Baijnath, Temples of Himachal…16
Timeless, grand, picturesque, popular, clean and peaceful. Very few temples have the perfect mix that Baijnath has. It is the setting for the soul.
Timeless worship
It is perched 50 meters high from the undulating Palampur fields. The river Binduka cuts a shallow valley along the edge of the hills. The temple has a recorded and verified history of 800 years; and possibly a timeless one before that. Shiva is worshipped as the Lord of Physicians in Baijnath.
The temple is about fifty feet tall, very grand for this region. The architecture is impressive, with several elements of temple design integrated. Unlike most other temples of Himachal, it also has two balconies at the ground level.
The sculptures are a delight. They are richly carved; and the style and proportions of the sculptures are very uncommon. A standing Nandi and a slightly kneeling Ganpati are wonderful. A dash of hibiscus on the Ganpati; that sight alone captures the joy of idol worship.
Idols, worshipped, adorned
It overlooks the entire Dauladhar range that rises from 500 odd meters to almost 5000 meters in a single vertical span. In between is the shallow valley with a gently flowing Binduka. There are only a few temples that can match the setting, like Kedarnath, Mahabalipuram, Tiruchendur, Somnath..
It is maintained by ASI, so there is a nice clear grassy perimeter; and photographs are allowed. The temple excels in cleanliness even for Himachal standards. The calm of the temple is incredible even though it is on the highway.
For a complete temple experience, Baijnath is one of the places to head to.
I first went to Baijnath in Himachal with my in 2013. I have been there twice since then, once for gratitude and the second time with son; and there will be more times.
The region around has so much to offer; the grand paragliding experience at Bir, the tea estates (overrated) of Palampur, the calm of Kanbari ashram, and the temple stretches of Chamunda and Kangra. It is an endless list.
Along the poong dam 
The Toy Train itself 
Joginder Naar with moonlight
Then the incredible views of Dhauladhar hills from Andretta. Then there is the Barot valley and its funicular which I hope to see one day. The piece de resistance is the toy train that runs from Joginder Nagar to Pathankot. The train travels through unparalleled (and totally underrated) variety of landscapes overlooking lakes, rivers, gorges, snowclad mountains. It is actually a train that transports, without the touristy character of other hill trains.
If you have a chance to spend two or more days out of Delhi, head to Baijnath region. Gaggal airport of Dharamshala is 50 kms from Baijnath.
A short beautiful drive through tea gardens; and then you are at the perfect setting for your soul.
