Baba Ganeshananthan Dham is a prominent and sacred temple in Itahara Uparwar village, in the Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh, India. This village is situated on the banks of the holy Ganga River, in a unique spot where the river flows from west to east — a rare direction for the Ganga. It is said that Lord Shiva manifested here in the form of a Linga to bless the sages and purify the land.
The main deity worshipped here is Lord Shiva, revered as Baba Gangeshwarnath. “Gangeshwarnath” means “The Lord of the Ganga”. Devotees believe that Lord Shiva resides here in a powerful and compassionate form, blessing his followers with peace, strength, and spiritual upliftment. A sacred Shivalinga is installed in the sanctum, and daily rituals and abhishekams (ritual baths) are performed with devotion.
The temple architecture is traditional and simple yet spiritually significant. The main shrine houses the Shivalinga, and there are smaller shrines within the complex dedicated to Parvati, Nandi (Shiva’s divine vehicle), and other deities. The temple is built using local stone and brickwork, and features a Shikhara (tower) above the sanctum.
Hundreds of years ago, the land of Itahara was a peaceful and spiritual area with a deep connection to nature and divinity. According to the local belief, a Shiva Linga (symbol of Lord Shiva) was self-manifested (Swayambhu) here. This meant that Lord Shiva revealed himself naturally in this spot, without human involvement. People started worshipping this divine form.
Later, in the 1700s, a devoted man named Shivlal Singh experienced a divine dream or vision in which Lord Shiva instructed him to build a temple at this sacred site. With the support of the King of Kashi (Varanasi), he built a temple to honor this powerful place and named it Gangeshwarnath, meaning “The Lord of the Ganga” (a name of Shiva).
During Mahashivratri and the month of Shravan, the temple becomes a grand center of devotion. Thousands of people offer milk and water to the Shiva Linga, Chant mantras and sing bhajans, walk barefoot to the temple as a sign of penance and devotion.
Locals believe Shiva himself protects the temple and that Baba Gangeshwarnath watches over the village like a guardian.
