Mamleshwar Temple
During your Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage tour, you can visit many famous places in Kashmir. One such place is situated very close to Pahalgam and it is a temple called Mamleshwar Temple. This is a Shiva temple and locals have tremendous faith in this temple. The shiv linga inside the temple is still worshipped by priests. One of the major mythological events from Hindu mythology took place at this temple. Mamleshwar Temple is a very old temple that is famous for its major mythological connection. You can visit this temple in Pahalgam which also is one of the sightseeing spots in Pahalgam.
Location of Mamleshwar Temple
Mamleshwar Temple is located about one mile from the main town of Pahalgam. The temple is located near a stream that originates from Kolahoi Glacier.
Other Names of Mamleshwar Temple
The meaning of the temple is taken from two words which are ‘Mam’ and ‘Mal’, meaning ‘Don’t go’. The other names of Mamleshwar Temple are Mamal Temple and Mameswara Temple.
The Mythology of Mamleshwar Temple
Mamleshwar Temple is a temple of Lord Shiva. Mamleshwar Temple is the temple where one of the major events from Shiv Purana took place. This event is none other than the famous story about the birth of Lord Ganesha the elephant-headed god of Hindu cosmology. Once when Lord Shiva had gone deep into the mountains for meditation, Goddess Parvati decided to take a bath. Before she went for the bath, she formed an idol from the soap lather from her body and breathed life into it with her magical powers. She instructed the boy to guard the door of the temple while she was bathing. It is believed that the temple is none other than the Mamleshwar Temple in Pahalgam.
History of Mamleshwar Temple
Mamleshwar Temple is a very ancient temple that was constructed many centuries ago. According to history, the original temple was built in the 4th century. it was King Jayasimha who rebuilt this temple in Mamalaka Village during the 12th century and covered the dome of the temple with gold. According to historical records, this was the temple that was mentioned in the Sanskrit works of a poet called Kalhana. The poet composed the Rajatarangini, which consists of several verses, which were written in honor of the kings of Kashmir.