Jaleshwar Mahadev Temple

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Short description|Shiva temple in Nepal}}

{{Infobox Hindu temple

|name=Jaleshwar Mahadev Temple

|deity=Shiva

|website=

|creator=

|year_completed=

|inscriptions=

|monument_quantity=

|architecture=Gumbaz

|festivals=Mahashivaratri and Basant Panchami

|elevation_m=

|caption=

|locale=

|district=Mahottari

|state=

|country=Nepal

|native_name=जलेश्वर महादेव मन्दिर

|map_caption=Location of temple

|map_type=Nepal Madhesh Province#Nepal

|image=Jaleshwar Mahadev Temple at Jaleshwar , Janakpur.jpg

|coordinates={{coord|26.651107|N|85.796785|E|}}

|province=Madhesh Province

| module ={{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=12 |frame-height=300 | stroke-width=1 |shape-fill-opacity=0.2 |coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}}}

Jaleshwar Mahadev Temple (Nepali: जलेश्वर महादेव मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple of Shiva situated at Mahottari district, Nepal.{{Cite web| title = 10 Lesser Known Powerful Temples in Nepal You Must Visit| work = Detechter| accessdate = 13 March 2021| date = 10 January 2018| url = https://detechter.com/10-lesser-known-powerful-temples-nepal-must-visit/}}

Pilgrims visit this temple on Maha Shivaratri and Vasant Panchami.{{Cite web| last = Mausam| title = Madhes and tourism: Abundant potential| work = The Himalayan Times| accessdate = 13 March 2021| date = 26 October 2016| url = https://thehimalayantimes.com/opinion/madhes-tourism-abundant-potential}} The city of Jaleshwar where this temple is located is named after this temple.{{Cite web| title = Mahottari district – Boss Nepal| accessdate = 13 March 2021| url = http://bossnepal.com/mahottari-district/| archive-date = 16 January 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210116060729/http://bossnepal.com/mahottari-district/| url-status = dead}}

Records indicate that the temple was in existence since the time of King Janak. It is believed that during the marriage between Rama and Sita, soil was taken from this temple.{{Cite web| last = Nepal| first = Raju| title = About| accessdate = 13 March 2021| url = http://www.rajunepal.com/photography/shiva_temples_of_nepal/album/jaleshwor_mahadev_mahottarai| archive-date = 7 October 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211007144241/http://www.rajunepal.com/photography/shiva_temples_of_nepal/album/jaleshwor_mahadev_mahottarai| url-status = dead}} A copper inscription in the temple indicates that to administer the temple, in {{NepaliDateConverter|nepaliyear=1869}}AD, King Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah provided 275 bighas of land.{{Cite web| title = महोत्तरी जिल्लाको प्रसिद्ध धार्मिक तीर्थस्थल जलेश्वर महादेव Nepalpatra| accessdate = 13 March 2021| url = https://nepalpatra.com/visit/88032/}}

The temple is built in Gumbaja architecture style. A square Shiva Linga, submerged in water, lies at the center of the main temple. There is a pond near the temple.

In the year of 1200 BS (1143 AD), the then Mahant of this temple installed a bell at the main gate of the temple Ishannath Mandir at Damani village of the Belsand block in the Sitamarhi district of Bihar in India.{{Cite web |title=सीतामढ़ी जिले का सर्वाधिक प्राचीन एवं प्रसिद्ध शिव मंदिर है बाबा ईशाननाथ मंदिर - Baba Ishannath Temple is the most ancient and famous Shiva temple of Sitamarhi district. - Bihar Muzaffarpur General News |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/muzaffarpur-baba-ishannath-temple-is-the-most-ancient-and-famous-shiva-temple-of-sitamarhi-district-21938450.html |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Jagran |language=hi}}