Chamunda Devi

Overview

The temple is located in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. It is around 10 km west of Palampur, on the Baner River.

About The Temple

The Devi's image is flanked by the images of Hanuman and Bhairo on either side. There is nothing extra-ordinary about the architecture of this temple, but the divine aura spell bounds the devotees with its spiritual appeal. In the temple, the main image is visible from the main entrance. The main shrine is adored by the images of Lord Bhairav and Lord Hanuman on its sides. Actually, these lords are considered as the guards of the Goddess. The main image of the Goddess is visible draped in rich clothes. Chamunda Devi is worshipped daily while the sermons include 'Aartis' at intervals. Reciting the hymn of 'Shat Chandi' with devoted heart at this temple is considered auspicious. In the corner of the temple, one can see small footsteps of the Goddess on a stone. Besides the main shrine, there is a marble staircase that takes down to the cave of Lord Shiva. This is a cave-like scoop where Shiva Lingam is placed. People visit this cave and worship Lord Shiva with great devotion. Lord Shiva is believed to have been present in the form of death, destruction and dead bodies. One can also observe ancestral worship near the banks of Ban Ganga River. In the vicinity of this temple, there is a cremation ground that serves to 22 villages of the nearby areas. In the temple complex, there is a huge pond with images of Lords and people can take bath here. There is sculpture of Goddess, in which, she is garlanded with serpents, scorpions, and skulls. During the time of Navratras, the temple is crowded by large number of people. Pilgrims from far and near come to visit this temple of great legacy and religious importance. Chamunda Devi blesses all her true devotees. The temple is situated in the picturesque beauty of lush green mountains. Many saints can be seen here involved in penance and meditation. In the past days, the image of the Goddess was situated on the hill above the present site of the temple. The site was found to be in a remote area, where it was not possible for everyone to reach and moreover, it was quite risky. There is a story behind the establishment of this temple.

About the Deity

In Hinduism, Chamunda or Camunda is an aspect of Devi, the supreme mother goddess. The name is a combination of Chanda and Munda, two monsters which Devi killed.

Legend and stories

Around 400 years ago, a King and a Brahmin priest prayed to Chamunda Devi asking her consent to shift the image to an accessible location. Chamunda Devi appeared in a dream to the priest granting him the permission. She asked him to dig a certain area and subsequently, they will find an ancient idol. They can bring the idol in the temple and worship her. The priest told about the dream to the King and sent his men to bring the idol. The men got the idol, but they could not lift it. Again, the Goddess appeared and asked the priest that the men could not lift the idol because they took it as an ordinary stone. She told the priest to get up early in the morning and take a bath. After wearing fresh clothes, he should go to the place in a devoted manner. The priest did the same what was told to him. He found that he could lift the idol easily. He placed the idol in its present location and from that time, the Goddess is worshipped by people.

Accessibility

Airport

Chamunda Devi is arround 130-135 Km from pathankot. The nearest airport is Gaggal which is connected with New Delhi and Chandigarh by Indian Airlines Flight.

Railways

The nearest railway station is Pathankot for broad gauge trains and there is also a narrow gauge train in Kangra district for which the railway station is Nagrota Bagwan, Nagrota Bagwan is at arround 5km shorter distance from chamunda devi.

Road

Chamunda is situated 10 km west of Palampur. Regular Bus and Taxi services are available from Delhi and Chandigarh. There are direct bus services from Pathankot to Chamunda Devi.

Temple Address