Mankameshwar Temple
#4of 9 places to visit in AgraAgra, Uttar Pradesh
Also known as Shri Mankameshwar Mandir · Maa Mankameshwar Temple
Quick answer
Opening hours: 05:00–12:00 and 16:00–22:00. Entry is free. Allow 45 min. Best time: Mid-morning.
Updated · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read
- Opening hours
- 05:00–22:00
- Entry fee
- Free
- Time needed
- 45 min
- Best time of day
- Mid-morning
- Best months
- Oct – Mar
- Address
- Rawatpara, near Jama Masjid, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282003
About Mankameshwar Temple
Mankameshwar Temple charges no entry fee and operates daily from around 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM as of 2026, with an extended closing of 11:00 PM on Mondays, the day of the week traditionally associated with Lord Shiva. Local tradition holds that the temple's Shiva lingam is swayambhu, or self-manifested rather than consecrated by human hands, and that Shiva himself established it during the Dwapara Yuga, the mythological age associated with the birth of Krishna in nearby Mathura. The temple sits in the Rawatpara neighbourhood of Agra's old city, within roughly a kilometre of both Agra Fort and Jama Masjid, one of the few major religious sites integrated directly into the Mughal-era monument circuit rather than standing apart from it.
Best time of day: Mid-morning. Between the 06:00 Abhishek Aarti and the midday closure, for a quieter look at the architecture outside peak devotional hours.
Mankameshwar Temple timings
Mankameshwar Temple is open 05:00–12:00 and 16:00–22:00. The weekend is no different: Saturday and Sunday follow the same times.
- Opening hours
- 05:00–22:00
Mon–Sun 05:00–12:00 and 16:00–22:00 - Closed on
- Open every day
Good to know: Extended to 23:00 on Mondays, the day of the week associated with Lord Shiva, with additional aarti sessions.
Opening hours compiled from uptourism.gov.in and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Mankameshwar Temple ticket price
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Indian visitors | Free |
| Foreign visitors | Free |
| Children | Free |
| Camera | Free |
No entry fee. The temple operates on voluntary donations. Photography inside the inner sanctum is generally discouraged by temple staff.
Prices compiled from uptourism.gov.in and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Best time to visit Mankameshwar Temple
- Moderate
- Busy
05:00 – 07:00
Mangal Aarti
The 5:00 AM Mangal Aarti and 6:00 AM Abhishek Aarti draw the day's most devoted crowd, especially on Mondays.
Busy07:00 – 12:00
Morning LullBest time to go
A steadier trickle of worshippers and a handful of sightseers, quieter than the dawn aarti window.
Moderate16:00 – 19:00
Evening Reopening
The temple reopens after its midday closure; local devotees stop in on their way home from work.
Moderate19:00 – 22:00
Evening Aarti
Evening prayers bring the second major crowd surge of the day, extending to 23:00 on Mondays with additional aarti sessions.
Busy
History of Mankameshwar Temple
Mankameshwar Temple's exact founding date is not documented, but local tradition and the temple trust's own accounts place its origins at several centuries old, with some claims extending it well over five hundred years, predating the Mughal-era monuments that now surround it in Agra's old city. The name derives from Sanskrit: 'man' referencing the heart or mind, and 'kameshwar' referencing the lord who fulfils desires, reflecting the temple's popular association with granted wishes rather than any specific historical ruler's patronage. Unlike Agra's Mughal monuments, the temple has no single documented architect or construction date, having been rebuilt and renovated by the local Hindu community across multiple centuries as the surrounding city changed hands between the Mughals, the Marathas, and the British. The temple complex today includes subsidiary shrines to Ganga, Gayatri, Hanuman, Saraswati, Kaila Devi, Krishna, Rama, and Narasimha, a pattern common to older North Indian temple complexes where a central deity accumulates a cluster of associated shrines over generations of donation and expansion.
Rules & etiquette at Mankameshwar Temple
Mankameshwar Temple expects visitors to remove footwear before entering the main courtyard, with a shoe-deposit counter near the entrance gate. Modest dress is expected, and photography inside the inner sanctum housing the main Shiva lingam is generally discouraged, though the outer courtyard and subsidiary shrines are more relaxed. The temple's Mangal Aarti at 5:00 AM and other scheduled prayer times draw the largest crowds of worshippers, particularly on Mondays, and visitors interested mainly in the architecture rather than participating in worship may prefer a mid-morning or afternoon visit outside these peak devotional windows. As an active place of worship rather than an ASI monument, there is no ticket counter, security screening, or bag check comparable to Agra's Mughal-era sites.
Tips for visiting Mankameshwar Temple
- 1
Mankameshwar Temple works well as a short stop combined with Jama Masjid and Agra Fort, since all three sit within a kilometre of each other in the dense old-city grid around Rawatpara and Kinari Bazaar. Monday evenings bring the most active atmosphere, with extended hours until 11:00 PM and a steady flow of local devotees rather than tourists, a view of contemporary religious practice that contrasts with the historical monuments dominating most Agra itineraries. The narrow lanes leading to the temple are best reached on foot or by cycle-rickshaw rather than car, since old-city streets in this quarter are too narrow for four-wheeled vehicles. Visiting outside the 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM aarti windows, in the mid-morning lull, allows a quieter look at the temple's architecture and subsidiary shrines without the density of a devotional crowd.
How to reach Mankameshwar Temple
The red star is Mankameshwar Temple; the numbered pins are the 7 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.
Rawatpara, near Jama Masjid, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 282003Directions in Google Maps
From Jama Masjid, Agra
0.8 km · 10–15 min walk
Walkable; cycle-rickshaw ₹30–50
From Agra Cantonment Railway Station (AGC)
₹120–1805 km · 15–20 min
Auto, negotiated
Nearest airport
From Agra Airport (AGR, Kheria)
9 km, 20–30 minutes by road.
Nearest railway station
From Agra Cantonment Railway Station (AGC)
5 km, 15–20 minutes by road.
Mankameshwar Temple FAQs
Is there an entry fee for Mankameshwar Temple?
No. The temple charges no entry fee and operates entirely on voluntary donations, consistent with most Hindu temples in Agra.
How old is Mankameshwar Temple?
Its exact founding date is not documented, but local tradition places it at several centuries old, with some accounts describing it as over five hundred years old and predating the Mughal-era monuments now surrounding it.
What are the temple's opening hours?
It is open daily from roughly 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM and again from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with an extended 11:00 PM closing on Mondays, the day of the week associated with Lord Shiva.
Is Mankameshwar Temple close to other Agra monuments?
Yes. It sits within about a kilometre of both Agra Fort and Jama Masjid in the old city's Rawatpara quarter, making it an easy walkable addition to a same-day old-city itinerary.
Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated . How we rank and check places
Places to visit near Mankameshwar Temple
Straight-line distances from our map; times are estimates.
