Temples in Himachal

Himachal Pradesh is quite aptly called "Devabhoomi" - Abode of the Gods. There are more than 2000 temples and religious places scattered all over the state. Many of these are quite well-known and attract thousands of devotees throughout the year.


Naina Devi Yatra - According to legend, Lord Shiva’s consort Sati once burnt herself alive in Yagna to avenge an insult to Lord Shiva. The distraught Shiva picked her corpse and gyrated his horrified dance. Then Lord Vishnu unleashed his Chakra and cut the Sati’s body into fifty one pieces to save the earth from Shiva’s wrath. All the fifty one places - where parts of Sati's body fell, became known as Shakti Peeths.


Jawalmukhi ( Jwala Ji ): Jwalaji (flame) or Jwala Mukhi (flame mouth) is probably the most ancient temple discussed here besides Vaishno Devi. It is mentioned in the Mahabharata and other scriptures. There is a natural cave where eternal flames continue to burn. Some say there are seven or nine flames for the seven divine sisters or the nine Durgas. It is here that Sati's tongue fell which can now be seen in the form of the flame.


Mata Chintpurni and Chamunda Devi - The temple dedicated to Mata Chintpurni Devi is located in a village of the same name in District Una, Himachal Pradesh. Devotees have been visiting this Shaktipeeth for centuries to pray at the lotus feet of Mata Shri Chhinnamastika Devi and Mata Shri Chintpurni Devi. They bring with them their worldly concerns and seek blessings from the Devi. It is believed that if you ask something from the Devi with a true heart, your wish will be granted.


Baijnath & Laxmi Narayan Temple : built in 804 A.D. and dedicated to Shiva Vaidyanatha. Its tall shikhara carved in stone is framed by the imposing snow capped peaks of Dhauladhars. The linga enshrined in its sanctum is one of the 12 jyotirlingas in the country. Every year during the Shivratri fair, thousands of pilgrims descend on Baijnath for the colourful fair and festivities. It is 16-km from Palampur and 56-km from Dharamsala.


Baba Balak Nath : A cave temple of Baba Balak Nath is located in Deothsidh , in the Dhaulagiri Hills of Hamirpur, is a noted place of pilgrimage. Pepole come here to seek the blessings of Baba Balak Nath all the year round. It is situated on the border of Bilaspur (70 Kms), Hamirpur (30 Kms) and is well connected by roads from all sides.


Bijli Mahadev -Hadimba Temple : 10kms. from Kulu across the Beas river, Bijli Mahadev temple is one of the striking temples in the temples strewn district. It can be reached by a tough but rewarding climb of 10 kms. trek. From the temple a panoramic view of Kulu & Paravati valleys can be seen. A 60 feet high staff of Bijli Mahadev temple glistens like a silver needle in the sun. in this temple of lightening it is said, the tall staff attracts the divine blessings in the form of lightening. The rest of the story can be heard from the priest, which is un-believable but true.


Hadimba Temple: is one of the most important temples in the region. This four story wooden temple is located in the middle of a forest called the Dhungiri Van Vihar. From the name of the forest parkland this temple derives its name. This temple was erected in 1553 and is dedicated to Goddess Hadimba.
Renukaji Temple : It is believed that Rishi Jamdagni, displeased by his wife Renuka, instructed his son Parshuram to behead her. The son obeyed his father's wishes. Pleased at Parshuram's loyalty, the Rishi granted his son a wish, and Parshuram asked for the restoration of his mother to life.

Tourist places in Himachal

There are a large number of tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh virtually peppers the tourism map of the state. While the entire state is replete with adventure destination, inviting trekking routes, religious sites and eco tourism destinations, the main tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh comprise of its picturesque hill station



Some major tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh are:

Shimla: Once the summer-capital of British India, it is now the capital of the state . Although, a little overcrowded now-a-days, the city still retains its charm and still favourite with the tourists.

Manali: By virtue of the splendid scenery, this is more famous as an idyllic honeymoon destination. It serves as the gateway to the valleys of Lahaul and Spiti.

Dalhousie: Hidden under the thick growth of deodars, pine and red and pink rhododendrons, Dalhousie still remains off the beaten track. With the old colonial style chalets peeping through the wooded loops, you may feel like the time here has stood still since long.


Dharamsala: Dharamsala is more famous as the abode of the Dalai Lama. Set against the snow-clad Dhauladhar Mountains, the Tibetan township has spectacular landscape. McLeodganj retains its colonial charm.

Kullu: Kullu, once known as Kul-anti-peetha - "the end of the habitable world", is the capital town of the Kullu District, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located on the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Valley .The `Silver Valley` has nature`s treasures that lie carelessly scattered as flowers on the high meadows. This wealth nestles by every tree in the splendid forests, it bursts forth in the blooms and in the fruit of every orchard.

Himachal in Snow

Way to Himachal

By plane
Shimla, Kullu (for Manali) and Kangra or Pathankot (for Dharamsala) have small airports, with services largely limited to Delhi. Flights are frequently cancelled or delayed by adverse weather. In addition the airport in Pathankot (Punjab) can be a convenient connection for Dharamsala and Dalhousie.

By train
Few points in Himachal are easily accessible by train, but there are narrow-gauge railways from Pathankot (Punjab) to Kangra and Kalka (Haryana) to Shimla. This will take you through beautiful rural Himalayan regions. The ride beyond Kangra is amazing. You ride along the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas via Palampur and Baijnath to Joginder Nagar. The region is criss crossed by rivers and streams.

By bus
Bus is the only practical means of getting to many points in Himachal. All cities of interest have direct services to Delhi, and the Dharamsala-Manali-Delhi triangle is fairly well served. Note that travel times are long and the roads often hair-raisingly hilly.

About Himachal

Nestled in the bosom of glorious Himalayan ranges, Himachal Pradesh is a surreal North West Indian State that enchants you with heavenly locals and enchanting attractions.
Himachal Pradesh, the land of eternal snow peaks abounds in exotic valleys, glorious green hill-slopes, snowcapped mountains, gushing streams and the hills of Himalays welcome the tourists from all over the world. In this mountain wonderland, the pace of life is measured and tranquil. Himachal Pradesh is full of hill resorts, pilgrimages, adventure sports destinations, and wildlife that attracts a wide range of tourist traffic.
Today, Himachal Pradesh is one of the most important tourist destinations in India. It also has excellent trekking. Main tourist complexes are Shimla, Palampur, Dharamsala, Kulu-Manali, Chamba-Dalhousie. Temple at Bhima Kali, Sarahan, Hatkoti, Jwalajee, Chamunda Devi, Chintpurni, Renuka and Rewalsar, Deoth Siddh and Naina Devi are major attractions for pilgrims. Tourist complexes are also being set up at Keylong, Kaza, Sangla, Shoja, Kalpa, Khadrala, Kharapathar, Chindi, Bharmour, Chansal and Naggar castle. Hang-gliding competitions are held in Kangra valley. Solang Nallah slopes are getting popular for winter sports. There is an art gallery in Naggar and museums in Chamba, Shimla and Dharamasala. The beautiful tourist resort of Khajjair in Chamba district has been christened as the Switzerland of Himachal Pradesh