From being the winter capital of Jammu & Kashmir to being called as the 'City of Temples', there are some interesting facts that make Jammu an attractive place for travel. Many temples that include the famous Vaishno Devi Temple are located here.
Let us take a trip to Peer Kho cave temple in Jammu which is one of the famous temples of the city. Peer Kho temple is located close to Tawi river in Jammu, and is also called 'Jamwant Cave'. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the oldest temples in the city.
Legend Behind Peer Kho Cave Temple
The antiquity of the temple or the shrine is not known, yet religious scriptures and Hindu mythological scripts like Ramayana say that this was the cave where Jamwant, the bear God, had meditated.
Photo Courtesy: Jammu Culture & Heritage
Architecture of Peer Kho Temple
The cave temple complex consists of two caves of around 20-30m depth each. A number of marble paved stairs take you to the first cave, and one has to bend to get to the cave, as the path is narrow. You can find the second cave at the end of this cave tunnel. The second cave being a larger one, devotees can stand comfortably inside. The Shivalinga which is believed to be swayambhu (self-manifested) is located here.
The cave is said to be connected to several other caves within the country and is also believed to have a path leading to other religious sites outside India.
Festivals at Peer Kho Cave Temple
The major festivals celebrated here are Navratri, Raksha Bandhan, Shravan Punarmashi, Amavasya and Ekadashi. Devotees throng in to the temple during these festive seasons to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.
Temple Timings: 5am - 7pm (closed for some time around 12 noon)
Photography: Cameras/mobile phones are not allowed in the temple premises
Photo Courtesy: Jammu FB Page
Hotels Near the Temple
There are some good hotels and stay options near the temple. Some of them are Hotel Novelty, Maharaja Hotel, Raghunath Hotel and Hotel Asia Jammu Tawi.
How to reach Peer Kho Cave Temple
Once you reach Jammu, you can hire a taxi to the temple which is not more than 4km from Jammu. Here's how to reach Jammu.
Take a trip to this mysterious cave temple in Jammu that is believed to have gateways to several other shrines around the world!