Exploring five ancient temples of Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh, one of the most gorgeous and frequented hill states in India, is renowned for its natural splendour, culture, delicious cuisine and ancient temples. The state is home to some of the country’s oldest temples and, hence, is also referred to as the Land of the Gods. A slice of heaven on earth, Himachal has a rich mythological past and that’s the reason behind its many temples. Let’s explore some of the famous ancient temples in Himachal.

Vashisht Temple, around 3 km from Manali, is dedicated to sage Vashisht. It is said that he meditated at the same spot where the temple stands today. The place is popular for its natural sulphur spring and devotees visit here in large numbers to take a bath in the spring.

One of the 51 shaktipeetha temples in India, this one was built by Raja Bir Chand in the 8th century. The temple is dedicated to Naina Devi, an incarnation of Goddess Durga and it is believed that the shrine is built on the spot where one of Goddess Sati’s body parts fell.

Another shaktipeetha in Himachal is of Jwala Devi in Kangra district. It is believed that the tongue of goddess Sati fell on the same spot where the shrine stands. Devotees believe that Jwala Devi fulfills wishes of all those who visit it; offering coconut as a prasad is a must here.

Another popular shrine in Himachal is the Hadimba Temple in Manali. One of the prime tourist attractions in the town, the temple is dedicated to Hadimba Devi, wife of Bhima. It is said that Hadimba meditated, and did penance at the spot where the temple is built. The architecture of this intricately carved temple is simply gorgeous.

One of the most famous temples in Shimla is the Jakhoo Temple, set at an elevation of 8500 ft. The Hanuman statue installed here is a major landmark of the hill town. The temple is situated on the Jakhoo mountain and legend has it that this is where Lord Hanuman stopped on his mission of collecting Sanjeevni booti for Laxmana. Another legend says that Lord Hanuman met sage Yaaku on this hill, who told him about the sanjeevni herb.