Baijnath Temple in Palampur of Himachal Pradesh is a popular pilgrimage place and a major shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva which I witnessed in 2011 in an organised tour of Himachal Pradesh with my family. The temple is very old and historic and is being worshipped as early as 1204 AD though it was renovated in 19th century. The temple is also regarded historic because it is believed that Ravana sacrificed his head ten times here and since then there are no Dussehra celebrations in the temple. The temple is built in Shikhara style with gardens and pathways and has exquisitely crafted floral patterns and images of deities on the wall that adds to the overall beauty of the temple.
Another interesting aspect of this temple is that the water at Baijnath Temple is believed to have curative and medicinal properties. Makara Sankranti, Maha Shivaratri, Shravana Mondays, among others are some of the important festivals that are celebrated in this temple with great zeal and splendour. The temple is only 16 kilometres away from main town of Palampur which is easily accessible. Not only domestic, but also international tourists visit this temple during festival season. There are enough number of good hotels and restaurants. I will suggest to avoid sleeper foot wears as it’s a mountain and rocky area but please do not forget to carry camera with you as the surrounding beauty is worth to capture. But those, who are physically weak and having asthma problem, please avoid your travel to this place because of its geographical location and climate.