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Bagnath Temple, Bageshwar
Shiva (Vyaghreshwar) · Bageshwar, Uttarakhand
॥ ॐ नमः शिवाय ॥
The Bagnath Temple stands at the meeting of the Sarayu and Gomati rivers at Bageshwar, in the Kumaon Himalaya, an old shrine of Shiva that gives the whole town its name. Shiva is worshipped here as the lord who once roamed these hills in the form of a tiger (bagh), and the temple, raised by the Katyuri and Chand kings, is the heart of the great Uttarayani fair.
The lord who came as a tiger
Tradition tells that Shiva wandered this valley in the form of a tiger — bagh — to test or to bless the sage Markandeya, and from that form the lord is called Bagnath, or Vyaghreshwar, the tiger-lord. The town of Bageshwar, “the place of the tiger-god,” grew around the shrine at the sacred confluence.
A temple of the hill kings
The present stone temple in the Nagara manner was built and enlarged by the Katyuri and Chand rulers of Kumaon between the 13th and 15th centuries, and the grounds hold old carved images and inscriptions from those ages. The shrine sits where the Sarayu and Gomati rivers join, a confluence held especially holy.
The Uttarayani fair
On Makar Sankranti, as the sun turns north, Bageshwar holds the Uttarayani fair, one of the great gatherings of the Kumaon hills, when pilgrims bathe at the confluence and crowds fill the town for days of trade, song and worship. Maha Shivaratri is the other great occasion at the temple.
How to reach Bageshwar
- By road: Bageshwar is in the Kumaon Himalaya, about 90 km from Almora and reached via Kathgodam.
- By train: Kathgodam is the nearest railhead, about 150 km away.
- By air: Pantnagar is the nearest airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Bagnath?
Tradition holds that Shiva roamed the valley in the form of a tiger (bagh) to bless the sage Markandeya, and from that form the lord is called Bagnath or Vyaghreshwar, the tiger-lord.
Where is the Bagnath Temple?
It is at Bageshwar, at the confluence of the Sarayu and Gomati rivers in the Kumaon Himalaya of Uttarakhand; the town is named after the temple.
Who built the temple?
The stone temple was built and enlarged by the Katyuri and Chand kings of Kumaon between the 13th and 15th centuries, in the Nagara style.
What is the Uttarayani fair?
On Makar Sankranti, Bageshwar holds the Uttarayani fair, one of the great gatherings of the Kumaon hills, when pilgrims bathe at the river confluence.
How do I reach Bageshwar?
Bageshwar is about 90 km from Almora, reached via Kathgodam, which is the nearest railhead (about 150 km). Pantnagar is the nearest airport.
What is the main festival at the temple?
Maha Shivaratri and the Makar Sankranti Uttarayani fair are the great occasions at Bagnath.
॥ हर हर महादेव ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Shiva as Bagnath / Vyaghreshwar (the tiger-lord) |
| Setting | Confluence of Sarayu and Gomati |
| Built | 13th–15th c, Katyuri and Chand kings |
| Style | Nagara stone |
| Main Festival | Maha Shivaratri; Uttarayani fair (Makar Sankranti) |
| Region | Kumaon Himalaya |
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