RISHIKESH
The tall multi-tier temple visible from Laxman Jhula in most postcard photos — striking to look at from outside, but the interior floors are mostly small shrine rooms with little to see; treat it as a 10-minute photo stop rather than a destination.
Also known as Tera Manzil ('thirteen floors') Mandir, this temple near Laxman Jhula is believed by locals to be around 1,000 years old, with tradition crediting the 8th-9th century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya with its founding. Its name Trayambakeshwar refers to Shiva's three-eyed form, per the legend that his third eye appeared on his forehead after his consort Parvati playfully covered his other two eyes. Unusually for a Hindu temple, it houses multiple deities across its thirteen floors rather than a single main shrine, with the primary Shiva sanctum located at the very top.
