Stambheshwar Mahadev temple: A shrine that disappears

Have you ever seen a temple play hide and seek with its devotees? Sounds incredible, right? Well, there is actually a temple in India which illudes its everyone. This is the story of the Stambheshwar Temple of Gujarat, famously known as the ‘Gayab Mandir’.  

Gayab Mandir at a glance 
The Stambheshwar Mahadev temple is a 150-year-old religious shrine, one of the oldest temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in India. It is located in a small village by the name Kavi Kaboi in Jambusar, Gujarat. The temple is situated between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Cambay, just a few meters off the shore. The architecture has nothing to boast about, yet it is one of the most important religious sites in India due to its peculiar location. Let’s see why.   

Why does the temple disappear? 
The Stambheshwar temple is located a few meters away from the Gujarat shore. During high tide, the temple submerges underwater and reappears during low tide. As the sea level rises and falls twice in a day, the temple vanishes under the water. It reappears as the water begins to recede unveiling the 4 ft high Shiva Lingam. The sanctum sanctorum or the Garbha Griha is completely submerged underwater with only its tip seen above the water level.  

Legends of the Stambbeshwar Temple 
One of the 18 Hindu Puranas, the Skanda Purana has references to this temple. It is said to have been built by the Devas (Gods), spearheaded by Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva. Legend says that he slayed a demon named Tarakasur.  

This how the story goes: Despite being a demon, Tarakasur was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He wanted to become a powerful force and performed several penances or ‘tapasya’ to Lord Brahma to impress him. When the time came to ask Lord Brahma for a boon, Tarakasur cunningly asked to grant him a blessing to shield him from death. As death is an inevitable reality, he requested Tarakasur for another boon. This time he wished for his death to come through the hands of a six-year old son of Lord Shiva. Lord Brahma granted him this wish.  

Tarakasur believed that he was now immortal and began to slaughter Gods in a tyrannical manner. To put an end to this chaos, Lord Shiva created his son Kartikeya from his third eye. When Kartikeya turned six years old, he ended up slaying Tarakasur by piercing a spear in his chest. While all the Gods and deities were celebrating Tarakasur’s death, Kartikeya was saddened by his own act. He regretted killing Tarakasur as the demon was a devotee of Lord Shiva and wished atonement for his sins. Lord Vishnu then consoled him that his act was not a sinful deed but that of valour, as he did not kill an innocent person.  

As Kartikeya was still feeling guilty about what he had done, Lord Vishnu advised him to establish Shiv Lingas and worship them devoutly. Kartikeya installed such Shiv Lingas at different places of the country. Stambheshwar temple is one such shrine. In this way, Kartikeya was absolved of his sins.    

So if you are planning a visit to this temple, check the daily tide charts so that you can see the temple submerge and reappear. Typically, the temple is visited by the locals in the early hours before the tide sets in.