Baijnath Temple

Built in 1204 by two merchants according to its inscriptions, the Baijnath temple is dedicated to Shiva as Vaidyanath, the lord of physicians, and it is one of the best-preserved early stone temples in the western Himalaya, in the north Indian nagara style with a shikhara over the sanctum, a porch and carved panels of deities on the outer walls. It came through the 1905 Kangra earthquake, which destroyed much of the valley including the fort, with only minor damage to its roof and the smaller shrines in the yard. A stone Nandi faces the shrine from the courtyard, and the Dhauladhar range stands behind on clear days. Local tradition holds that Ravana worshipped Shiva here.

History

According to its inscriptions, a temple of Shiva already stood here before two local merchants, Ahuka and Manyuka, built the present one in 1204, and two long inscriptions in Sanskrit in the Sharada script and in local Pahari in Takri record the work. In 1786 the ruler Sansar Chand, who had taken Kangra Fort, had the temple restored, his family priest Ganga Ram rebuilding the spire and outer roof, and in the 1905 earthquake, which devastated the Kangra valley, it survived with minor damage (Wikipedia, Baijnath Temple).

What to look for

• The 1204 stone temple - nagara shikhara and carved outer panels.
• The Nandi - the stone bull facing the sanctum in the courtyard.
• The inscriptions - the merchant founders' record on the walls.
• The Dhauladhar backdrop - the range behind the temple on clear days.

When to go

March to June and September to November; Shivratri in late winter is the main festival. The monsoon in Kangra is heavy. Morning light suits the carved stonework.

Practical notes

The visit is short, under an hour. Photography inside the sanctum is prohibited. The temple sits beside a busy road with limited surrounding interest.

Nearby

Palampur lies west; Bir Billing is east.

Key facts