Continuous heavy rainfall in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, caused the Tamsa river to overflow and flood the famous Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple. Water entered the temple cave, submerging the Shivling and also rose in the courtyard up to the statue of Lord Hanuman, though the sanctum sanctorum remained safe. As per the reports, the heavy rainfall was caused by a cloudburst which occurred late on Monday night, leaving streets submerged and vehicles washed away. Rivers such as the Sahastradhara and Chandrabhaga have also overflowed.
The Tapkeshwar temple is located on the banks of a small river in the Garhi Cantt area, about 5.5 km from Dehradun City Bus Stand. It is well connected by road and draws large numbers of devotees, especially during the Shivratri fair.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand | Tamsa river in spate and Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple inundated as heavy rainfall lashes Dehradun.
Temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi says, "The river started flowing heavily since 5 AM, the entire temple premises were submerged… This kind of situation had… pic.twitter.com/4E6PhKBM6K
— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2025
A special feature of the temple is the Shivling inside a natural cave, where water droplets continuously fall from the rock ceiling, giving the temple its name, Tapkeshwar.
Priest confirms safety of Sanctum
Temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi told ANI that the river began flowing heavily around 5 am, flooding the entire temple premises. He said such a situation had not occurred in a long time and that damages had been reported in several parts of the temple. He also urged people to stay away from rivers during this time. Importantly, he confirmed that the sanctum remains safe and no human lives have been lost.
“Losses have been incurred at various places. People should avoid going near rivers at this time. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is safe. No human loss has been reported as of now,” he said.
Locals recall their narrow escape
Local residents described how quickly the water surged into the cave temple. One local told ANI that around 4:45 am, water entered the cave and the level soon rose to nearly 10–12 feet, even covering the Shivling.
Devotees trapped inside managed to escape with the help of ropes as the water kept rising.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while speaking to reporters, said, “There has been a lot of damage to houses and government properties. Livelihood is affected. We are working to get things back on track. Connectivity has been disrupted at several places”.
Adding to that he said, “PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with me this morning and took all the details. They assured us that all possible help will be provided.”
