In the hamlet of the
same name, located in the Kumaon foothills of the Himalayas in the state of
Uttar Pradesh, there is a temple complex and a holy spot (tirtha).
The Jageshvar temple complex is comprised of 124 temples
spread over an area about the size of a football field.
Almost every one of these temples is devoted to Shiva in
some manner, and the ones that are not are either temples to the Goddess,
Shiva's wife, or, in one instance, shrines to the deity Hanuman, who is
sometimes regarded an avatar or incarnation of Shiva.
The majority of these temples are tiny—either an open depiction
of Shiva's aniconic emblem, the linga, or a temple little bigger than a
telephone booth.
Shiva in his manifestations as Kedarnath, Mrtyunjaya
("Conqueror of Death"), and Jageshvar, from whence the location
derives its name, are the three most significant temples.
Jageshvar means "Wakeful Lord," implying that this
particular form of Shiva is constantly aware of his followers' (bhakta) wants
and would immediately fulfill any request.
According to local legend, Jageshvar is one of Shiva's
twelve jyotirlingas, a network of spots thought highly important to Shiva and
where Shiva may be seen alone.
Although the traditional list of jyotirlingas does not
corroborate this assertion, Jageshvar has been a pilgrimage place for over a
thousand years.
The Mrtyunjaya temple is believed to have been established
in the seventh century C.E., while the Jageshvar temple was built two centuries
later.
Since then, the Jageshvar complex has been expanded thanks
to the patronage of numerous distinct groups of hill kings, the most recent of
which were the Chand dynasty, who governed the area from the fifteenth to the eighteenth
century.
The temple complex's undeniable antiquity, royal
connections, and reputation as a spot where Shiva quickly granted one's desires
have all combined to make it the most prominent pilgrimage site in the Kumaon
area.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
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