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Daksha Mahadev Temple

#7of 7 places to visit in HaridwarHaridwar, Uttarakhand

Also known as Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple · Sati Kund

Quick answer

Opening hours: 06:00–20:00. Entry is free. Allow 45 min. Best time: 07:00 – 09:00 AM.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: World8115 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening hours: 06:00–20:00; 06:00 AM – 08:00 PM daily; some sources list an earlier 4:00 AM opening for the sanctum's first aarti.
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 45 min
Best time of day: 07:00 – 09:00 AM
Best months: Oct – Mar
Address: Kankhal, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249408

About Daksha Mahadev Temple

Daksha Mahadev Temple stands in Kankhal, about 4 km from central Haridwar, on ground that Hindu tradition identifies as the site of King Daksha Prajapati's fire sacrifice (yajna) — the episode in which his daughter Sati, humiliated by her father's refusal to invite her husband Shiva, immolated herself in the sacrificial flames. Shiva's grief-driven fury, embodied in his fierce form Veerbhadra, is said to have destroyed the yajna and beheaded Daksha, who was later revived with a goat's head after the gods interceded. The temple's adjoining tank, Sati Kund, marks the traditional location of the self-immolation itself. The present temple building dates to 1810, funded by Queen Dhankaur of the Darbhanga royal family, with a further reconstruction in 1962 that preserved the core 19th-century layout while renewing the structure.

Best time of day: 07:00 – 09:00 AM. Before the temple's midday crowd builds and while the Sati Kund tank beside the sanctum is calm enough for an unhurried look.

Daksha Mahadev Temple timings

Daksha Mahadev Temple opens at 06:00 and closes at 20:00. It keeps the same hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Opening hours: 06:00–20:00; Mon–Sun 06:00–20:00; 06:00 AM – 08:00 PM daily; some sources list an earlier 4:00 AM opening for the sanctum's first aarti.
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	06:00–20:00

Good to know: The temple sees a major surge during Maha Shivratri, when queue-management barricades extend well beyond the courtyard.

Opening hours compiled from uttarakhandtourism.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Daksha Mahadev Temple ticket price

Entry fees for Daksha Mahadev Temple
Ticket	Price
Indian visitors	Free
Foreign visitors	Free
Children	Free
Camera	Free

Entry is free, as of 2026, verify at the counter for any restrictions during festival crowding.

Prices compiled from uttarakhandtourism.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Daksha Mahadev Temple

Quiet
Moderate

06:00 – 09:00
Morning Aarti
Local Kankhal residents form the bulk of visitors; a genuine neighbourhood-temple atmosphere with short waits.
Moderate
09:00 – 13:00
Late MorningBest time to go
Quietest stretch of the day, good for an unhurried look at the Sati Kund tank and sanctum.
Quiet
13:00 – 17:00
Afternoon
Consistently calm through the afternoon heat.
Quiet
17:00 – 20:00
Evening Aarti
A second wave of local devotees for the evening ritual; still well below the density of Haridwar's riverside sites.
Moderate

History of Daksha Mahadev Temple

Kankhal's association with King Daksha predates any surviving built structure at the site by a wide margin — the town is named for Daksha's original settlement in Puranic tradition, and the yajna-and-Sati narrative is one of the foundational stories in the Shiva-Shakti mythological cycle, later giving rise to the 51 Shakti Peethas (including Haridwar's own Maya Devi Temple) as Sati's body, carried by a grieving Shiva, was cut into pieces by Vishnu's discus across the subcontinent.

Queen Dhankaur of the Darbhanga royal family funded the temple's construction in 1810, replacing whatever earlier shrine structure had marked the site. A 1962 rebuilding refreshed the temple without substantially altering its footprint, and the complex today includes the main Shiva sanctum alongside the Sati Kund tank where the self-immolation is traditionally located.

Rules & etiquette at Daksha Mahadev Temple

Footwear is removed at the temple gate, with a free rack available. The Sati Kund tank is treated with particular reverence given its mythological association — visitors are expected to observe rather than bathe, unlike the more recreational ghat pools elsewhere in Haridwar.

Maha Shivratri (typically February or March) brings the temple's largest annual crowd by far, with queue barricades extending into the surrounding Kankhal lanes; visiting outside this festival window is markedly calmer. Standard Shiva-temple etiquette applies — leather items are best left outside the inner sanctum, and modest dress is expected.

Tips for visiting Daksha Mahadev Temple

1
Daksha Mahadev Temple pairs naturally with a Kankhal neighbourhood walk, since the town also hosts several other historic ashrams and is a short hop from Patanjali Yogpeeth for travellers interested in the area's modern Ayurveda institutions. Auto-rickshaws from Har Ki Pauri run frequently and cheaply given Kankhal's status as a well-established pilgrim suburb rather than an outlying village.
2
Visit in the early morning to see the temple functioning as a genuine neighbourhood shrine rather than a tour-bus stop — Daksha Mahadev sees far fewer foreign and domestic tour groups than Har Ki Pauri or the hilltop temples, and the calmer pace suits unhurried mythological context-gathering from the priests on duty.

How to reach Daksha Mahadev Temple

The red star is Daksha Mahadev Temple; the numbered pins are the 5 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Kankhal, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249408Directions in Google Maps

From Har Ki Pauri
₹100–130
4 km · 12–15 min
Auto-rickshaw
From Haridwar Junction Railway Station
₹100–130
4 km · 12–15 min
Auto-rickshaw
From Patanjali Yogpeeth, Kankhal
₹50–70
2 km · 8–10 min
Auto-rickshaw

Nearest airport

From Jolly Grant Airport (DED), Dehradun

approximately 40 km, 65–80 minutes by road.

Nearest railway station

From Haridwar Junction (HW)

approximately 4 km, 12–15 minutes by auto-rickshaw.

Daksha Mahadev Temple FAQs

What is the mythological significance of Daksha Mahadev Temple?

The temple marks the traditional site of King Daksha Prajapati's fire sacrifice, where his daughter Sati immolated herself after Daksha refused to invite her husband Shiva — an episode that later led to Shiva's fierce form Veerbhadra destroying the yajna and beheading Daksha.

How old is the Daksha Mahadev Temple building?

The current structure dates to 1810, funded by Queen Dhankaur of the Darbhanga royal family, with a further reconstruction in 1962 that preserved the original layout.

What is Sati Kund inside the temple complex?

Sati Kund is the tank adjoining the main sanctum, traditionally identified as the location of Sati's self-immolation. Visitors are expected to observe it respectfully rather than bathe, unlike Haridwar's recreational ghat pools.

When is Daksha Mahadev Temple busiest?

Maha Shivratri, typically in February or March, brings by far the largest annual crowd, with barricades extending into the surrounding Kankhal lanes. Visiting outside this festival is considerably calmer.

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 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places