Opening Hours: Open daily 5 AM-7 PM
Prime Day & Hours: Monday to Friday 7 AM - 11 AM
Suggested Duration: 2-3 hours
Tickets: Free entry
Nearest Railway Station: Jammu Tawi Railway Station, approx 5 km away.
Nearest Airport: Jammu Airport (IXJ), approx. 8 km away.
Nearest Bus Stop: Jammu Bus Station, approx 4.2 km away.
With a view of the Tawi River and situated in an acacia forest, Peer Kho Cave Temple is one of the earliest Shiva temples in Jammu. Constructed during the reign of Raja Biram Dev, the temple is well-known for its rich spiritual significance and natural tunnels. The most interesting thing to see is the holy cave where Guru Ghareeb Nath, a saint of the Gorakh Nath order, practiced meditation. Here, you can observe the three shikharas of the temple, a big courtyard, and caves devoted to Jambavant, Navadurga, and Lord Shiva.
Inside, you can view finely carved idols, a naturally occurring Shiva lingam, and old paintings on the ceilings. Find the path that goes to the Jambavant Cave, which is thought to be linked to Amarnath. During your Kashmir trip, as part of the Jammu and Kashmir tour packages, you can see statues of the goddess in all nine of her forms at the Navadurga shrine. Discover the temple complex, which also has a huge Shivlingam on the lawn, a Gorakhnath dhunni, and a Shani Dev shrine.
• Enter the Peer Kho Cave Temple, a marble white underground temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• Discover the secret cave where Jambavant is said to have meditated in the Ramayana.
• Observe the naturally occurring black Shiva Lingam, which is kept in a 12-foot-tall cave and is used by devotees for dedication.
• Enjoy the colourful Mahashivratri or Shravan Purnima to see lavish ceremonies, elaborate temple décor, and significant devotee crowds.
• Admire the three shikharas, the painted dome in the Dogra and Mughal styles, and the narrow cave passages that lead to shrines.
• Observe the Gorakhnath dhunni (holy fire) burning continuously in the temple courtyard, which is surrounded by calm shrines and prayer areas.
By Road: Peer Kho Cave Temple is about 3.2 kilometres from the Jammu city centre. Thus, it will take you about 10 minutes via Jammu Flyover and Circular Rd, whether you drive a car or take a taxi, or bike.
Peak Season (April to June & September to October)
Shoulder Season (July to August)
Low Season (November to March)
Best Time of the Day: Visit during morning hours, as afternoons can get very crowded.
Best Day of the Week: Weekdays are ideal since weekends often see a heavy rush.
Why visit?
Know Before You Go
You can descend 20 to 30 feet to reach the cave with the black stone Shiva lingam. Observe how beautifully it is coated with a silver yoni and rests on a base of white marble. Spot the lingam surrounded by a copper snake, and see water falling from a copper jar hanging from the ceiling onto it.
To get to the shrine of the Nine Goddesses, you can walk along a narrow pathway. As you walk around, you'll see images of Maha Devi, Bhadrachani Devi, Kushamandra Devi, Chandra Ghanta Devi, Kalarathri Devi, Katyani Devi, Siddhi Devi, and Shri Mata Sakandanatha Devi. On an elevated platform, you can see them all decked up in red sarees.
You can visit the Ghoraknath shrine, which is one of the prime places to visit in Jammu, as it continuously releases smoke in the middle of the temple courtyard. The source of the eternal Dhunni is not visible, so you cannot find it. Among the shrines in the complex, this one stands out because of its unusual layout. You can look at the smoke rise as you walk around.
The history of Peer Kho Temple begins during the 1454–1495 reign of Raja Biram Dev of Jammu. This cave was occupied by a saint from the Gorakh Nath order named Jogi Guru Garib Nath. He was known to the locals as Peer-i-Kho, which translates to "Saint of the Cave," and so the site's name.
The time of Peer Kho Temple is from 5 AM to 7 PM every day. However, the best time to visit is during Puranmashi, Amavasya, and Ekadashi, when special prayers are held.
Peer Kho is also known as the Jamwant Cave, and is one of Jammu's oldest temples. It has religious significance for devotees and is situated in the centre of an acacia forest. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and draws a lot of people on important lunar and holiday days.
Peer Kho Temple was built by Raja Ajaib Dev in the 15th century in honour of Saint Siddha Garib Nath. It is among the oldest in Jammu and shares characteristics with other temples from the Dogra dynasty, such as Purmandal.