Chintpurni Temple, Una – The Temple

Chintpurni Temple, Una – The Temple

The Temple is situated at an elevation of 940 metres on top of a Hill. The temple is situated on one of the highest peaks of the Sola Singhi range of hills. The temple is a single storeyed building made of stones. Its base is square, and a dome provides the center of its roof. The main entrance to the temple faces north. It is also customary to cover your head in the temple bhavan with a cap, shawl or handkerchief.

A stone can be seen on the right-hand side immediately after the entrance. This is the stone which Pandit Mai Das had dug out to reveal the water spring as commanded by the Devi. There is an old banyan tree, with a raised platform at its feet, can be found in front of the entrance. The idols of lord Ganesh and Hanuman are placed in the recesses of the façade on other side of the entrance gate.

Big brass bells hang high along the entrance inwards. Devotees who come to pay homage to the Goddess toll these bells both way while going to and coming back from the deity. Presiding Deity is called as Chintpurni Devi / Chinnamastika Devi / Chinnamasta. She is housed in the sanctum. The image of Chintpurni Devi is installed in the sanctum in the form of a Pindi (a round stone).

It stands placed in a palanquin of white marble in the room inside. The priests who are descendants of Mai Dass, sit beside the Pindi and do its puja. Sculptures of Bhairava and Hanuman can be found in the western part of roof of the temple. Verandahs and few additional rooms can be seen on the southern and western side of the temple. They are meant for the temple trust officials, priests and devotees during the celebrations.

There is another banyan tree in the campus of the temple where Mundan (first hair cutting) ceremony of children is performed. Idols of Bhairav and Ganesh can be found under the tree. Diwan Dina Nath, a noble man of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s court, got constructed the steps and the path leading to the temple. There is a banyan tree adjoining the south wall of the temple. Pandit Mai Das had the divine darshan of the Devi under this tree.

Devotees often tie a mauli (kuccha red string) to the tree and make a wish. Devotees can get an excellent panoramic view of the Dhauladhar mountain ranges from the temple on clear sky. There is a deep but terraced water tank, found at about two furlongs downhill to the north of the Temple. Pandit Mai Das's samadhi is situated on the eastern side of the water tank.

Hindu genealogy Records:

Hindu genealogy registers at Chintpurni are the genealogy registers of pilgrims maintained here by pandas. Hindu pilgrimage and marriage records were also used to be kept at this holy place. The Genealogical Society (GSU) of Utah, USA has microfilmed Hindu pilgrimage records for Haridwar and several other Hindu pilgrimage centers. Priests (pandits) located at each site would record the name, date, home-town and purpose of visit for each pilgrim. These records were grouped according to family and ancestral home. The holdings by GSU include Haridwar, Kurukshetra, Pehowa, Chintpurni, Jawalapur and Jawalamukhi.