Siddeshwar/Mangleshwar Mahadev Temple Churu, Rajasthan
The ancient Mangleshwar Mahadev temple located in the vegetable market, built after the establishment of the city, is the main center of faith of the devotees. The temple is about 240 years old.
The special thing about the temple is that on every Monday of Sawan, snakes come to the temple during Jalabhishek and Gan Puja. This trend has been going on for years. The snake clings to the Shivalinga and gives darshan. Crowds of devotees gather to see them. The snakes have not harmed anyone till now. On the occasion of Sawan, devotees of Shiva perform Jalabhishek of Mahadev daily. He told that it is believed in the temple that Baba Bholenath fulfills every wish of the devotees here.
During the era of kings, the then Thakurs of the city were getting mansions constructed. When the ground was excavated for the foundation, a Shivalinga emerged from it. After this the idea of building a mansion was abandoned. The Thakurs built a temple in their father’s name and got the Shivalinga consecrated in it. The name of the temple, Mangleshwar Mahadev, became popular in the name of priest Mangalchand Harit.
The priest told that a four-faced Shivalinga is also present in the temple. Which his ancestors brought on foot from Jaipur and established it. Apart from Shivalinga, idols of Shiva, Parvati, Nandi and Ganesha etc. are present in the main pavilion of the temple. There is Dhuna in another pavilion. Apart from this, idols of other gods and goddesses including Ram-Hanuman are also present in the temple.
