Mukteshwar Dham Temple

The 350 year old Shiva temple in Mukteshwar Dham is situated on top of a hill. The stone stairs lead you to the deity’s abode. It is believed the lord Shiva killed a demon here and granted him salvation (Mukti), hence the name Mukteshwar. Mukteshwar Dham was an abode to Saint Shri Mukteshwar Maharaj ji, who lived here in a cottage. One of his disciples, Swami Sanshudhanand ji, now stays there. The temple complex is an ideal place for meditation. You can either drive to the temple or chose to trek. It’s not a well paved trekking trail but a narrow mud path through the fruit orchards and coniferous forest that locals use. A beautiful nature walk of around 2 hours will take you to hill top. It’s an easy trek and can easily be done by the beginners. When I visited in June, the forest was lush green and the path was covered by brown dry pine needles that made it slippery. So we needed to be extra careful. On the way many wild berries can be found. I was intrigued by the range of flora on this trek. You get a wonderful 180 degree view of mighty Himalayas from here. Nandadevi, Nandakot, Nandaghunti, Trisul and Panchachuli are the major peaks visible.