Quote: Tucked away among the hills covered with deodhar trees, we visited the 10th-12th century temple complex of Jageshwar. The drive from the hill-station of Almora (around 35 km) was peaceful & picturesque all along, through winding mountain roads and villages. We came to a junction with Jageshwar & Vriddha Jageshwar on the sign-boards. Jageshwar is where the main temple complex is located, whereas Vriddha Jageshwar offers some good views of the Kumaon Himalayas (on clear days), and has a small temple.

As we approached the main temple site, we first came across a smaller complex of Dandeshwar, which we mistook for the main one. I was a tad disappointed to see such few shrines there, but the priest informed us that the main complex was a couple of kilometers ahead. We drove on and came to the main complex, with a small settlement accompanying it. The entrance had the usual flower- sellers and Pooja- thaali (plate of essentials for a Pooja) vendors. There is no official entrance fee to be paid. A 10 year-old local boy escorted us, through the temple complex. The main complex has around 124 big and small shrines built in stone in a small compacted area. The primary temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva (Ascetic God of the Hindu Trinity; also considered the Dancing Destroyer of the Universe when it is over-burdened with human sin.) The numerous shrines have different portrayals of Shiva and his consort the Goddess Parvati (also know as Durga, Shakti).

The bas-relief carvings on friezes and pinnacles depict various scenes from Hindu mythology. There is a pair of fused deodhar trees which, according to mythology, are the representations of Shiva & Parvati.
There are also smaller shrines to some other Gods of the Hindu Pantheon.

Across the road, is a small museum maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India with exquisite statuettes salvaged from the temple ruins- certainly worth a quick visit.
There is also a debate on whether Jageshwar should be considered a ‘Jyotirling’, contending with Nageshwar of the existing 12 Jyotirlings of India. (Jyotirling = phallus of light; ancient shrines for worshipping Lord Shiva).

Jageshwar is not one of the “standard tourist spots” in Uttarakhand. Yes, the tourism department is certainly trying it’s best to promote it and the Archaeological Survey of India is working on the restoration, but not many travel agents have it on their lists yet. In some ways that’s a good thing because the few tourists who do visit Jageshwar have already given impetus to commercialization. Trinket vendors have put up stalls near the entrance and the priests in the shrines often insist you perform Poojas at every juncture.

The beauty of the place lies in its location, and the quaintness of the setting. The mountains, the geometry of the deodhar trees reflected in the form of the temple, the brook passing nearby, the mountains in the backdrop. It evokes a sense of peace and ethereal tranquility. The architecture is not awe-inspiring, but it is austere and gives one the feeling that the temple complex is more for the worshippers than for the Gods.

From journals The Abode of Shiva in the Himalayas