There are large number of temples in Kishtwar district. But it is hard to describe all of these. I try to discuss some of these which are in main Kishtwar town and not outside this.

1. Shri Gori Shanker Mandir Sarkoot:- Gori Shanker temple is the most ancient temple of this area.This temple holds a central place in Kishtwar.This temple is also known as Sarkoot-Mandir. This temple is very attractive. There are different types of idols of various Gods and Goddess namely Shiv Parvati, Shri Raghunath Ji, Maa Sita, Shri Laxman Ji, Shri Hanuman Ji, Maa Durga, Shri Ganesh Ji, and Shri DharamRaj Ji are placed there. There are also placed various types of Shiv-Lings. In left of this temple there is a big Hawn-Kund and beside this there was a Samadhi of Saint Shri Tulsi Giri Ji Maharaj. In front of this, there is a beautiful pond locally called as Sarkoot Dal which gives a fascinating view to this. In its back side, there is a large Saray/Dharamshalla meant for piligrims. All types of facility is available there for piligrims. This temple is maintained by a social organization under the supervision of Acharya Shri RamSharan Dass Ji.   Masses of Kishtwar support this organization socially and financially. There is a beautiful park in front of it. There is also a parking place for vehicles. This temple is located on the western side of the Chowgan. This is about 1km far from the main Bus stand of Kishtwar. Daily Prayers, Kirtaan Celebrations, different festivals, Yag-Hawn, and Bhandara are organized in this temple. The JanamAshtami and Sarthal Devi processions start from this Gori Shanker temple. The Kishtwar development authority has constructed a park beside the temple and is a proposing to develop the near by lake so as to make the place a center for tourists and pilgrim’s attraction.

2. Aassht Bhuja Maa Durga Mandir Hatta:- This temple is situated in the Hatta village of District Kishtwar. Temple containing a stone idol of goddess having eight arms. This temple is about one and half km away from main bus stand and 500mtrs approx. from Gori Shanker Mandir Sarkoot.

3. Ganesh Mandir Poochal:- This temple is situated in the Lower Pochhal Village of Kishtwar. In this temple, idols of Lord Ganesha are placed. This temple is about 3km away from the Bus Stand Kishtwar.

4. Shiv Mandir Poochal:- There are two temples of Shiv Ji in Poochal village. These temples are situated in the Upper Poochal in which the shiv-lings are placed in both temples. Its distance is same as of Ganesh Mandir Poochal from the Bus Stand Kishtwar.

5. Maa Aatharan Bhuja:- This temple is also situated in poochal village. This temple containing an idol of Maa Aatharan Bhuja which means a Goddess having eighteen arms.

 

6. Neel Kanth Mandir:- This temple held a unique place in Kishtwar. This is a double story temple in which the statue of Shiv-Parvti’s are placed. There is a Shiv Ling also, besides this there are small idols of Nandi Gans. In the outside room, there are the stone images of Maa Durga and Hanuman Ji are placed. This temple is well for seen. This is situated in the below market near Hidyal Chowk Kishtwar.The temple is situated in the heart of Kishtwar town was detroyed by the forces of Raja Bhupat Paul of Basholi, under the command of his wazir. He took away the preciuos and rare lingam of the temple to Basholi where it was placed in a temple, which is still there. The temple at KIshtwar has now been constructed with the efforts put in by Shri Vinod Bhandari and others and attracts devotees in large numbers. About Neel Kanth Mahadev lingam, taken to Basholi, Hashmatullah Khan writes, ‘It was the family idol of the kings of Kishtwar, its color resembled Sapphire. Any one, who would look at it would see the details of his previous life’. It was due to this power of the lingam that under the orders of the king of Basholi, the lingam was taken there and installed in a temple.

7. Shri RaghuNath Mandir:- Shri Ram Mandir is one of the ancient temple of Kishtwar. There are little-little idols on the walls of this temple. The idol placed in the temple are very beautiful. The Janam Ashtami festivals are celebrated in these temples.These temples are situated at the little distance on the upper side of Kishtwar Bus stand.The Hindu consider these temples very important. Beside this temple, there are other small temples in which idols of different Gods like Shri Hanuman Ji, Shiv Ji and Shiv Lings are placed. There is a small beautiful ground beside this temple.

8. Kartik Swami Mandir Nagni:- The place at a distance of 3kms. from Kishtwar and connected with a road is another beauty spot, where from the view of Kishtwar town, Dul-Hasti Project Colony, and its beautiful surroundings, Nagin Shiru peak to its north and roaring Chenab to its South can be seen conspicuously. The premises of the ‘Kartik Swami’ temple are situatd at prominent place. “Kartik Swami’ the eldest son of Lord Shiva is the deity of the Hindus of Kishtwar. Before the start of a function or a festival at home, the members of the family, first, pay their obeisance to Kartik Swami and seek his blessings for the success of the function. After Raksha Bandahan, people along with thir relatives and friends hold functions here. It is a tradition in Kishtwar that the families where male babies are born in a particular year visit tha shrine of Kartik Swami after Raksha Bandhan, along with friends and relatives for thanks giving and paying homage to their deity. At this occasion rams are presented to the deity and sacrificed and the guests entertained with feasts. There is a vast ground in front of the temple, a two room suite, a kitchen and a toilet for the convenience of the pilgrims.

9. Shiv Mandir Kishtwar:- This temple held a auspicious place in the town. This temple is 108yrs. old and also known as “Waziroon ka Mandir”.There are total nine Shiv-Lings in which eight Shiv-Lings surrounds the big one. There are also different small temples of Radha-Krishan, Hanuman Ji and Shani Dev. This temple is situated in the Baaghwan Mohalla of Kishtwar and nearly 10mtr. far from the main Bus Stand Kishtwar.

10. Maa Shitla Mandir Panditgaam:- In Panditgaam village of Kishtwar, temple of Maa Shitla is very historical and ancient. This temple is about 1500yrs. old. This temple is situated in the sloppy area of this village. This is about 1.5km away from the main Bus Stand Kishtwar and touches NH1B near Kokilla Chowk Kishtwar which is 150mtr far from that place.

11. Laxmi Narayaan Mandir Shalimar:- This is not a ancient temple in the town. This temple is constructed in year 1986 when the project Dul Hasti starts in Kishtwar district. There are beautiful idols of Laxmi Narayaan in this temple. Near this temple, there is another Shiv temple in which the idols of Lord Ganesha, Nandi Gaans and Shani Dev are placed. The hall of this temple is so big in which daily prayers, Bhajan-Kirtaan etc. is done. This temple is under-construction. This temple is situated in the Shalimar-Colony of Kishtwar.

12. Shiv Mandir Simna Colony:- This temple establishes in year 1977 at Simna Colony Kishtwar which was constructed by Jai Prakash Associates. Foundation of this temple is done by Shri Ashok Sharma, Camp In-charge and Field Coordinator in JP Ltd. Entrance gate of the temple is from south side. Beside the main gate of the temple, there is a beautiful little stone image of NandiGan. Shiv Ling is placed in the middle of the temple. In this temple idols of Shiv Ji, Maa Parvati , Shri Kartik Ji and Shri Ganesh Ji are placed. In the back side of the temple there are two small temples of Shri Shani Dev and Shri Annapurana Ji. In the right side of the temple a big idol of Shri Hanuman Ji which is formed on white marble. This temple is so beautiful, but on the occasions of different festivals this is well decorated with electric lights all around it which adds on its beauty.

13. Maa Durga Mandir Semina:- This temple is about 5800ft. above from sea level. In 1975, this temple was reconstructed by Late Sh. Amar Nath Thaattar and Late Sh. Bhagat Ram Shan. There are no external (financial or social) help to construct this temple. In these day, seven families including Shan and Kapoor are living there. They collect money from every family and use this in further construction of the temple. You can see whole Kishtwar city from this temple. This is about 1km away from the main Bus Stand Kishtwar.

14. Satya Narayaan Mandir Pohie:- In 1990, the idol of Shri Satya Narayaan Ji were placed in the temple at Pohie village of Kishtwar. This is about two and half kilometer away from the Bus Stand Kishtwar. Metador and other private vehicles(Auto) facilities are available there to reach this place.

15. Shiv Mandir Hidyal:- Construction work of this temple starts on 17 Oct 1993, and completed on 23 Mar 2001. You can see the Black Marble Shiv Ling is placed in the temple on which the image of Nag Devta is formed. In front of this, white marble idols of Shiv Parvati looks so beautiful and very attractive. This temple is situated in the Hidyal village of Kishtwar and near about 700mtr far from Bus Stand Kishtwar.

16. Shiv Mandir Wasser:- In 1990, construction work of this temple was completed. Shri Roshan Lal, Shri Ranjit Singh and Shri Munshi Ram (Sarpanch) were donated their land for temple. Shiv Ling is placed inside the temple. Machail Yatra procession (Chaadi) stops here for some time. This temple is just on the right side of the NH-1B and about 1.5km away from the main Bus Stand Kishtwar.

17. Shiv Mandir Zewer:- On the day of Raksha Bandhan in year 2004, this temple was established. This temple is full with the idols of different Gods and Goddess. This temple is situated in the Zewer village of Kishtwar which joins the NH-1B with link road (Om Mehta Marg) at a distant of 200mtr. from Bus Stand Kishtwar.

18. Aap Shumbu Mandir Kulid:- This temple was constructed in year 1838. This temple is situated in the Bun-Kulid village of Kishtwar which is near to SSP office and opposite to Helipad. It is locally known as “Jangam ka Mandir” where the huge black colored Shiv Ling ( Aap Shumbu) is placed. This temple includes other idols of different Gods and Goddess. This place is 2km far from main Bus Stand.

19. Radha Krishan Mandir Zelna:- This temple was constructed in 1975 under the supervision of Late Sh. Nihal Chand Sen. In this temple, the beautiful idols of Radha Krishan are placed. This temple is situated in the Zelna village of Kishtwar which is connected through NH-1B to the rest of the City and near about 2.5km away from main Bus Stand Kishtwar.

20. Shiv Mandir Zelna:- This temple was constructed in the memory of Late Sh. Vinod Kumar Shan in the year 1992 by his brother Sh. Tilak Raj Shan. This is a small temple in which Shiv Ling is placed. This temple is on the right side of the Radha Krishan Temple.

21. Laxmi Narayaan Mandir Brahamaan Mohalla:- This temple is situated in the middle of the Brahamaan Mohalla Kishtwar. This temple was constructed under the supervision of Pandit Sh. Hari Lal Ji. In this temple, white marble idols of Laxmi Naryaan Ji, one small Shiv Ling, statue of Nag Devta are placed both of these are made up of black marble. This temple is very beautiful.

22. Hangpati Mandir Pohie:- This temple is situated in the Pohie village of Kishtwar. This temple is constructed by Maharaja Kahan Pal who came in Kishtwar with his brave soldiers of different castes Rana and Sen. Members of Rana’s family works there as a priest. In these days, there is a very small temple of Hangpati. This temple is situated in the sloppy hilly area which is near about 200mtr far from the pohie village.

23. Shiv Saar Mandir Matta:- This temple is situated in the Matta village of the district. One small Shiv Ling is placed in this temple. Beside this, a huge tree of Chinar is there which adds its beauty, drinking water facility is also available there.

24. Maa Aathara Bhuja Mandir PDC Colony:- This temple is situated in the PDC colony of Kishtwar which is between the Wassar and Pohie village of Kishtwar. this is a newly formed temple in which the idol of Maa Aathara Bhuja is placed.

25. Shiv Mandir Kuleed:- This temple is located in the middle of the village Kuleed, in which the Shiv Linga is placed.

 

There are big temples in Palmar, Dachhan, Thakrie and other places also but only Sarthal Devi and Chandi Devi Machail are more famous. It will not be out of place to call Paddar an area of temples.