Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple, also known as Mukesaran Mandir or Mukteshwar Mandir, is a renowned lord Shiva temple near Pathankot on the Shahpur Kandi Dam road.
It is the Hindu religion’s holiest shrine, housing the idols of Lord Ganesha, Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu, Lord Hanuman, and Goddess Parvati.
This temple is one of the most sacred places around Pathankot. These are cave temples dating back to Mahabharata times.
According to the mythology, the Pandavas spent a night in these caves during their exile period (Agayatwas).
Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple Pathankot location
These caverns are around 22 kilometres from Pathankot City in Shaupur Kandi, in Doongh hamlet, on the bank of the Ravi River.
Location: Doongh Village, Shahpurkandi, Pathankot
Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple Pathankot temple timings
Temple Open timings: 24 hrs. Devotees can visit anytime of the day.
Temple aarti Timings: Morning- 05:30AM and Evening- 07:00PM
Temple langar timings: Everyday 10:00AM to 06:00PM
Mukteshwar Temple Legend
This historical temple as per legend dates back to 55 hundered years. It is said that the temple has been in existence from the Mahabharata times.
According to Hindu Mythology, Shakuni , who was the maternal uncle of Duryodhana, made a plan. He invited Yudhisthir for a game of dice. The game in which Shakuni was an expert and unbeatable.
Yudhisthira, unable to resist the challenge, wagers his entire kingdom, his fortune, his four brothers, and even his wife in a series of gambits to reclaim one by staking another.
So Pandavas lost their kingdom and also got a 12 years of exile and 1 year Agayatwas. Durring the Agayatwas period they have to live incognito.
During this one-year period of invisibility, the five Pandavas and their wife Draupadi disguised themselves as sages, Brahmins, and hermits and went unnoticed to various locations.
During this agyatwas period, they reached at the coast of river ravi.
Here they built the four caves and one lord shiva temple at the hilltop. They stayed at this place for approximately six months and installed the Shivalingam present in this temple.
Hence this is a very important Shiva temple.
The Havan Kund made by them, is still present there in temple. The Shivling at the Mukteshwar Mahadev temple is surrounded by the idols of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Paravati, Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha
