Dehradun Tapkeshwar Temple, Uttarakhand

Address

Dehradun,

Uttarakhand 248001

Moolavar

Tapkeshwar

Introduction

Tapkeshwar Temple, also known as Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple, is a temple in Dehradun dedicated to Shiva. The temple is on the bank of the Tons River, built on top of a natural cave, which holds the temple’s main shivalinga.

Puranic Significance

The Tapkeshwar Temple is alleged to be 6,000 years old. It has a natural shivalinga in the cave, which became a place of reverence for the local people. It is also believed that this was used as a residence by Dronacharya, the teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas in the Hindu epic Mahabharata; the cave is called Drona Cave after him. Dronacharya’s wife Kalyani was unable to breastfeed their new-born son Ashwatthama. As Dronacharya was unable to afford a cow or cow’s milk, Ashwatthama prayed to Shiva, who then fed him milk dripping from the shivalinga in the cave.

Special Features

Thousands of pilgrims visited Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple round the years to pay homage in Drona Cave where they can see water drops dripping at Shivling. During Shivratri, one can witness several kilometre long queues of devotees waiting for Darshans. A large fair also held around the Tapkeshwar Temple during Shivratri.