lingam is present Lord Shiva's mount Nandi, the bull. The lingam is encased in silver & it has an opening at the top to see the original form.

Gigantic and aged pipal tree is present at the exit of sanctum. Devotees tie up sacred thread on the tree for the want of their wishes, they revist the temple to open the tie whenever their wishes are fullfilled. Devotees visit Neelkanth Mahadev temple to seek moksha, solitude and inner peace of mind.

Legend of Neelkanth Mahadev Temple

According to Hindu mythology it was the place where Shiva drank up the venom (which emanated during the ' Samudra Manthan') churned out of the ocean, to save the world from the evil, death and destruction. It is said that Lord Shiva had the immense capacity to stop the venom from entering his body and thus reserved it in his throat forever. The poison did not harm him but turned his throat murky blue, thus giving Shiva the name of Neelkanth. It is believed that the event occurred here in this place where the temple is located.

The temple of Neelkanth Mahadev is situated at a distance of 12 km from Rishikesh among the snow capped mountains and forests. Rishikesh holds immense importance in the religious lives of devout Hindus.

Neelkanth Mahadev temple holds two fairs; one during the occasion of Shivratri and another in the month of Shravan (July-August). Thousands of devotees throng during Shivratri. From the Neela Kantha temple you can climb 2 kms. to the Parvati temple, located on top of a high hill. Another 2 kms. further up the hill is a Cave (gufa), where there is a small temple. There are good views along the way. It is a fairly hard climb to the Parvati temple and a fairly easy walk to the cave.