Situated at an altitude of 1675 m above the sea level, on a hill above
Swarg Ashram, Neelkanth Mahadev is one of the most venerated temples
of Rishikesh. According to Hindu mythology, it is the place where Lord
Shiva drank the venom that came out of the ocean when it was churned
by the 'Devatas' and 'Daityas' in search of 'amrit' (potion for
immortality) to save the world from its ill effects. With the immense
power of control over his body, which came with several years of strict
rituals observed by Him, Lord Shiva was able to stop it in his throat
forever, which though could not harm him but manifested itself in
changing the color of his throat to murky blue color, thus giving Him
the name of Nilkanth (one with blue throat). 12 km from Rishikesh, it is
surrounded by tranquil forests.
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