2. Jammu is also known as City Of Temples, One can visit Raghunath Temple, Ranbireshwar
Temple, Peer Kho Cave Temple, Bawey Wali Mata, Mahamaya Temple. Other Place of
interest are Baag-e-Bahu Park, Amar Mahal Museum, Mansar Lake and Fish Aquarium at
Baag-e-Bahu.
Amar Mahal Museum
Go to various temples in and around Jammu city
Charar-e-Sharief: (The Shrine is located in Kashmir valley not is Jammu) Chrar-e-Sharief is
a shrine revered by both Muslims and Hindus dedicated to Sheikh Nooruddin, who was
arguably the greatest mystic-saint of Kashmir.
Hari Parbat Fort: (Located in Kashmir valley not in Jammu) The Mughal fort situated on
the banks of the Dal Lake of Srinagar, it is positioned on top of the Sharika Hill.
Martand Sun Temple: The most memorable and beautiful work of King Lalitaditya is the
construction of spacious Martand temple, which the emperor got built in honor of the Sun
God or Bhaskar.
Sudh Mahadev Temple: Situated in the town of Chanhani in the western part of the Jammu
Raghunath Mandir: Situated in the heart of the city and surrounded by a group of other
temples
Bahu Fort: 5kms, Situated on a rock face on the left bank of the river Tawi
3. Bagh-E-Bahu: 5kms. These extensive gardens, laid around the Bahu Fort provide a pleasant
view of the city. Open 8AM to 8PM
The Dargah o Peer Budhan Ali Shah (Peer Baba): On the backside of the Civil Airport is
famous Dargah of the Muslim saint, Peer Budhan Ali Shah
Peer Kho Cave Temple: A cave shrine located on the Circular Road, 3.5 kms. From the
heart of the town.
Ranbireshwar Temple: Located on Shalimar Road near the New Secretariat
Amar Mahal Palace Museum: A beautiful red sand stone palace, it stands amidst the most
picturesque surroundings of Jammu.
Ranbir Canal: A small garden along the Ranbir Canal, 2kms from the heart of the town
Maha Maya Temple and City Forest: On the By-pass Road behind Bahu Fort, the city
forest surrounds the ancient Maha Maya Temple overlooking the river Tawi.
Mubarak Mandi Palace: The oldest buildings in this Palace complex date to 1824.
Udhampur is a district in Jammu and Kashmir. The town of Udhampur is the Headquarter of
this district. The Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is a very important shrine for the Hindus and the
most famous tourist attraction of this district. Patnitop,Sudh Mahadev are also very famous
toursist places here as well.
Sud Mahadev in Jammu and Kashmir (region) is a town located in India - about 324 mi
(or 521 km) North of New Delhi, the country's capital place.
Depending on your travel resources, these more prominent destinations might be interesting
for you:Sialkot, Peshawar, Narowal, Lahore,Islamabad or Batoti. Being here already,
consider visiting Sud Mahadev and Maruthi. There are 4 airports in the area of Sud Mahadev.
The nearest airport we we have in our database is Jammu Airport (IATA: IXJ) with a
distance of 38 mi (or 61.4 km) South-West of the city centre of Sud Mahadev.
Sudh Mahadev Temple Jammu Kashmir
The town of CHANHANI, located in the western part of the Jammu holds special
significance as it houses a great piece of art - the Sacred Temple of Sudhmahadev. Chaudhari
Ramdas of Chanhani and his son Chaudhari Parag Mahajan constructed the temple about 80
years ago. Shri Masu Shahane of Sudhmahadev did the construction of the entrance door of
4. the temple of Sudhmahadev.
This holy spot near Patnitop is situated at an altitude of 1225 mtrs., about 120 kms. from
Jammu. The shrine is visited pilgrims on the full moon night of 'Sawan' (July-August) to
worship the "Trishul' (trident) and a mace which is said to belong to Lord Shiva. The Devak
stream originates at Sudh Mahadev and disappears among the rocks a few kilometres down
strean. This is a small temple of Lord Shiva. During July - August a fair is held here with 3
days of music, singing and dancing. It is situated at a distance of 8 kms. from Khud or Patni
Top.
Legend
The trident housed within the temple,belonged to the asctic God who killed demon there.The
temple has a black marble self made 'lingam' and Goddess parvati mounted on Nandi. It has a
'Dhooni'(sacred fire) to commemmorate the spiritual attainments of Baba Roop Nath who is
said to have attained Samadhi there. It is said that the Dhooni has been kept burning
constantly ever since Baba Roop Nath is said to be residing in the temple. Thousands of
pilgrims visit the temple especially during 3-day fair held on the occasion of Jestha Purnima.
Before entering the temple the pilgrims take bath in the holy Devika which flows nearby. A
popular legend is associated with the Shrine. It is believed that Lord Shiva who was in his
samadhi shot his big trishul to protect his consort Uma whose loud cry shook Shiva out of his
meditation. Infact Shiva's devotee, Sudheet approached Uma to pay his respectful obeisance.
Since he was a demon in his previous birth according to the legend, his demonaic looks
frightened her and she made a loud shriek. The trident which Lord Shiva had flung hit
Sudheet. Shiva realised his mistake and he offered to resuscitate him. But Sudheet felt that
there could be no better life than death given by Lord Shiva Himself. Lord Shiva then gave
his command that Sudheet's name will be prefixed to his name at that place. Since then it is
called Sudh Mahadev. The broken trident in three pieces, is installed in the temple.
Places
The Asad Purnima Festival
The Shiva temple here attracts many pilgrims during the festival, which takes place in mid
June each year. The Asad Purnima festival features three days of music, singing and dancing.
The main shrine has a black marble carved figure of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and
there is also an interesting inscribed iron trident known as the "Shiva Trishul"; it is believed
5. to have been used by a Mahadeva to kill a demon.
Man Talai
Man Talai, 5-km from Sudh Mahadev is of archaeological interest due to the red earthenware
and terra cotta figures discovered here.
Gauri Kund
Gauri Kund, also 5-km distant, is a small cave associated with Goddess Parvati. Sculptures
from Hindu Mythology can be seen at the Pap Nashni Bauli springs. Shiv Garh is the highest
mountains in the area. In the month of June, the time between the ‘Full moon and Chaudash’
is considered to be the most auspicious for this pilgrimage. As per the ancient religious faith,
this pilgrimage is known to be the most sacred when undertaken between the ‘Punya jayeshth
purnima and vayas purnima’. Though, pilgrims come all the year round, but a special fair
(mela) is held during the full moon i.e jayeshth purnima to mark the auspicious time. The fair
goes on for three days. During Chaudash, the pilgrimage to Gauri Kund, situated 2.5 kms
from Sudhmahadev on the banks of Dewak Nadi, is considered to be most sacred. Here in the
lap of the mountains, lies the Temple of Uma & Shankar. After taking a bath in the Dewak
Nadi, the pilgrims worship Lord Shiva and Parvati in the Temple. After worshipping Gauri
Kund, the pilgrims go to Gaukaran, about 0.5Kms from Sudhmahadev. Then they climb up
another 2 Kms of mountaineous area to reach another sacred place ‘Nada’. In Sudhmahadev,
there is a small stream called ‘Mitra vavli’ or ‘Papnashi Vavli’. The huge Shiv Temple
houses the three faced idol of God Shulpaneshwar Mahadev, Uma and Ganesh riding
‘Nandi’- their Bull. The idol also has the sacred Swayambhu Shivalinga. It is said that Ma
Parvati in order to attain Lord Shiva use to worship this Swayambhu Shivalinga after bathing
in the Gauri Kund. Tones of water originating from an unknown source fall on this sacred
Swayambhu Shivalinga. This Temple is built on the same lines as the series of other
Uttarakhand temples in this area.
In the temple premises, there is a Trident (Trishul) that in the local dialect is called ‘Gaja’.
The sacred Trident has inscriptions in the ancient manuscript that form a major topic of
research for the archeological department. According to Roopnath, the first religious head of
the temple of Sudhmahadev, “Amardhuni’, ‘Gorakh Nath temple’, the huge idol of
‘Bhairava’ and the ‘Garbha Jun below the Nandi gan’ are considered to be great places of
worship for the pilgrims. In the entire belt of Chanhani and Sudhmahadev, the great saints
and sages sing poems of the romantic tale of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati in
6. Mantalai. During the annual fair held at Sudhmahadev, religious saints and pilgrim groups
sing in the praise of Sudhmahadev. As per religious traditions, these ancient temples were
managed by the religious heads also called as ‘Pirs or Mahants’ who were in turn appointed
on the directions of the Kings of Chanhani. After the downfall of the kings, the hold of the
‘Pirs’ over the management became weak. In 1959-60, the last religious head Pir Dhuni Nath
instituted a committee to manage the working of the temple. Shri Salig Ram Shah of
Sudhmahadev was appointed the manager of the committee and Shri Shiv Lal Sadathia was
made the head. Finally, the management of the temple was handed over to the Dharmarth
Trust under the guidance of its sole trustee Dr. Karan Singh. Though one can undertake this
pilgrimage to Sudhmahadev all the year round, but as per religious traditions, the days that
are considered most auspicious are Maghar Chaudash, Chaitra Chaudash, Rath Yatra,
Baisakhi and Shivaratri.
Sudh Mahadev
Jammu and Kashmir is known for beautiful sceneries and the many religious places one can
visit here. Its tourism is flourishing mainly due to the presence of several temples, where
people from all over the world come to offer their prayers.
To the western part of Jammu lies the town of Chanhani where you can find a sacred temple
named Sudh-Mahadev. It is built at a height of 1225 metres at a place near Patnitop,
approximately 120 kilometres from Jammu. Devak Stream is seen to originate from this
temple. A few kilometres down, this stream disappears into the rocks.
The temple, however, houses a natural lingam made from black marble. This temple has a
three-faced idol of Shulpaneshwar Mahadev, Parvati and Ganesh. They are seen riding Nandi
the Bull. It also has idols of Bhairava, Garbha Jun and Gorak Nath, because of which the
temple is considered sacred for pilgrims. ‘Mitra vavli’ or ‘Papnashi Vavli’ is a small stream
in the temple.
The Trishul or Trident in the temple premises, locally known as Gaja, carries inscriptions of
ancient manuscripts. This has been a great topic of research for several years for
archaeological scholars. Amardhuni is said to be the first religious head of this temple. Great
sages and saints of Chanhani and the temple are heard singing poems of Lord Shiva and
Parvati getting married in Mantalai.
History
7. This temple is said to be 80 years old. It is said to have been constructed by Chaudhari
Ramdas along with his son Chaudhari Parag Mahajan. Sudh-Mahadev Temple has a beautiful
entrance gate that was created by Shri Masu Shahane.
Traditionally, these temples were managed by the Pirs or Mahantas (religious heads). They
were appointed by Kings reigning Chanhani. Once the reign of kings got over, management
by Pirs weakened too. In 1959-60, Pir Dhuni was the last religious head who formed a
committee that managed this temple and Shri Shiv Lal Sadathia became the head. This
temple was finally given over to Dharmarth Trust, guided by Dr. Karan Singh.
Major Attractions
Asad Purnima Festival
This festival is celebrated at the temple in mid-June every year. Pilgrims come from every
part of the world to witness the three days of singing, music and dance.
Man Talai
About 5 km away from the temple tourists will find Man Talai, which of great archaeological
significance as terra cotta figures and red earthenware were discovered here.
Gauri Kund
This is where a cave is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. You can see different sculptures at Pap
Nashni Bauli springs. The highest mountain in this area is Shiv Garh.
How to Reach
The temple is 120 km away from Jammu and the nearest city is Udhampur.
By Air
Jammu Airport is closest to this temple. It is connected with all the major cities in the
country. You can then reach the temple by taxi or bus.
By Road
State transport services offer bus services from Jammu, Udhampur and Katra for your
convenience. There are regular buses on this route.
By Rail
The nearest railway station is Jammu Tawai Railway Station that is well-connected with all
major cities and towns in India. From the station you can take a taxi or bus to reach the
temple.
Best Time to Visit
8. The most auspicious time to visit for pilgrims is considered in June during the days that fall
between full moon and Chaudash. If you undertake a pilgrimage between Punya Jayeshth
purnima and Vayas purnima, it is considered the most sacred one.
During Chaudesh, a pilgrimage to Gauri Kund is considered to be sacred. Another sacred
place called Nada, 2 kilometres on the mountains, can be reached from there.
Accommodation
Tourists can avail accommodation facilities at Patnitop, which is closest to the temple. All
kinds of hotels are available here starting from budget to luxury. Oasis Resort at Patnitop is a
great option. It has good staff and the location is good too. The hill side rooms offer great
views from the room. Sushant Hotel is well-known for its world class service at affordable
room tariffs. Jai Skahan Hotel is a pure budget hotel will cheap tariff rates. The service by the
staff is good.
Other than these a few other renowned hotels are Greentop Hotel, Holiday Inn Hotel, Forest
view Hotel and Vardaan Resort. All these hotels are known for their quality of service and
extra amenities they offer to the guests.
Sudh Mahadev Mandir
Believed to be 2800 years old, the temple of Sudh Mahadev houses a natural black marble
Lingam, the Trident (Trishul) of Lord Shiva and mace believed to be that of Bheema, one of
the five legendary Pandava brothers. This holy temple near Patnitop is situated at an altitude
of 1225 m and is about 120 kms from Jammu.
Sudhmahadev has a spring by the name Pap Nashni Bowli. It is believed that taking bath in it
relieves a devotee of all sins. After bath one proceeds towards the holy temple of Lord Shiva.
Pilgrims visit the shrine on Historic Sudhmahadev 3 day Festival (Mela) on the full moon
night of 'Sawan' (June -July) to worship the Trident (Trishul) and a mace.
During this 3 day festival, arrangements are made by the state government administration to
provide facilities to the visitors. Adequate transport is also provided by the government
agencies from various destinations. The government also ensures security arrangements.
Good health facilities are also made available. Cultural programs are organized during the 3
9. day festival; in which the local performers entertain the visitors by showcasing various local
dances and singing folk songs.
One can have stay in the temporary tented accommodations provided by J&K Tourism
Development Department or even a Sarai maintained by the Dharamarth Trust, beside a few
guest houses are also there
Sudh Mahadev Temple
The temporary shops are also established by the people to provide various things and eatables
to the visitors. Langars are also arranged by some devotees to provide free food to the
visitors.
Some of the famous food items to eat during the festival are Rajmash Chawal with Desi
Ghee, Chatni of Pudina and Anardana. Local food specialties include Klari (a milk
preparation like paneer) or Klari kulcha and are very tasty and one must eat there. Those who
love sweets have Jlabis and pure Khoya to eat. It is a great fair which provides lot of
entertainment, natural scenery, joy and spiritual experience.
Another 8 kms from Sudhmahadev is an enchanting hill resort of Mantalai. Located at the top
of a hill and surrounded by tall Deodar trees giving fresh and cool air. It is believed that Lord
Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married there. There is a Shiva temple with a pond by its side.
Patnitop to Sudhmahadev (J&K)
This moderately difficult trek connects Patnitop with a historical temple at Sudh Mahadev.
The route hugs the Shivgarh ridge between an altitude of 2500 to 2700 metres. Shivgarh ridge
is home to a few families of the near threatened, Himalayan vultures. This is a 15 kilometre
treks that usually takes 5 hours to complete.
