Kamleshwar Temple

Kamleshwar Temple is the oldest and most sacred Shiva temple in Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand, deeply revered for its legendary connection to the Ramayana. According to ancient Hindu lore, Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva here by offering 1,000 blue lotus flowers (Kamal) to seek divine blessings and the Sudarshana Chakra before waging war against the demon king Ravana in Lanka.

When Lord Shiva playfully hid the final lotus blossom to test Lord Rama's devotion, Rama prepared to pluck out his own lotus like eye (Kamal Nayan) as the thousandth offering, whereupon Shiva manifested in supreme delight to grant him eternal victory. The temple is nationally famous for the sacred Vaikunth Chaturdashi festival in autumn, during which hundreds of childless couples stand upright holding burning ghee lamps (Khara Deva) throughout the night to pray for progeny. Consecrated by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century, the classical stone shikhara stands as a pillar of spiritual faith.

Truth is, witnessing thousands of golden ghee lamps illuminate the ancient stone courtyard on Vaikunth Chaturdashi while sacred Vedic stotras echo through the night is profoundly stirring. It remains the spiritual soul of Uttarakhand's Srinagar valley.