THE MAHAKAL TEMPLE DARJEELING | মহাকাল মন্দির দার্জিলিং | A UNIQUE MIXTURE OF SANATANI AND BUDDHISM

THE MAHAKAL TEMPLE DARJEELING | A UNIQUE MIXTURE OF SANATANI AND BUDDHISM | মহাকাল মন্দির দার্জিলিং | MOSES Where is Mahakal Mandir Darjeeling? Observatory Hill is a hill near Chowrasta square, or The Mall as it is popularly known, in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Views of snow-clad peaks, including Mount Kanchenjunga, are visible from the Observatory Hill. The Bhutia Busty monastery was originally located here. Now the hill has the temple of Mahakal. What is the story of Mahakal Mandir Darjeeling? 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. Legend has it that three Shiva-Lingas (the gold-plated rocks that can be seen inside the temple today) representing Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar (Shiva) manifested themselves at the site in 1782. The monastery itself was plundered and destroyed in 1815 during the Gorkha invasion after which it was shifted to Bhutia Busty about a mile away and was called the Bhutia Busty Monastery. The Temple is a much revered and visited religious shrine of the area. Across the temple premises, there are many other smaller shrines dedicated to Hindu gods and goddesses including Lord Shiva, Siddhi Sai Baba, Hanuman, Lord Ram, goddess Kali, and goddess Durga. The temple complex is not the only space atop the hill—there are a few caves and tiny rock-like structures hidden away in the lower parts of the hill. Legend has it that the name Darjeeling was derived from the name of the monastery 'Dorje-Ling' itself. In Tibetan, Dorje means thunderbolt (originally the scepter of Indra), and Ling means a place or land, hence “the land of the thunderbolt.” Disclaimers: Collected from different Google sites. How far is mahakal mandir from darjeeling mall? The Mahakal Temple is located on Observatory Hill, just a short 10–15 minute walk (approximately 500 meters to 1.2 kilometers, depending on the specific path) from the Chowrasta Mall in Darjeeling. Temple opens early in the morning and stays open till late afternoon. It is accessible only by a steep, pedestrian-only uphill path behind the mall area, adorned with prayer flags. Cabs and other vehicles are not allowed in the Mahakal mandir area. However, you can ride a horse or pony from Chowrasta. Be careful of the monkeys on the route, they can your snatch food. #darjeeling #travelvlog #spirituality #sanatani #travel #darjeelingsiliguriindia #darjeeling_tour #mahakal #mahakalkepujari LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & COMMENTS