The words 'Parad Shivling' have been derived from
'parad' (meaning mercury) and 'shivalinga' (a sacred symbol of Lord
Shiva). That's why, the Parad Shivling is also sometimes referred to as
the Mercury Shivalinga. Among other holy sites of
Pilgrimage in
Haridwar, this shivlingam has a lot
of religious significance. Since Lord is the supreme god in the Shiva
tradition, Hindus can never afford to miss a visit to the Parad
Shivling.
The Parad Shivling can be reached by traveling a distance of 6 km from
the sacred town of Haridwar in Uttarakhand to Kankhal. The shivling is
located inside the compound of Harihar Ashram. Visitors and pilgrims can
use various modes of local transport to reach the site.
Devotees mainly visit the Parad Shivling to get
blessed by Lord Shiva. Though the shivlingam is the major attraction
here, visitors also view the Rudrakhsha tree which has stood here for
many years. Hindus believe that rudraksha (the seeds of the holy tree)
can heal a wide range of ailments. Devotees who come here don't miss to
collect the rudraksha from this tree. They wear the rudraksha to get rid
of multiple problems in their lives.
The weight of the Parad Shivling is around 150 kg. A huge number of
devotees as well as tourists from all across the globe travel to Kankhal
to pay a visit to the shivling and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. In
any case, don't miss a visit to the Rudraksha tree at the Harihar
Ashram.
