Hastinapur Pandeshwar Temple

Pandeshwar Mahadev Mandir is located at Hastinapur which is cloae to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.Pandeshwar temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.Locals share that the Shivling is around 5000+ years was put up by Yudhistra. And also share this is the place where both Kauravas and Pandavas received their formal education here.

It is said that this temple was built in the Mahabharata era. In 1798, Raja Nain Singh of Bahishuma Fort Parikshitgarh did an outstanding job of renovating this temple. It was during an excavation of the ancient fort of Hastinapur that the walls of the Pandava fort, a hillock of Mahatma Vidura, the palace of the Pandavas, Draupadi Ghat, the kitchen of Draupadi, Karan temple as well as the palace of Raja Nain Singh, twelve cisterns and others were discovered.

The Shiva Linga is placed right in the middle of the temple complex with domes surrounding it. The Shiva Linga is of natural stone though it has been reduced to half of its original size due to Mughal invaders have fragmented Shivling and other murtis.

According to legend, Yudhishthira had established the Shivalinga at the Pandeshwar Mahadev temple before the war of Mahabharata and prayed to Lord Shiva for a blessing to win the war. Yudhishthira is known to be the very personification of virtue, dharma, and kshama (forgiveness) performed tapas in such an exemplary manner that Lord Shiva became pleased and blessed him with success.It is that same belief that draws great crowds to have darshan of Lord Shiva here.The five Pandava brothers used to worship in this temple every day. The idol of the five Pandavas is installed in the temple.

Another legend states that the Shivalinga was donated by Karna. As per the local belief, a stream of Ganga flowed near the temple in which Queen Draupadi would perform her ablutions and then offer prayers at the Shiva Temple. The Shivalinga is placed right in the middle of the temple, with domes surrounding it.

According to local lore, Karna, one of the invincible warriors in the Mahabharata, would take a bath at the river and pray at Pandeshwar Mahadev Temple. He would then offer lots of gold to the poor in charity. It is believed that this is a wish-fulfilling temple. Long ago, River Ganga flowed next to the temple. Although, the course of the river has moved away from its original bank with the passage of time, the river bank is still called Karna Ghat. Several people take a holy dip on this ghat every Kartika Poornima.

A huge fair is organized here on Shivratri. Thousands of Kanwariya devotees here offer Kavad on the occasion of Shivaratri and get the blessings of Bholenath on completion of their wishes.