Baijanath Mahadev, the only temple built by the British

The British ruled India for hundreds of years and built many churches and cathedrals. However, in the 1880s, the Shiva temple at Agar Malwa in Madhya Pradesh was rebuilt by Lieutenant Colonel Martin. It is the only temple built by the British in India.

Baijyanath Mahadev Temple. Source: Delhi.

Colonel Martin had participated in the Anglo. He regularly wrote to his wife, informing him of the situation there. During the long war, the colonel's letters gradually died out. Mrs. Martin, who was living in Agar Malwa, in his canton at the time, was beside himself with grief and fear of the worst. One day she rode her horse past the temple of Baijnath Mahadev. She was in a state of desolation. It was Aarti's time and the sound of conch shells and mantra chanting stopped them. She went to see the worship of Lord Shiva taking place. The priests saw sorrow on her face and asked what happened to her. Mrs. Martin told a sad story.

The Brahmin told her that Lord Shiva would listen to the sincere prayers of all devotees and save them from difficult situations. One of her priests advised her to chant the mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" for 11 days. An Englishwoman prayed to Lord Shiva for the colonel's safe return and promised to rebuild the temple if the colonel returned home safely before the war. It read, "We were regularly sending letters from the battlefield, but suddenly the Patan people surrounded us. We thought there was no way out. Suddenly, a long-haired Indian man wearing a tiger skin and holding a trident I saw a human yogi. He had a striking character and started wielding guns at Afghans who fled the fields in terror.In his grace certain death turned our bad times into victory. Then the great yogi said don't worry, he was so pleased with his wife's prayer that he came to save me. ”

When Martin read the letter, tears of joy and gratitude welled up in his eyes. Her heart was overwhelmed. She prostrated herself at the feet of Shiva's idol and sobbed. A few weeks later, Lt. Col. Martin returned and his wife told him her story. The couple became devotees of Lord Shiva. In 1883 they donated 15,000 rupees for the restoration of the temple. This information is engraved on a plate kept at the Baijnath Mahadev Temple.

Mr and Mrs Martin sailed to England, determined to build a Shiva temple in their home and pray to Lord Shiva until his death. And they did.