Sem Mukhem Nagaraja Temple

Sem Mukhem Nagaraja Temple is located in the Pratapnagar Tehsil of Tehri Garhwal District, Uttarakhand.This temple is situated at about 7000 feet above sea level. High mountain peaks and beautiful dense forests surround this temple.
This temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna in the form of a Nagaraja- the king of snakes. It is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in India. The temple is also known as the fifth Dham of Uttrakhand and Dwarika of the North.

In Puranas, it is mentioned that Lord Krishna left Dwarka and came here to Ramolagiri in Uttarakhand to establish idol in this temple to fulfill his pledge to pay a visit to Kaliya Nag.

According to the Hindu Mythology, it is believed that Lord Krishna visited this place as an old sage. He asked the local king, Gangu Ramola, to donate him some land to live on. However, the king wasn’t keen on doing so and asked the sage to leave.

The sage then left for Pauri Garhwal, where the villagers welcomed him. The Danda Nagaraja Temple of Pauri signifies this incident.

However, back in Sem Mukhem, the kingdom suffered drought, diseases, and loss of cattle. Gangu Ramola soon realized that he had turned down the sage, due to which all prosperity in his kingdom was lost. Thus, he sent men to bring him back and offered him a place to stay, thus bringing back the kingdom’s prosperity.

The temple is built in the place where Lord Krishna stayed. As one enters the temple, one notices the idol of Lord Krishna enshrined on the hood of the Serpent King, the Nagaraj. Lord Krishna is worshipped at the Sem Mukhem Temple as a rock, which is believed to have been self-manifested.