Kaleshwarnath Temple, Pithampur

Kaleshwarnath Mandir, Pithampur is a temple of Shiva located at Pithampur , Janjgir–Champa district of Chhattisgarh.^[1] The temple is situated on the bank of Hasdeo river. A ten days fair is held here during the festival of Maha Shivaratri and Rang Panchami. Every year on Rang Panchami the procession Lord Shiva is carried out in palanquin. The Shiva Lingum is taken to Ghats of Hasdeo River, where after Holy Bath and Puja it is taken back to temple. Since more than 100 years a fare is being organized in which a group Naga Sadhus also takes part. Over a lakh of people visit temple during ten-days long festive and religious fairs held twice a year. The temple was patronized by Jamidar of Khariar in 19th century, who was not only cured of his stomach ailment but also blessed with two sons. Ever since child-less devotees come here for blessings of child. The records indicate that temple is more than 300 hundred years old, however, the current temple structure as per stone inscription of temple was built by Jagmal Gangji, a railway contractor from Kumbhariya, Kutch^[2] The stone plaque on back of temple mentions that the construction of the temple was started in V.S. 1949 (1892 AD) and was completed on Kartik Sudi 2, V.S. 1953 (1896 AD) by Mistri Gokul Dhanji working under Jagmal Gangji. Jagmal Gangji built the temple at his own cost out of reverence and dedicated it to Hindu community.^[3] Pandit Chhabinath Dwivedi of Champa wrote and published ``Kaleshwar Mahatmya Stotram`` in Sanskrit in 1897 in praise of Lord Kaleshwar Nath of Pithampur. The first Mahant of this Math was Shri Shankar Giri Ji Maharaj and the Math was affiliated to Tilbhandeshwar Math of Kashi. The Thakur family the jamindar of Champa and the Sarbarakar families donated generously from time to time for up-keepment and maintainace of temple. The temple also houses statue of Rani Sahiba of Champa Estate.^{[1][4][2][5][6][7][8][9]}