Uttarakhand's Dharmeshwar Mahadev: Where Yamraj's court decides your afterlife

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) : It is said that after death, every human being must answer for their deeds. The good and bad deeds of life determine the next life, but do you know where the accounts of deeds are settled after death?

There is a temple in Uttarakhand where humans are required to account for all their deeds. It is believed that visiting this temple while alive grants salvation. We are talking about Dharmeshwar Mahadev.

Dharmeshwar Mahadev is a miraculous temple located within the Chaurasi Temple complex in Uttarakhand. It is believed that the court of Yamraj is also held here to settle the accounts of human deeds. In the sanctum sanctorum of Dharmeshwar Mahadev Temple, a pot-shaped Shivalinga is installed, which is considered to be the form of Yamraj. Local belief holds that anyone who does not visit the temple for darshan while alive, has to come to this very place after death to face Lord Dharmeshwar Mahadev. The temple draws a special crowd on the occasion of Bhai Dooj. Sisters come to the temple for special darshan to pray for the long life of their brothers.

Lord Shiva, enthroned as Yamaraj, keeps track of human deeds with the help of Chitragupta. A place is dedicated to Chitragupta at the back of the temple. On the ground, you'll find a black stone and a slab with lines etched into the stone. It's believed that this determines whether a person will go to heaven or hell.

Furthermore, a short distance from the temple is a place called Dhai Pauri. Dhai Pauri is a place where those who died untimely deaths are supposed to spend the rest of their lives. Any devotee who visits the temple is considered a must to visit these three places. Regarding the temple's history, it is believed that Maharaja Krishna Giri performed his spiritual practices at this very site, establishing it as a sacred place.