Ranbireshwar Temple

The largest north Indian temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Ranbireshwar Temple is one of Jammu’s biggest crowd-pullers. Located along the busy streets close to the Secretariat, this ancient shrine was built back in 1883 by Maharaja Ranbir Singh. The temple is divided into two distinct halls—decorated with images of the Ganesha and Kartikeya respectively—and the highlight here is the mammoth 8-ft-tall Shiva lingam (made from black marble) looming high in the central sanctum of the temple. In addition to that, the Ranbireshwar Temple has an additional 12 lingams (carved out of crystal) rising between 15-38 cm in height. The best time to visit is during the aarti in the morning and evening.