India is a land of thousands of temples. But stand unique in the captivating narratives that surround them. One of these is the Stambheshwar Mahadev temple. But what makes the temple so captivating? The answer to that question is that the temple is particularly well-known for disappearing during particular times of the day. Yes, you read that right! The temple completely moves out of sight.

The Shiva linga inside the temple is one of the most ancient ones in the world. According to legend, Kartikeya- the son of Shiva, built three temples to absolve himself from the sin of having killed an ardent devotee of Shiva- the demon Tarakasur. Lord Vishnu suggested that he build shiva lingas and worship them to rid himself of the guilt. Kartikeya thus built three shiva lingas with proper customs in the presence of Goddess Parvati and other Gods. Stambheshwar temple is considered to be one of these three.

The unique thing that makes the temple even more remarkable is that it goes out of sight. As mysterious as it sounds, the reason behind it is entirely scientific. As the temple is located into the sea, it is completely surrounded by water. Therefore, the temple simply submerges during high tide and reappears during low tide. The Garbha Griha, or sanctum sanctorum, is flooded with seawater. Only the pinnacle of the temple remains visible during this period, as it was only recently constructed.

The four-foot-high shiva linga reappears as soon as the water recedes. It is almost as if the structure plays hide and seek with the visitors. But that is the unique charm of the place.

People usually spend a whole day in the temple premises. In the early morning hours of low tide, one can enter the peaceful area and meditate. Devotees spend long hours praying to God Shiva. Then during the hours of high tide, one can witness the temple getting submerged and going out of sight.

The black sea in the night, decorated by the floating flowers and offerings of the temple, is a glorious sight to behold. Worshippers sit on the shore to be able to bear witness to this beautiful scene. The temple disappears and reappears at least twice per day.

It is believed that anyone who comes to this shrine to perform a puja receives a blessing from Lord Shiva himself. Many international devotees undergo long journeys to pay their homage here.

The disappearing Shiva Temple, as it is also popularly known, remains one of the more popular destinations for devotees in the country. It won't be wrong to say that this act of disappearing has made the temple a renowned destination of worship. The temple sees a huge amount of footfall owing to its mysterious story as well as the powers devotees believe the temple represents. Surely, it deserves a visit.