Situated in the state of Uttarakhand, the Daksheswara Mahadev Temple is one of the highly revered temples in all of the country. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the main deity, the establishment of this temple dates back to 1810 AD and is believed to be one of the most ancient temples.
This is also one of the most decorated temples in Hindu mythology. The Daksheswara Mahadev Temple is named after Sati’s father (Daksha), who was the first wife of Lord Shiva. In Hindu mythology, Daksha was considered to be the minder of life. Besides that, this temple is all the more revered because it is considered to be one of the five holy places in Haridwar.
Daksheswara Mahadev, out of the 4 monasteries, is in charge of Atharva Veda. Atharva Veda is one of the 4 vedas and has been a late addition to the series of the books. Composed in Vedic script, this Veda is popularly known as the “knowledge storehouse of everyday procedures of life”. Dedicated to Rajrajeshwari Devi and Badrinarayan, this temple has a sacred cave where Adi Shankaracharya took his tapasya. According to popular belief, the idol of Lord Narsinh that is established here seems to be withering away with time. Once it withers away completely, it is said that the current idol Badrinath Temple will disappear and reappear at a new location in black stone, 10 kilometers away from Daksheswara Mahadev.