Shivaratri fair begins at historic Kathgarh Mahadev Temple

The three-day district-level Shivaratri fair commenced at the historic Lord Shiva temple in Kathgarh, Indora subdivision, on Tuesday. Kewal Singh Pathania, Deputy Chief Whip and MLA Shahpur, presided over the opening ceremony. The fair will conclude on Thursday, with local MLA Malinder Rajan leading the closing event.

Pathania announced the government’s plan to develop a religious tourism circuit in Kangra district, inspired by South India. This circuit will include Kathgarh temple along with Brijeshwari, Chamunda Devi, Maa Jawala, Bagalamukhi, Baijnath and Masroor temples, aiming to make Kangra a religious tourism hub.

Emphasising the cultural significance of traditional fairs, Pathania led a colourful shobha yatra and performed pooja at the temple. He also distributed prizes to meritorious students from the scholarship examination conducted by the Kathgarh temple management committee. Om Parkash Katoch, the committee president, welcomed Pathania and highlighted various temple development initiatives.

The Kathgarh Mahadev Temple is unique as the only Shiva temple where the Shivling is divided into two parts—one worshipped as Lord Shiva and the other as Devi Parvati. It is believed that the Shivling naturally separates and merges based on planetary constellations, splitting in summer and uniting in winter. The temple, built in Mughal style, features a 6-feet-tall and 5-feet-round Shivalinga and is located on the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border.