Lodheshwar Mahadeva Temple Barabanki

Mahadeva
Lodheshwar temple of Lord Shiva is famous for the Lodheshwar temple of Lord Shiva, where the wishes of the devotees are being fulfilled since ancient times and even today. Are happening. Even today, lakhs of people visit this place in various flocks every year in the month of Phalgun i.e. on the occasion of Mahashivratri to worship the famous Shivalinga and offer Ganga water. This ancient Shiva temple is situated on the banks of river Ghaghra in Mahadeva village of Ram Nagar tehsil of district Barabanki. Lodheshwar Mahadev has an ancient history. The Shivalinga of this temple is one of the 52 unique and rare Shivalingas available on earth.

It is believed that, before the Mahabharata period, Lord Shiva desired to appear on earth once again. Pandit Lodheram Awasthi was a learned Brahmin, simple, kind and good natured villager. One night Lord Shiva appeared to him in his dreams. The next day, Lodheram, who was sonless, while irrigating his field, saw a pit from where the irrigation water was disappearing into the earth. He worked hard to bridge that hole, but returned home unsuccessful. At night, he again saw the same statue in his dreams, and heard the statue whispering, ‘In that pit where the water is disappearing, there is my place, establish me there, that I may become famous in your name. Will get it’. It is said that, the next day when Lodharaam was digging that pit, his equipment hit some hard substance and he saw the same idol in front of him and it was bleeding where his equipment had fallen on the idol, this The mark can still be seen today. Lodheram was frightened by this sight, but continued digging for the idol, but failed to reach the other end of the idol. He left it as it was, and built a temple at the same place, naming it by the half-name ‘Lodhe’ and ‘Ishwar’ of Lord Shiva, and thus became famous by the name of the devotee, i.e. Lodheshwar. Thereafter the Brahmin was blessed with four sons, who were given the names of Mahadeva, Lodhaura, Gobarha and Rajnapur, the villages with these names still exist.

There are several episodes in the Mahabharata where this ancient temple is mentioned. After Mahabharata, Pandavas had organized Mahayagya at this place, a well still exists here by the name of Pandava-Kup. It is said that the water of this well has spiritual properties, and whoever drinks this water is cured of many diseases.

In the history of fairs and gatherings of people across the world, the fair organized on the occasion of Mahashivratri at Mahadeva is unique. There is not a single female devotee among the lakhs of devotees who visit this place on the occasion of this festival fair.