Dimapur Shiva Temple

Introduction to the Dimapur Shiva Temple

Dimapur Shiva Temple is a famous temple at Singrijan village, Dimapur, Nagaland. Devotees from across the city visit the temple frequently. Despite the dominance of Christianity in Nagaland, the popularity of the Dimapur Shiva Temple stands as a testament to the communal harmony in the state.

Legend of the Dimapur Shiva Temple

According to the legends, once a tribal went to the Rangapahar Reserve Forest with his wife to earn his daily bread. The tribal sharpened his knife on a mysterious stone. As he rubbed his knife against the stone to sharpen it, some liquid started oozing out of the stone. The tribal panicked and left the forest.

During the night, he dreamt that the stone appeared as a saint and claimed to be Shiva. The saint in the dream told him to build a temple in the forest. In the morning, the tribal woke up and ignored it, thinking it was just a dream. However, he had the dream three more times. The fourth time, the saint again warned the tribal that if he failed to build a temple, he would face problems.

The next day, the tribal shared his dream with all the villagers. So, the villagers started to construct a temple there. During the construction, they faced a huge problem. They were unable to lift the Shiva Lingam. On that day, an older villager dreamt that the Shiva Lingam could be moved and made to stand erect only if seven unmarried (Kanya) offered milk to it. So, the seven Kanyas provided milk, and all the villagers worshipped Shiva. The Shiva Lingam was made to stand, and villagers worshipped Shiva daily.

The Architecture of the Dimapur Shiva Temple

The local villagers constructed the temple in 1961. The Dimapur Shiva Temple is built in the typical North Indian temple architecture style. It is simple and sprawls over a small area.

The entrance of the temple has an iron gate. There are some small buildings on both sides of the way to the temple. The main shrine has a Shikhara (tower) painted in golden yellow. Many bells are hanging at the entrance of the sanctum. Inside the sanctum, Shiva graces in Swayambu form as the presiding deity. The Shiva Lingam is on a circular platform. A Trident (Trishul) and a snake idol are behind the Shiva Lingam. The entire mosaic flooring is brown. A bronze Nandi statue is installed. An iron stand is adjacent to the Nandi idol, tied up with numerous orange ropes. Many small tents and trees are around the temple premises.

Festivals in the Dimapur Shiva Temple

The Dimapur Shiva Temple grandly celebrates Mahashivratri every year. Huge crowds throng the temple to visit and worship the deity from far-flung areas.