At Legship in western Sikkim, on the bank of the Rangit river, stands the Kirateshwar Mahadev temple, a revered shrine of Lord Shiva worshipped here as Kirateshwar — Shiva in the form of the Kirata, the mountain hunter. The form recalls the beloved episode of the Mahabharata in which Shiva, appearing as a hunter, tested the valour of Arjuna and, pleased, granted him the mighty Pashupatastra.
Set amid the forested hills of Sikkim with views of the mountains, the temple draws pilgrims especially at the Bala Chaturdashi festival, when devotees gather in great numbers. Kirateshwar Mahadev is among the most cherished Hindu shrines of the eastern Himalayas.