Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar, Uttarakhand

Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar, Uttarakhand

Chandi Devi Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Goddess Sakthi located in the holy city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand state of India. The temple is situated atop the Neel Parvat on the Eastern summit of the Shivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas. The temple also known as Neel Parvat Teerth is one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) located within Haridwar.

Chandi Devi Temple is highly revered by devotees as a Siddh Peetha which is a place of worship where desires get fulfilled. It is one of three such Peethas located in Haridwar, the other two being Mansa Devi Temple and Maya Devi Temple. Also, Chandi Devi Temple is one of the popular Shaktipeeth in Haridwar. The pilgrims can visit the temple by the ropeway in around 5 minutes while the steep climb by steps takes over 45 minutes.

Legends

Goddess Chandi also known as Chandika is the presiding deity of the temple. The story of the origin of Chandika is as follows: Long time ago, the demon kings Shumbha and Nishumbha had captured the kingdom of the gods and king of heaven - Indra and thrown the gods from Swarga (heaven). After intense prayers by the gods, Parvati assumed the form of Chandi, an exceptionally beautiful woman and amazed by her beauty, Shumbha desired to marry her.

On being refused, Shumbha sent his demon chiefs Chanda and Munda to kill her. They were killed by goddess Chamunda who originated out of Chandika's anger. Shumbha and Nishumbha then collectively tried to kill Chandika but were instead slain by the goddess. Thereafter, Chandika is said to have rested for a short while at the top of Neel Parvat and later a temple was built here to testify the legend. Also, the two peaks located in the mountain range are called Shumbha and Nishumbha.

History

Chandi Devi Temple was built in 1929 by Suchat Singh in his reign as the King of Kashmir. However, the main Murti of Chandi Devi at the temple is said to have been installed in the 8^th century by Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest saints of Hindu religion.

The Temple

The temple is situated atop the Neel Parvat on the Eastern summit of the Shivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas. To reach the temple one has to either follow the 3 Kms trekking route from Chandi Ghat and reach the shrine by climbing a number of steps or climb the recently introduced rope-way (cable car) service. The rope-way service known as Chandi Devi Udankhatola was introduced for the benefit of the pilgrims.

The rope-way carries the pilgrims from the lower station located near Gauri Shankar Temple on the Naziabad Road directly to the Chandi Devi Temple located at an altitude of 2,900 metres (9,500 ft). The total length of the ropeway route is about 740 metres (2,430 ft) and height is 208 metres (682 ft).

There is a dense forest on the other side of the hill and the ropeway offers scenic views of the Ganges River and Haridwar. The temple is run by the Mahant who is the presiding priest of the temple. Leather accessories, non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are strictly prohibited in the temple premises. The Temple of Anjana Devi, mother of Lord Hanuman is located nearby. Neeleshwar Temple is also situated at the foot of the Neel Parvat.

It is said that Mansa and Chandi, the two forms of goddess Parvati always reside close to each other. The temple of Mansa is exactly on the other side of the hilltop on the Bilwa Parvat on the opposite bank of River Ganges. This belief can also be found true in other case since near to Mata Mansa Devi Mandir in Panchkula, Haryana, there is a Chandi Mandir located nearby in Chandigarh.

Temple Opening Time

On a normal day, the temple is open between 6.00 am. to 8.00 pm. and the morning aarti at the temple begins at 5.30 am.

Festivals

Chandi Chaudas, Navratri and Kumbha Mela are the famous festivals celebrated here.

Prayers

Thousands of devotees flock to the temple to seek the blessings of the goddesses who is believed to fulfill their wishes.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 2 Kms from Haridwar, 3 Kms from Haridwar Railway Junction, 3.5 Kms from Haridwar Bus Stand, 4 Kms from Har Ki Pauri, 22 Kms from Rishikesh, 40 Kms from Dehradun Jolly Grant Airport, 55 Kms from Dehradun and 230 Kms from New Delhi Airport. Haridwar is situated on highway No. 45 and is connected to all major centers in the region and other parts of the country by well-maintained roads. One can easily reach Chandi Devi Temple by taking local Buses, Rickshaws, Tongas or by hiring Taxis from Haridwar.

To reach the temple one has to either follow 3 Kms trekking route from Chandi Ghat and reach the shrine by climbing a number of steps or take the recently introduced rope-way (cable car) service. Though it is a wonderful experience to trek up to the temple, visitors also have the option of using the ropeway to reach there. If you enjoy steep climbs, you will take 45 minutes to reach the temple of Chandi Devi in Haridwar. However, you can cut short the travelling time by choosing the ropeway; reaching the temple by ropeway takes up just 5-10 minutes.

Location