Sacred Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple
Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple is 10 km from Tiger Resort and 38 km from Lansdowne town. It was difficult to cover it yesterday. So we kept it for today’s itinerary.
Last Day at Tiger Resort
Today is our last day in Tiger Resort Lansdowne. Yesterday while chatting I learned from Mr. Ghananand Khantwal, the owner of Tiger Resort that there is a beautiful sunrise spot 2 to 2.5 km ahead of the resort. But you need to start before 5 am to be able to reach there on time. So, I left on foot for an early morning walk to see sunrise getting up at 4:30 am. It was a thrilling and chilling experience. The sun-kissed walk back to the resort was very refreshing.
Since after visiting Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple we shall be heading back to Delhi, we checked out from our room. We had our breakfast at The Tiger Cafe, a small kitchen run by Tiger Cafe serving freshly prepared homely breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then we headed straight to Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple.
Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple
Located at some 1800 meters at a distance of 38 km from Lansdowne, Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple is one of best place to visit around Lansdowne. Surrounded by thick forests of cedar and pine, it is an ideal place for those who seek for beauty in nature. This temple is quite ancient and dates back to the Hindu mythology and is a temple of deep faith and devotion to Lord Shiva. The temple still houses many sages who dedicated their lives meditating. There is an ashram and a dharamshala (dormitory), where the tired pilgrims can break their fast and take rest on prior booking.
Legend has that Lord Shiva bestowed Tadkasur immortality for his meditation. But eventually Lord Shiva’s son Kartik killed him due to the torment that he had inflicted. The temple is named so because Lord Shiva (Mahadev) gave Tadkasura immortality here. The temple initially had a shivalinga. However, after the discovery of the idol of Mahadev in the state of performing the tandava, the idol has been established in place of the shivalinga.
On the day of Mahashivratri, devotees coming from near and far flung places throng the temple. Many devotees believe that Lord Shiva is still there and is in deep sleep. Thousands of bells encircle the temple which are being offered by the devotees as a ritual.
After spending some time around the temple’s tranquil atmosphere surrounded by cedar and pine trees we headed back to our journey back to Delhi.
Well, this is the end of our travel story of rendezvous with nature at quaint and alluring Lansdowne. If you want to spend some quality time close to nature like us then this is the ideal place for you to be. You can spend hours doing nothing and just sitting at the balcony admiring the ever changing sky-line, listening to the birds chirping, rattling of leaves of the tall and majestic conifers, watching dogs fooling around down the valley or an occasional mooing of cows in the village downhill.
If you want a quick break to rejuvenate without involving too much time and effort, then Lansdowne is the place for you. There is not much to “sightsee” in Lansdowne town. Nevertheless, you connect with your inner self rather than collecting images for FB picture gallery during these short breaks. Take a stroll in the majestic oak & pine forests, reclaim freedom from deadlines by trekking into the wild. Hear the sweet symphony of wind, trees, and birds, or simply do nothing here! A pure, alluring, refreshing, quiet and clean environment makes Lansdowne a preferred destination. You experience serenity and escape from the humdrum city life.
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