Temples Of Himachal

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.

Jawalmukhi 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 goddessJawalmukhi, also known as Maa Jwala Ji. The meaning of Jawalmukhi is mouth of flames and Jwala Ji means flames.

The temple of Jawalmukhi 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 Jawalmukhi 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.

The temples of Mata Chintpurni & Chamunda Devi are located in Himachal Pradesh. TheseReligious 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.

The temple of Mata Chintpurni is dedicated to Mata Chintpurni and Chhinnamastika Devi. It is located in the Una district. The deity has derived such a name from the idol of goddess Durga in the temple, which is without a head. According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu cut the corpse of Sati in to fifty one pieces with his chakra to stop the wrath of Lord Shiva. It is believed that the feet of Sati fell in this place where the temple has been built.

The devotees coming to the temple believe that if anything is asked from the Goddess with a pure heart then the wish is fulfilled. During the festival of Navratri, the devotees of the Goddess gather in the temple premises. Mata Chintpurni temple is also a sit for observing a number of North Indian festivals.

The temple of Chamunda Devi is located 8 km away from Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. According to the Hindu mythology, the trunk of Sati had fallen in this place after her body is cut into fifty one pieces by Lord Vishnu with his chakra. According to another myth, the goddess of the temple beheaded Chand and Munda, two demons. The other name for Chamunda Devi is Mahakali. Thus the temples of Mata Chintpurni & Chamunda Devi are considered as the Shakti Peeths in India.

The Baijnath Temple is the site for Hindu pilgrimage from the ancient days in Himachal Pradesh. This Temple in Himachal Pradesh is also magnificent works of architecture. The temples are the centers of attraction for the visitors and tourists. They are also associated with ancient legends.

The Baijnath temple is located in the Bias valley of Himachal Pradesh. It is a temple that had been dedicated to Siva Vaidyanatha meaning the Lord of the physicians. The architecture of the temple of Baijnath is fascinating. It stands out from all the other temples in the locality.

Laxmi Narayan Temple is one of the oldest temples and also the largest one, situated in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. There are six temples that are situated in the complex of theLaxmi Narayan Temple. These six temples are situated from north to south. They are dedicated to Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu. Some of the temples located in the complex are the Shiva temple, Gauri Shankar temple and Radha Krishna.

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. Laxmi Narayan Temple in Himachal Pradesh is the recognized Religious Place of India.

The temple of Baba Balak Nath is an important Pilgrim Center in Himachal Pradesh. The temple is situated in the district of Deothsidh in Himachal Pradesh. The tourists as well as the followers of Baba Balak Nath visits this Temple of Himachal Pradesh for the all year round.

The Baba Balak Nath temple is situated inside a cave in Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the Dhaulagiri Hills, situated in the Hamirpur. Since the powers of Baba Balak Nath is known among his followers, the temple in Himachal Pradesh has become a crucial center of pilgrimage.

The Baba Balak Nath temple is situated at a distance of 70 km from Bilaspur and at a distance of 30 km from Hamirpur. The visitors to this temple can avail the bus services in the district. It is situated in such a location, which is well connected by roadways. The devotees come from near and far to visit the temple and receive blessings. There is an image of Baba Balak Naththat is placed inside the cave temple.

Seeing the gradually increasing number of pilgrims to the temple of Baba Balak Nath, the government has taken initiatives to make arrangements for the visitors by putting up tented colonies and other bare necessities are also being taken care of by the Himachal Pradesh government. The Baba Balak Nath in Himachal Pradesh also attracts a number of tourists by the nearby rope way facility to Shah-Talai.

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 ofBijli 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.

Situated at an altitude of 2435 mts on a hill call Mathan 11 km. from Kullu. The temple is ideally located offering a commanding view. The temple is in 'khash' style. 20 mt high wooden pole stands are installed for seeking blessings from the sky in the form of lighting which shatters the temples Shivlinga Ghat which is then rebuilt by the temple priest. All the pieces are joined together with butter as adhesive. A special ceremony is performed in this process. The followers carry a Chariot of Bijli Mahadev where the deity is taken out. The followers invokes his blessing for bringing rain, good crop, help in worldly affairs or birth of a son.

A regular bus goes up to Chansari village, 14 km from Kullu. The remaining three km. are to be traversed on foot. The 2 km road is totally surrounded with pine trees. There is great rush at the temple in the month of July. A visit to this place provides memorable moments and journey through the forest is very enjoyable.

The Hadimba Temple in Himachal Pradesh is one of the ancient Temples in the state. Situated in Dhoongri, a small village in Manali district, the Hadimba Temple is associated with the legend of the Mahabharata. Due to its location, the temple of Hadimba is also known as the Dhoongri temple.

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.

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.