Holy places in Himachal Pradesh

Holy places in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is well-known for its spectacular sights, hill stations, and its glorious temples. The state is full of breathtaking holy places and diverse cultural history. The different aura of the holy places provides a different satisfaction to the devotees. The chirping of the birds, flowing streams, & pine trees along with the lush green valleys make your travel an absolutely pleasant & enjoyable experience. Various famous holy places in Himachal Pradesh are mesmerizing.

Here is the list of grand holy places in Himachal Pradesh:

1.      Chintpurni Temple: The temple & popular holy place is situated in the Una district where the Goddess Chinnamastika is worshipped. Devotees travel to this temple in the hopes of getting their wishes fulfilled. The best time to travel to this holy place is between October & March.

2.      Jwala Devi Temple: Jwala Devi temple is located in the Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh and is well-known for being one of the fifty-one Shaktipeeths in India. It is situated at the Jwalamukhi village in Kangra. This temple is believed to be the place where the tongue of Sati has fallen. As per the legends said by the locals, a shepherd first saw a raging fire on top of the hill and told the king. Later the king went and saw Goddess Jwala Devi and later decided to construct a temple.

3.      Hadimba Devi: Hadimba Devi temple is the most famous temple in Manali and has a triangular top classified into 3 segments. The temple has 4 storeys and is made up of wood. Hadimba was a mother of Ghatotkach and used to visit here to meditate. The main thing for which this five-hundred-year-old temple is revered is the footprint of Mata Hadimba. The temple was constructed by Raja Bahadur Singh and during the fair or mela “Saroohni”, there are a higher number of pilgrims in his remembrance. Ladies come from nearby and faraway towns to celebrate the birthday of Mata Hadimba Devi by worshipping her with even higher enthusiasm.

4.      Chamunda Devi Temple: The Chamunda Temple is located ten kilometers from Palampur in the district of Kangra and it is also well-known for its scenic beauty. Chamunda Devi is regarded as a mother goddess in Himachal. As per the legend, around four hundred years ago, a priest and the King of Kangra prayed to the goddess to let them shift the temple to a more accessible location, which the goddess agreed to. The Goddess appeared in the dream of the king and told him where to relocate the temple. Accordingly, this holy place in Himachal Pradesh is now an easily accessible location and is visited by various devotees every year.

5.      Naina Devi: Naina Devi is the most popular holy place in Himachal Pradesh. It is situated in Bilaspur district at an altitude of 1177 m. It is said Goddess Sati burnt herself, this made Lord Shiva furious. When Lord Shiva gets antagonized he performs his Tandav Dance, and so he did holding Goddess Sati on his shoulders. This further led Lord Vishnu to strike his Chakra cutting the body parts of Goddess Sati in several pieces and her eyes fell to this temple. Pilgrims travel to Naina Devi Mandir having faith that Mata Naina Devi will remove every problem from their life and bestow blessings upon them.

6.      Manikaran Sahib Gurudwara: Manikaran is a famous holy place for Sikhs and Hindus. It is situated at a distance of four km from Kasol along the banks of river Parvati in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh. There are different sections made at the bathing place for men and women. The water in these springs has sulphur which is capable of curing diseases. The water is hot enough to cook food by directly placing the vessels and is served as langar

7.      Baijnath: Baijnath temple is located in a small town in Dhauladhar Range and one of the splendid holy places in Himachal Pradesh which is made of Nagri style of architecture. This one 1000-year-old temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Devil Ravana worshipped the lord here. A great throng of pilgrims travels Baijnath temple, especially in the Shivratri festival. There are engravings on the wall interpreting the story of the Baijnath temple.

8.      Baba Balak Nath: It is an ancient Temple and caves situated in the Dhaulagiri range of the Himachal. It is located in the village chakmoh near Kasauli. This temple is thronged by tourists during the Navratri when the devotees visit Myles to worship the Babaji. The temple is beautifully constructed and is carved out of a beautiful hill. It is said to be the residing place for Baba Balak Nath. The popular legend states that couples who are unable to bear children upon Babaji are blessed with a baby. Women devotees are prohibited from entering the cave and worshiping deities from outside the cave.