Himachal Pradesh Temples

Temples of Himachal Pradesh



A number of pilgrimage centers and Hindu temples are situated in Himachal Pradesh. There are more than two thousand temples in Himachal Pradesh. These Himachal Pradesh Temples are also magnificent works of architecture. The temples are the centers of attraction for the visitors and tourists. Many of them are also associated with ancient legends.

The different temples in Himachal Pradesh are summarized under :

Naina Devi Temple



India is well known for the Religious Places. A number of pilgrimage centers and temples of the Hindus are situated in Himachal Pradesh. Naina Devi is one of the most famous Hindu Temple in Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the Shakti Peeths of India. The temple of Naina Devi is situated in the district of Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh. There is a famous mythic legend that is associated with Naina Devi in Himachal Pradesh.

According to the Hindu legend, Sati burnt herself alive to avenge an insult to her husband, Lord Shiva. But Shiva furious with rage and grief, picked up the body of Sati and started his gyrating dance known as the Tandava dance in the Puranas. To stop the horrifying dance by Lord Shiva and to save the universe from his wrath, Lord Vishnu decided to stop him. Lord Vishnu, with the help of his Chakra, cut the corpse of Sati into fifty one pieces. Thus wherever the pieces of Sati's body fell is known as a Peeth. There are fifty one Peeths on earth. And these Peeths are considered to be very sacred and worth visiting for the Hindu pilgrims.

It is believed, according to the myths, that Sati's eye fell at the very place where the Naina Devi in Himachal Pradesh is built. The word Naina is associated with the eye of the Sati. Among the Temples in Himachal Pradesh, this sacred temple is the most visited one. The Govind Sagar Lake and Bharka Dam is situated near this temple.

Jawalamukhi Temple



Jawalamukhi temple is one of the most visited Temples in Himachal Pradesh. According to Hindu legend, the tongue of Sati fell in the place where the temple is being erected. The Hindu Temple is built in homage to goddess Jawalamukhi, also known as Maa Jwala Ji. The meaning of Jawalamukhi is mouth of flames and Jwala Ji means flames.

The temple of Jawalamukhi in Himachal Pradesh is situated only at a distance of 34 km from the Kangra Valley. The devotees of Sati believe that there are nine flames that burn permanently. As the legends go, Sati burnt herself alive as she felt humiliated on her husband Lord Shiva being insulted. On finding this, Lord Shiva started his Tandava Dance. To save the earth from the wrath of Shiva, he cut the corpse of Sati in fifty one pieces. The places where the body parts of Sati fell came to be known as Shakti Peeths. The Jawalamukhi temple has thus become a religious place as it is considered to be a Peeth.

The Aarti session of the Jawalmukhi temple is the main attraction. The Aarti takes place five times a day but the one performed during the evening, known as the Shaiyan Aarti is the most splendid one. There are precious ornaments and valuable dresses that are kept inside the temple. Tourists and devotees from different parts of the world come to Himachal Pradesh to visit the temple of Jawalmukhi. Generally they attend the grand puja that takes place in the temple.

Mata Chintpurni & Chamunda Devi



The temples of Mata Chintpurni & Chamunda Devi are located in Himachal Pradesh. These Religious Places are visited by a number of devotees and tourists. Both the temples are very commonly visited by the pilgrims. These Temples in Himachal Pradesh, are ancient ones and are associated with myths from Hindu legends.

R> The Laxmi Narayan Temple was constructed in the tenth century. The Shikhara style of architecture is evident from the temples situated in the complex. The rulers of Chamba took care to maintain these temples. Each of the rulers also contributed to the construction of the different parts of the temples. The ancient legends presume that Raja Sahil Verma built the temple of Laxmi Narayan Temple. The temple is kept for the tourists and the devotees from 6 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.30 to 8.30 pm.
The Baijnath & Laxmi Narayan Temple in Himachal Pradesh is the recognized Religious Place of India.

Bijli Mahadev temple



The temple of Bijli Mahadev is situated in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh. The altitude at which the temple is situated is about 2,438 meter amidst a beautiful location. From this temple magnificent scenery of the valleys of Kullu and Parvati can be savored to one's full. This temple of Bijli Mahadev is considered one of the sacred Temples of Himachal Pradesh.

Since the Bijli Mahadev temple is located at such a high altitude, that it glistens like a needle in the bright sunlight. There goes an ancient belief that the priest of the temple has to restore the Shiva linga placed inside the temple after every lightening. It has been so believed by the devotees because it is thought that the Shiva linga shatters to pieces with the flash of lightening. There goes this eternal cycle of destruction and restoration of the Shiva linga in the temple of Bijli Mahadev. The Lord Shiva is believed to control the energy released by the atmosphere and thus protects the earth from destruction. Actually there is a 60 feet staff that is placed above the temple. This staff attracts the lightening which breaks the Shiva linga.

The Bijli Mahadev has become center where the devotees of Lord Shiva come to pay homage. It is considered to be a holy Pilgrim Center for the Hindus. The sacred temple is also visited by the tourists coming to the state of Himachal Pradesh. This temple situated in the lap of the hill can also be reached by trekking.

Hadimba Temple



The Hadimba Temple is built to pay homage to Devi Hadimba. The second pandav, Bhim was the husband of Hadimba. The Renukaji Temple is built near the Renuka Lake. It is built in the memory of Renuka.

The Hadimba Temple is built to pay homage to Devi Hadimba. The second pandav, Bhim was the husband of Hadimba. The story of the Mahabharata says that Bhim killed Hadimba's brother Hadimb, a demon and married Hadimba in due course. After Hadimba's marriage to Bhim, she undertook a penance and gave birth to a son known as Ghatochkach. In the later years her son emerged to be a brave fighter. From then onwards, Hadimba is worshiped as Devi Hadimba, a goddess.

Hidimba Devi Temple Video


Maharaja Bahadur Singh built the Hadimba Temple in the year 1533. The architecture of this temple is worth appreciating. The special feature of the Hadimba Temple is the roof that has the shape of a four tiered pagoda roof.

The temple also boasts of its beautiful carved door made of wood. In May every year, a fair is arranged in the temple of Hadimba. Another fair is held during Dussehra. The Hadimba Temple is easily accessible to the visitors and the tourists in Himachal Pradesh by roadways. They can avail a bus service to reach the temple.

Renukaji Temple



The Renukaji Temple is one of the major Hindu temples in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is an important pilgrimage site in the Sirmour district of the state. The principal shrine at Renuka which is also known as the 'Math' was built in 1814 by the Gorkha raiders. The shrine is home to a stunning deity of Goddess Renuka Devi.

The Renukaji Temple is the most significant site of worship and tourist destination in the district of Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh. The distance from Nahan is approximately 40 km. The place enjoys good connectivity through metalled motorable ways. There is a popular lake known as the Renuka Lake. There is another lake in the area which is named Parshu Ram Lake and it is assumed to symbolize Lord Parshu Rama. It lies near the Renuka Lake which indistinctly looks like a human body. There is a saying that the mother of Parshurama sanctified into water as a result of which this sacred water body was created. At the corner of this holy water body, you will find a host of lofty palm trees and this makes the place a perfect spot for picnic in the day. The site gets crowded by devotees at the time of the Renuka Fair which is held in November and is famous for an amazing range of pursuits.

There is another myth associated with the Renuka Lake which says at the time when Rishi Jamdagni was executed by the wicked Sahasarjuna and when he attempted to kidnap Renuka, Renuka jumped into the water. Her life was reinstated by the deities. As a consequence, this lake is looked upon as her incarnation.

The pilgrims regard the Renuka lake as an incarnation of Renuka, who was the mother of Lord Parshurama and spouse of Rishi Jamdagni. At one time, Rishi Jamdagni became angry with Renuka. He ordered Parshurama to cut off Renuka's head. The obedient son had no option to go against his father. When Parshurama performed the task that was ordered by Rishi Jamdagni, he was not able to endure the death of Renuka, his mother. His father was also regretful and upset regarding the heartrending event. Rishi Jamdagni at that moment ordered Parshurama to breathe life into his mother. His son, who was the embodiment of Lord Vishnu, did it instantly which otherwise was an unattainable job.

Mythologies claim that Lord Parshurama, after this event, moved towards Mehendra mountain for carrying out contemplation. Since he made a vow to come to his blessed mother every year, the Renuka fair is celebrated as a festive event to honor the happening. As a result, this fair is being organized for more than hundreds of years.
At the time of the Renuka fair, the statue of Lord Parshurama is carried by devotees in a vibrant parade in the bedecked palanquin. This parade begins at Jamu village and ends at Dadahu which is situated at a distance of 9 km. The distance of Renuka temple from Dadahu is only 2 kilometers. The statues of local goddesses like Masu and Kattaka are also taken out. When the parade receives a customary reception in Dadahu, it heads in the direction of the 'Parsuram Temple', which is the heavenly dwelling of Lord Parshurama. On the day of Ekadashi, Parshurama becomes the visitor of Renuka, his mother. The following day, Parshurama gets back to Jamu. The mela carries on for a period of seven days and presentations and shows by cultural bands is one of the salient features of this event as well. The display of a collection of things created by different government divisions and tourism agencies draw a significant number of footfalls as well.

The objective of celebrating this event is to have a reunion between the mother and son every year since Parashurama wanted to spend an endless period of time at the feet of his mother.

How to reach Renukaji Temple

By Rail: The nearest railway station is Ambala, lying at a distance of 63 km from Nahan. Other major railway stations include Chandigarh (95 km) and Dehradun (105 km).
By Bus: Nahan is well joined by roadways. Taxis and buses run from Chandigarh and Ambala. The distance from Delhi is 315 km.
By Air: The closest airport is Chandigarh, which is situated at a distance of 87 km from Nahan. Dehradun is another airport near Nahan.

Last Updated on 17/5/2013

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