ALSphere Foundation
After winning Mahabharata, the Pandavas ruled Hastinapur for thirty six years. When Lord Krishna departed from earth, the Pandavas felt that the age of ‘Kal Yuga’ was about to begin. They decided that it was time to renounce the world and find their eternal place in Heaven. For this, they attempted to build a staircase to Heaven at the monolithic Masrur Rock Temples opposite Lake Maharana Pratap Sagar in the Kangra Valley but Indra, the king of ‘devas’ and ‘swarga’ intervened. However, the Pandavas were successful in building such a stairway at ‘Bathu ki Ladi’ along with a cluster of temples or so goes the folklore.
An alternative point of view says that a local king was responsible for the construction of ‘Bathu ki Ladi’.
‘Bathu ki Ladi’ is a string (ladi) of eight temples built with Bathu stone. Hence the name ‘Bathu ki Ladi’. These temples were once surrounded by two layers of strong walls which no longer exist but their gateways still stand carved with images of Kali and Ganesha. Carvings of Vishnu and Sheshnag are also visible. The main temple is dedicated to Shiva and Parvati.
These temples were built in the vicinity of River Beas. In early 1970, the temples got submerged in Maharana Pratap Sagar, a reservoir created by the construction of Pong Dam built across River Beas. The construction of the reservoir, which is more than 1410 feet deep, was started in 1961. So strong is the Bathu stone that the temples are standing strong even after decades of submergence.
In present times, these temples are accessible by boat in the months of May and June when the water level decreases before the onset of the monsoon. Apart from the main temple and the string of temples, a pillar like structure can be seen with a staircase inside it. This stairway is supposedly the ‘Staircase to Heaven’ built by Pandavas.
The stairs are still climbed by enthusiasts when the water recedes almost totally away from the temples in winter, allowing a motorable approach track.
Unique by structure, location and history ‘Bathu ki Ladi’ is a spectacular sight!
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