Visit Harihar Dham in Giridih: Home to The Biggest Shiva Lingam in The World (2024)

Giridih is one of the most famous districts in Jharkhand. Not only is the area known for its coal mines, but also, it is famous for its scenic beauty and religious sites. As the entire district of Giridih is surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful hillocks, its natural view is quite stunning. Apart from hilly terrains, the district is filled with the lush greenery of forests. Now, there are many tourist spots in Giridih that are worth seeing at least once in your life, but we are here to talk about one site in detail and that is Harihar Dham which is one of the main attractions of Giridih. Now, if you are a Hindu devotee, you might already know about the said site. In case you have no idea, keep reading. Harihar Dham in Giridih is one of the major pilgrimage destinations in Jharkhand that has the biggest Shiva Lingam in the world. When you will enter the temple, the first thing that you will notice is the magnificent Shiva Lingam. As the structure has a height of 25 feet, it is impossible to not pay attention to it.

There is also a temple located on the premises of Harihar Dham, where Hindu pilgrims visit throughout the year. As the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and there is a massive Shiva Lingam located over there, the region gets quite crowded during the time of Mahashivratri and Shravan. Hindu pilgrims from different parts of India visit there to worship Lord Shiva. Many people go there to pour holy water on the deity on the day of Nag Panchami. Nag Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of Shravan. The celebration of Nag Panchami includes worship of a cobra. Not only spiritual people but tourists who are not religiously inclined visit the temple throughout the year. Most people go there to gawk at the 65-feet Shiva Lingam. The view of the structure is genuinely awe-inspiring. You will be surprised to know that it took over 30 years to complete the structure. Moreover, as Harihar Dham is spread over an area of 25 acres, people love spending some time over there. If you are interested in visiting Harihar Dham, you will find this blog quite handy. Here, you will get all the necessary information regarding the blog in great detail. Keep on studying this article to know the important points that will help you plan a trip to Harihar Dham without any hassle.

Interesting Facts About Harihar Dham

Apart from being the home to the largest Shiva Lingam in the world, Harihar Dham is quite well-known for another major reason. Did you know, this temple is the only place in the world where the maximum number of people get married every year? The local people of Giridih have a term for getting married in the premises of Harihar Dham. It is known as “Chat Mangni Pat Biyah.” Now, this term in English translates to, “Quick Engagement, Even Quicker marriage.” You will be surprised to know that not only does Harihar Dham holds the record for a maximum number of marriages per year, but also, it breaks its own record every year. One of the main reasons why so many people get married over there is that, Hindu people consider Lord Shiva to be auspicious. They feel by getting married in front of the deity, they will lead and happy married life.

Not only Indians but people from abroad have also gotten married on the premises of Harihar Dham. There are many Shiva temples in India but none of them has the record of allowing these many people to marry on their premises. You might be lucky enough to witness an impromptu marriage ceremony on the premises of the temple on your visit there. Apart from the massive Shiva Linga, there are some smaller Shiva Statues and Lingam as well inside the temple. People usually worship and offer holy water to God on the said statues during Sharavan or Nag Panchami. You will be surprised to know that this temple along with the Shiva Lingam was built by the Late Chief Justice of Kolkata High Court named Amarnath Mukhopadhyay. He commissioned the construction of the temple in 1987.

Apart from shrines, Harihar Dham has a massive marriage hall. The aforementioned marriages take place in this hall. Not only Shiva temple, but there is a Radha-Krishna temple located in the temple complex also.

Easiest Ways To Reach Harihar Dham

There are multiple ways through which you will be able to reach Harihar Dham pretty easily. The temple complex is located in the Bagodar area of Giridih district of Jharkhand. Now, the distance between Bagodar and Giridih town is around 55 km. So, to reach the location of the temple from Giridih, you will have to book a car or get on a bus. As the public transportation of Jharkhand is quite good and Harihar Dham is one of the most popular tourist spots, finding a bus or car to travel there will not be a problem. Reaching Giridih from different parts of India is quite easy. You will easily get buses from Asansol, Bokaro, Durgapur, Kolkata, Howrah, Dhanbad, and other towns and cities of West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

If you are planning on visiting Giridih by train, you will have to get on a train to Parasnath station or Madhupur junction. Both the said stations are located 48 km away from Giridih. Now, there is a station in Giridih, but only one passenger travels there five times a day. You might not be able to avail of that train. That is why it will be better for you to avail trains to Parasnath or Madhupur stations.

If you want to visit Giridih through an airplane, you will have to avail of a flight to Ranchi. The nearest airport from Giridih is located in Ranchi and the distance between them is 138 km. From Ranchi, you will have to rent a car to travel to Harihar Dham.

Months To Consider While Visiting Harihar Dham

Even though Giridih is best enjoyed in the winter season, it will be better for you if you visit Harihar Dham in March, July, and August. We have mentioned earlier that Harihar Dham is majorly known for the Shiva temples and Shiva Lingam. Now, people from all over India visit the temple to worship Lord Shiva during the time of Mahashivratri, Nag Panchami, and Shravan Poornima. We have mentioned March, July, and August because Mahashivratri, Nag Panchami, and Shravan Poornima usually occur in March, July, and August respectively every year. If you are a devotee of Lord Shiva, visiting the temple in the said months will be best for you.

In case you are not that spiritually inclined, you will have a better time visiting the temple between November and February. Not only will the climate of Giridih be quite comfortable at that time, but you will be able to avoid the extreme crowd that is gathered during the aforementioned months in the temple complex. You will also get to explore different sightseeing spots of Giridih quite comfortably by visiting there in the winter.

Must-See Places Near Harihar Dham

There are many tourist spots located near Harihar Dham that every traveler must visit while exploring Giridih. In the following section of the blog, we have included some of the most famous tourist sites located over there.

1. Kabir Gyan Mandir

Kabir Gyan Mandir is one of the most famous spiritual centers located in Jharkhand. The complex was constructed by Saint Gyananand Ji. One of the main reasons why people visit this site is that it allows you to meditate peacefully and help your mind focus. There is a temple named Guru Govind Dham located on its premises that is dedicated to Saint Kabir and Lord Narayana. There are many Satsang Chambers located there as well where you will get to spend some spiritual time. As this site is located at a two-hour drive from Harihar Dham, it will be better for you if you book a car to reach there.

The distance between Harihar Dham and Kabir Gyan Mandir: 66 km.

2. Usri Waterfalls

Usri waterfall is one of the most famous waterfalls in India. It is located at a three-hour ride from Harihar Dham in the Giridih district of Jharkhand. As the height of the fall is 39-feet, the cascading water of the fall looks breathtakingly beautiful. The waterfall gets connected to the Barakar river and most people love to spend some time at its bottom. If you go there, do not forget to spend some time at the lower tier of the waterfall. Most people visiting Giridih do not forget to explore the Usri waterfall.

The distance between Harihar Dham and Usri waterfall: 76 km.

3. Baidadih

Baidadih is the perfect place for you if you are a nature lover. Surrounded by mesmerizing hillocks and green forests, Baidadih is one of the most beautiful places in Giridih. This site is located only 9 km away from the main city center of Giridih town. This village is also famous for Laxmi Puja. If you visit there, you will also get to see the life of the local people living there. The site is even more beautiful during sunrise and sunset.

The distance between Harihar Dham and Baidadih: 76 km.

Top Hotels To Stay Near Harihar Dham 

In this section of the blog, we are going to provide you with the details of the top hotels located in Giridih. The following hotels are located at a driving distance from the temple.

1. Hotel Orbitz

Locate right beside Giridih railway station, Hotel Orbitz is one of the most popular hotels in Giridih. With 24 well-maintained and clean rooms, banquet hall, gym, and in-house restaurant, Hotel Orbitz is a great place to stay for a few days. The best part about this establishment is that all the major sightseeing spots in Giridih are located quite close to there. By staying there, you will have no problem exploring Harihar Dham. The travel desk at the hotel will organize a car for you quite easily.

Address: IMS Road, near Kutiya Mandir, Paratdih, Giridih, Jharkhand 815301.

Phone Number: 088773 88889

Website: http://www.theorbitretreat.com/.

Price of a room per night: INR 2100.

2. Hotel Mansarovar

Hotel Mansarovar is one of the most affordable hotels to stay in Giridih. It is located only 4 km away from Giridih railway station. All the rooms of this property are quite comfortable and well-maintained. With a beautifully landscaped garden and transport facility, this hotel is quite good if you are planning a trip within the budget. Moreover, the hotel is pretty close to Usri falls.

Address: Tundi Rd, near Shiv Mandir, Tiranga Chowk, Giridih, Jharkhand 815301.

Phone Number:080848 02492

Website: http://www.hotelmaansarovar.in/.

Price of a room per night: INR 800.

3. Hotel Ashoka International

Located right beside Giridh railway station, Hotel Ashoka International is one of the most popular places to stay in Giridih. Not only are the rooms of this property extremely luxurious, but the service offered by its staff is quite good also. The travel desk of this establishment will allow you to visit Harihar Dham quite easily. This hotel comes with an in-house restaurant and a bar.

Address: Gandhi Chowk, Giridih, Jharkhand 815301.

Phone Number: 092048 56846.

Website: Not available.

Price of a room per night: INR 1700.

Harihar Dham is so much more than a Shiva temple in Jharkhand. It is a site where people from every section of the society gather around to take part in communal festivals. By visiting this temple complex, you will get to learn a lot about Jharkhand and its people. We hope by studying this blog you got all the information that you need to know for creating the perfect itinerary for your trip to Giridih.