В отдаленном районе Лахуль открыт древний храм Мелинг с 84 естественными лингамами Шивы

The Meling Mahadev Temple is an ancient, sacred, and lesser-explored spiritual sanctuary located in the remote and high altitude Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh. Nestled in what is traditionally called the Tapovan valley, this temple is revered as a deeply tranquil place of meditation. The mythology of the temple, according to the caretaker priest Pratap, Goddess Sati, the consort of Lord Shiva, jumped into a sacrificial fire (Havan Kund) and died after her father insulted her husband Lord Shiva at function. An angry Shiva took on his all-destructive Rudra incarnation that would manifest in destroying the universe. To save the universe from his all-encompassing rage, however, the furious Lord withdrew into isolation and chose the serene environment of Meling to undergo a deep, thousands-of-years-long meditation so as to restore his peace. The defining feature of this temple is the presence of 84 naturally, self-manifested (Swayambhu) Shivlings have emerged out of the the earth. Believers hold that these natural stone formations are representative of Lord Shiva’s divine family. In the temple complex is abundant grove of sacred Belpatra trees (Aegle marmelos), which are rare for this high-altitude alpine terrain and are considered symbolic of Shiva’s intensive penance. As Lord Shiva is believed to reside here in his meditative form, a strict local custom requires visitors to maintain absolute silence and avoid speaking loudly inside the sacred premises. Folklore narrates the tale of Lord Shiva undertaking a sacred trek to Manimahesh Kailash peak in Chamba from this location. This temple is about 40 km from Keylong and near 80 km from Manali. On entering Lahaul after passing through Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh Highway, one needs to head into the Pattan Valley road and after passing Kishori and Nalda villages, you reach Meling. The best time to visit Meling is from May to October. From November to March, heavy snow often cuts off access to to the valley. Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice. He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express. With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology. Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.