Mahakal temple

Highlights

• The Mahakal temple or Mahakal mandir is a sacred Hindu temple located in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the third god in the Hindu triumvirate.
• The temple was built in 1782 by Lama Dorjey Rinzing and is perched atop the Observatory Hill and is an amalgamation of Hindu and Buddhist religions.
• It is a religious site where both religions coexist harmoniously.

Dress Code

Modest, respectful clothing is expected at this site.

History

• •Mahakal temple stands as a historical edifice on the spot where a Buddhist Monastery named 'Dorje-Ling' once stood, which was built by Lama Dorjey Rinzing in 1765.
• •Prior to that it is believed that the spot was a sacred spot of the aboriginal Lepcha folks.
• •Later a monastery was constructed on the spot and worshipped by both Lepchas and Bhutias.
• •It was after the invasion of the Gurkha Army around 1788 that the monastery was desecrated and destroyed by the invading troops and in course of time the sacred place overwhelmingly began to represent the Hindu symbolisms of the majority Nepali community.

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