Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple

Kirateshwar Mahadev stands on the bank of the Rangit at Legship in West Sikkim, and the tradition attached to it is the Kirata episode of the Mahabharata — Shiva appearing to Arjuna in the form of a hunter. It is among the oldest Hindu shrines in the state.

The temple is kept by Sikkim's Nepali-speaking community and its principal observance is Bala Chaturdashi, in the month of Mangsir, when pilgrims scatter seed along the path through the night. Mahashivratri is the other occasion the site fills.

Legship is about two hours from Gangtok on the road to Pelling, and the temple is a short walk from the highway down to the riverbank. It is an open site with the Rangit beside it, and most visitors combine it with the west Sikkim circuit rather than travelling for it alone.

Timings

6:00 AM – 6:00 PM

How to reach

Jorethang · 12 km

Locality

On the Rangeet, Legship