Lakhamandal Temple – Comprehensive Guide

Lakhamandal Temple, Uttarakhand is a center of belief and mythological mystics anyone can amaze. This travel diary will take you to breathtaking views and facts about this historically sacred temple. Read the blog, which gives you all the information for planning your trip to Lakhamandal with Travel Acharya. 

Brief Overview of Lakhamandal Temple

History

Lakhamandal Shiv Mandir, is an ancient mythological site that connects its realms to the Mahabharata. The temple’s 6th-century stone inscription and astonishing architecture tell its link with historical roots and its importance in the Hindu religious world. ‘Lakha’ means ‘Many,’ and ‘Mandal’ means ‘Temples’ or ‘Lingam,’ which once this place had many Shiva Lingams, a sacred votary object of Lord Shiva. The temple represents 13th-century AD Nagara-style architecture built by Princess Ishwara, wife of Chandragupta (son of King Jalandhar). Earlier, the Hindus practised dead people rituals, but later this was stopped in temple premises. Only the puja for deceased family members is done yearly on the full moon night of October.

 Geographic Location and Accessibility

The Lakhamandal village is 55 km from Chakrata, 74 km from Mussoorie and Dehradun at 128 km, near the Jaunsar-Bawar region of Uttarakhand at Mussoorie- Yamunotri Road. The place is accessible by road and the small trek of Lakhmandal temple lasts 15-20 minutes from the village. 

 Mythological Connections to the Mahabharata

This sacred place of Lakhmandal is connected to the mythological reigns of Mahabharat. It is said that the infamous plot of Lakshagriha – “House of Wax” was weaved by Duryodhan to kill the Pandavas with their mother Kunti. But thanks to the secret tunnel that is approximately 2 km away from the main temple it saved the lives of Pandavas. This cave is called Dhundi Odaari where Dhundi stands for “fog” or “mist” and Odaari means “caves”. These historical annotations attract people to visit this place and explore its religious mystics. The locals believe the temple rinses off sins and liberates them from the circle of karmas, life and death.

Nearby Places to Visit at Lakhamandal Shiv Temple

The nearby attractions to visit near Lakhamandal temple are:

• Dhundi Odaari Caves – 2 km
• Naugaon (Banderpoonch peak) – 15 km
• Kempty Falls – 60 km
• Nag Tibba – 69.9 km
• Mahasu Devta Temple, Hanol – 82 km
• Yamunotri – 50 km
• Chakrata Tiger Falls – 48 km
• Purola – 30 km
• Nainbagh – 35 km

 Best Time to Visit

• Summer (March-June): Warm, sunny and mild weather, perfect for outdoor activities and temple visits. Temperature ranges during this season – 35°C to 22°C
• Monsoon (July-September): The environment revives with downpours but the area becomes slippery and humidity in the weather increases. The temperature goes from 28°C to 20°C.
• Winter (October-February): The weather changes from warm to cold. The region experiences snowfall, and the temperature drops from 15°C to 0°C and minus degrees.

Although the temple is open throughout the year, the best time to visit the Lakhamandal temple is from October to November and mid-February to June.

 Entry Fees and Timings

Entry Fees	Free to Enter
Timings To Visit Temple	6.00 AM – 7.00 PM

How To Reach Lakhamandal Temple?

Lakhmandal Temple Trek Information

The trek begins from Lakhamandal Parking Area to Lakhamandal Temple. 

The walking distance is 400-500 meters which takes 10-15 minutes.

By Road:

The road distance of the Lakhamandal Parking area from where a small trek of the Lakhamndal temple visit will start is provided below:

Destinations	Distance to Lakhamandal	Approx Travel Duration
Delhi	Approx 400 km by road	12 hrs approx
Dehradun	130 km by road	4-5 hrs
Chakrata	55 km by road	3 hrs
Mussoorie	74 km by road	3-4 hrs
Yamunotri	140 km (road) + 7 km (trek)	5-6 hrs (road) + 3 hrs approx (trek)

Buses: 

Delhi Buses – ISBT Kashmere Gate to Dehradun RedBus.com Timings

Dehradun Buses – Dehradun to Chakrata – UTC buses

By Air:

You can fly to Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun to Lakhamandal by air from any nearest major city’s airways.

The distance from the airport to Chakrata is 130 km.

By Train:

The nearest railway station to Lakhmandal is Dehradun Railway Station which is 107 km from Lakhamandal.

You can hire a cab or rental vehicle from the station to Chakrata.

Temple Tour and Nearby Hotels

A Tour of the Caves and Temples

Architectural Features of Lakhamandal Temple

• The temple existed during 6-century CE during the Gupta Empire.
• The incredible architecture of Lakhamandal temple is of Nagara style, with stone inscribed formations, and shikharas.
• One can see mandals or shivlings on temple premises, suggesting its resemblance with the name Lakhamandal.
• The temple is symmetrical in design and the huge graphite stone Lingam gleams when water is poured. 
• The temple walls have ancient-style carvings that depict the story of the temple and Hindu Gods.
• The remains around the temple suggest there were more shrines in early times, but with time this temple survived.
• The brick-structure remains and pyramidal structure on the base suggest the temple relics to 5th-century AD.
• The Lakhamandal temple consists of various statues of deities giving it a sacred essence in the lap of nature.

The Shivling and Other Deities

The core of Lakhamandal temple in the sanctum is the graphite Shivlingam the main attraction and centre of spiritual connectivity. The mandals and remains suggest there were many shrines around the temple. The people believe this temple gives liberation and redemption from past deeds attracting many visitors.

The important deities in the temple:

• The temple suggests connectivity with Shivlingam, which shines when water is poured, making it spiritually important.
• The temple consists of the footprints of Mata Parvati, depicting the goddess’s visit to this sacred place.
• There are two statues of Arjuna-Bhima of the Pandavas or Ajay-Vijay, the Dwarpal of Lord Vishnu. Also, they are referred to as the Protecters of the Lakhamandal temple. These stone figures are believed to be one, as Danav and Manav represent Death and Life, respectively. People say that one figure represents individual life and the dead abode to heaven. 
• Many mandals have shivlings representing the name of the place “Lakhamandal.”.
• The temple includes idols of other gods such as Mata Parvati, Lord Ganesh, Lord Kartikeya, Lord Vishnu, and Shri Hanuman.

Nearby Caves and Their Significance

Located 2 km from the main Lakhamandal temple, the Pandav Caves, also known as the Dhundi Odaari Caves, serve as a hub for historical mystics connected to the Mahabharata. The legendary tale depicts that these caves were the hiding place for the Pandavas when Duryodhan implanted an infamous conspiracy to burn them alive in Lakshagriha (House of Lac). Fortunately, the Pandavas with their mother Kunti, escape this plot through a secret tunnel in these caves. The mythological researchers and many enthusiasts visit these caves to uncover the facts and explore them.

Check This Video to see Lakhamandal 

Lodging options close to Lakhamandal mandir

Hotels and Resorts

Accommodations	Features	Price
Kalindi Nature Resort	Breakfast, pool, airport transfer, beautiful ambience in a bliss of nature	Rs. 1600-1800
Chakrata Inn Resort	Breakfast and dinner, comfortable rooms, clean ambience	Rs.2000-4000
Vivaan Homestay, Nada	Cosy Stays, Kitchen, All amenities	Rs.700
Homely Hills Homestays, Myani(Air bnb)	Rooms and camp options, home-cooked food, all amenities, temple trekking	Rs.1000-1200
The Hosteller Chakrata	Hostel rooms, clean and beautiful ambience	Rs.560
Munaals Nest, Chakrata	Beautiful place with mountain views	Rs. 2500-3000
Deluxe BR, Chakrata(Air bnb)	Beautiful rooms, Laundry, Cafe, Power backup	Rs. 2000
GMVN – Chakrata and Yamunotri	Clean stays with room options	Rs. 500 onwards

 Camping Facilities

Camps	Features	Price
Driftters	Luxury tents, mountain views, Lacarte breakfast	Rs. 2500
Kanasar Jungle Camp	Small wooden camping rooms	Prices are unknown
Blue Canvas Resort	Luxury Camping in real mountain cultural lifestyle	Rs.1900
Himalayan Eco Lodges	Room on the roof, Best service	Rs. 2500

FAQ 

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