Pages

Pages

Hinduism - Where Is Baijnath?


Baijnath is a sacred place (tirtha) and archeological region in Uttar Pradesh's Himalayan foothills, about 45 miles north and west of the town of Almora. 



  • Baijnath is home to a temple complex that is thought to date back to the thirteenth century C.E. 
  • Only one of the temples is still in operation as a place of worship, although many of them have been beautifully maintained. 


The main goddess at the temple is Shiva's wife Parvati, despite the fact that the site's name is a vernacular version of Vaidyanath, a form of the god Shiva. 



  • Her primary picture is a beautiful work of art cut from a chunk of rose-colored granite that is over four feet tall. 
  • The legendary tale of Shiva's wife Sati, her reincarnation as Parvati, and Parvati's remarriage to Shiva is depicted by smaller figures carved into the picture itself. 
  • The statue is obviously the work of a great sculptor, and it much surpasses the standard of art seen in such remote locations. 



A statue of Vishnu made of a similar kind of stone and sculpted in a similar manner may be seen at a neighboring rural temple. 



  • The most straightforward explanation for this connection is that both pictures were created by the same sculptor.


You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.