Jageshwari Temple

About the Jageshwari Temple

The founding of this temple is tied to the lore of the founding of modern Chanderi, when the Pratihara king Kirtipal is said to have witnessed the Miracle of Water. No inscription has been found to confirm a date, but certain elements of the temple appear to belong to the 11th century and possibly earlier.

It sits on a hillside and is reached by a long flight of stairs from the foot of the hill, or by a steep descending staircase from near the fort of Kirti Durg. The main idol is the face of the goddess Jageshwari, set in an open cave, and the modern temple has been built around that cave to accommodate the devotees who come for darshan and puja. Several natural springs, whose water is considered sacred, run down the cliff side nearby, and with greenery all around and the sounds of birds, monkeys and falling water, the temple feels set deep in forest.

At the shrine

The cave and the goddess

The main idol is the face of Jageshwari in an open cave, not a built sanctum, and the temple has grown around it. Understanding that order of events, cave first and building second, is what makes the layout read correctly.

The carved lingams

Within the complex are two large Shiva lingams whose surfaces are carved with 1,100 smaller lingams. A further lingam carries the faces of Lord Shiva on all four sides. These are easy to miss if you go straight to the main shrine.

The Sagar pond and temple remains

Some distance up the stairs, on the left, is a pond called the Sagar, where the water of all the springs and streams collects. The remains of four ancient temples have been found around it.

Planning your visit

This is a working temple reached by a long climb. Either approach involves stairs, so plan for the effort and the heat.

• Climb from the foot of the hill, or descend by the steep stair from Kirti Durg.
• Pause at the Sagar pond on the left of the stairway.
• Remove footwear where required and dress modestly.
• Keep food out of sight, as monkeys are active here.

Best time to visit

October to March makes the stair climb manageable, and the stretch just after the monsoon is when the springs run strongest and the greenery is thickest. Early morning is both cooler and the usual time for darshan.