Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Hindu temple in Pauri Garhwal, India.

Neelkanth Mahadev is a Hindu temple in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, about 32 km from Rishikesh, at the confluence of the Pankaja and Madhumati rivers. Its tiered, pyramid-style shikhara follows the Dravidian (Pandya) model, and the front is enclosed by a wire-mesh cage over a metal frame. Behind the mesh stand many painted figures, and a banner across the base reads "श्री नीलकंठ महादेव मंदिर".

According to Hindu sacred texts, this is where Shiva consumed the Halahala poison from the Samudramanthan, turning his throat blue and giving him the name Neelkanth. He then meditated for 60,000 years beneath the Panchpani tree at the confluence of the Pankaja and Madhumati rivers, where the Garbha Gruh now stands, and installed the throat-shaped shivalinga there.

The name combines two Sanskrit words referring to a deity with a blue throat, worshipped here for centuries. Devotees arrive before sunrise and hear temple bells echo through the valley as priests light oil lamps and recite mantras.

The path from the riverbank climbs uphill through rhododendron forests and can become slippery during monsoon rains, so sturdy footwear is advised. The main hall is reached by several steps, with a stone railing offering support during the ascent.

The shikhara carries sculptures of Devas and Asuras depicting the Samudramanthan, the churning of the ocean; the Hindi source adds that a large painting at the Garbha Gruh doorway shows Shiva drinking the poison. On the hill opposite stands a temple to Parvati, Shiva's consort.