Ek Hathiya Deval Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva but
worship is not offered in this Shiva Temple. The temple is located at Baltir
Village around 70 km from Pithoragarh. The shrine got the name Ek Hathiya Temple
because the temple was constructed in a night with a single hand by a sculptor
who had lost his one hand. Ek hath means one hand.
The Shivling in the temple is carved out of the mountain.
No puja and archana is offered in the temple. Devotees
merely have darshan of the Shivling.
The temple door is on the west. The height of main mandap is
1.85 meter and the breadth is 3.15 meter.
Story of Ek Hathiya Deval Temple in Uttarakhand
There lived a sculpture in the region and he was famous for
carving sculptures and building temples. Once he lost a hand in an accident.
The sculpture continued with is work but the villagers of the region stopped giving him work.
An angry sculpture decided to leave the village but before
leaving the village, he carved a temple in one night on a nearby mountain.
In the morning, the villagers were stunned to see the
temple. They searched for the sculpture but could not find him.
The villagers then decided to perform puja but the priests
found out that the Shivling was made in the wrong direction. Therefore it was
not worthy of puja.
There is a small pond near the temple and children take bath
in it after Mundan Sanskar – tonsuring.
Another Story
Once, a sculpture built a beautiful temple. The cruel king of
the region cut one hand of the sculpture so that he did not carve more beautiful
temples.
But his cruel act did not deter the sculpture, he carved a
Shiva temple in a night and the left the region.
The villagers were happy with the temple but did not perform
puja fearing the king.