The original Hardwar

Kaleshwar in Kangra lies forgotten though it is believed to be holier than Hardwar as a pilgrimage centre, writes Kuldip Dhiman

The Kaleshwar temples have been fashioned after the ‘Shikhara style’ of architecture. — Photos by the writer

During their exile the Pandavas arrived at a scenic spot on the banks of the Beas river in Kangra district. They were so taken in by the location that they thought of making a city that would be the gateway to heaven — Hardwar. The idea was to construct steps that would lead to the Swargaloka.

It was a condition during their exile that they should not be seen during the day. Therefore, they decided to construct the holy city by night. When they had barely constructed two steps, an old woman who lived nearby woke up. It was perhaps an overcast moonlit night. The old woman mistakenly thought that dawn had arrived. After finishing her ablutions, she began to grind wheat. On hearing the sound of the grinding stone, the Pandavas, too, thought that the night was over. To avoid being detected, they left the place in a hurry, leaving the city incomplete.

According to another legend, Mahakali meditated here for many years. Lord Shiva was so pleased with her devotion that he blessed her and named the place after her — Kaleshwar. Shiva said Kaleshwar would be as important as Kashi and Hardwar in Kalyug. It is believed that Kaleshwar is a grain higher than Hardwar.

Swami Arunanand Saraswati (extreme right) from Coimbatore is the mahant of the Kaleshwar temple

The temples of Kaleshwar are now under the care of Swami Arunanand Saraswati, who originally belongs to Coimbatore. He has been here since 1964. When asked about his parents, siblings and his native village, the laconic hermit just laughed: "The past is over, why count years, and why bother answering where I came from. Who cares."

The main temple, of course, is named the Shiva Temple or Maha Kaleshwar Mandir. It has a modest tower, the doorway has some good carvings and there is a Shivalingam in the sanctum. The Radhakrishna Temple and Gyara Rudra Temple face the Shiva temple. Just behind these are the Hanuman Temple and samadhi of an unknown saint. The temples, fashioned after the ‘Shikhara style’ of architecture, have beautiful idols and niches with artistic and historic value. A sprawling banyan tree in the courtyard adds mystic appeal.

The Kaleshwar temple complex is a twin complex. The other wing has a temple that is modern, and next to it are some samadhis of sages. Recalling the sages who spent time in Kaleshwar, Swami Arunanda said, "Gomatigri’ was a siddha who had a parasmani (a gem that turns anything that touches it into gold) given to him by Ved Vyasa, the author of The Mahabharata. When the king heard about it, he asked the sage to exchange the gemstone for land. The sage, however, threw the parasmani into the Beas and started meditating."

As we moved around the complex, we were shown a temple that Arjuna had built for his mother. Since the Beas was some distance away, Arjuna shot an arrow into the mountain that we see behind the temple. A spring burst out of the rocks and cool water began to flow. The Pandavas then constructed a bath for their mother and Draupadi. Presently, there are two baths here, one for women and the other for men for devotees make to have a dip in the holy water.

Kaleshwar is also a place where the dead are cremated. It is believed that if the dead are taken around this temple before cremation, they are freed from the cycle of birth and death.

While the better-known Hardwar bustles with pilgrims and tourists, Kaleshwar, the original Hardwar, lies in a forgotten corner near Sadwan village in Kangra district. Not many know about this pilgrimage centre since it is not mentioned even in travel brochures. The tourism department has done little to popularise this place. Those who visit the nearby Jwalamukhi temple do not make a trip to Kaleshwar that is barely half hour away.

Kaleshwar comes to life during Baisakhi, Shravan Mas, Shivratri, and weekends. There aren’t any hotels here, but a small inn is available. The temple authorities serve free food to the visitors. If you wish to see this temple, it is better to make the famous Jwalamukhi Temple your first stop, check into a hotel, and then hire a taxi for a half-day trip to Kaleshwar.

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