Adi Himani Chamunda Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Gaggal (Kangra) Airport is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Pathankot or Kangra are the nearest railway stations.

• By road

  The trek starts at Jia village near Nagrota Bagwan, or at Jadrangal or Kardiana, the last point a vehicle can reach. The trek is 9 to 13 km one way.

Why devotees come here

Adi Himani Chamunda is a hilltop shrine of Devi Chamunda in the snowy Dhauladhar mountains, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. It stands at about 3,185 metres (10,450 feet). Devotees see it as the original and more powerful home of Devi, and you reach it only on foot.

Devotees call this the original (Aadi) and more powerful abode of Devi Chamunda, high in the snowy (Himani) Dhauladhar mountains. Chamunda is a fierce form of Shakti. It is a Siddh Peeth, a powerful spiritual site. Seekers come for divine help, especially against adversaries or obstacles. Legend says Devi Chamunda slew the demons Chanda and Munda by hurling boulders from this peak.

The temple dates back to at least the 17th century. The site sits near the ruins of the palace of Raja Chandar Bhan Chand Katoch, a ruler who died in 1660. After centuries of neglect, devotee P.D. Saini and local people restored it in the 1990s. Fire or lightning damaged it in 2014, and it has since been rebuilt. The shrine stands at about 3,185 metres (10,450 feet) in Chandar Bhan, near Jia village, and the trek to it needs moderate expertise.

Tips for your visit

• Carry water beyond halfway, since none is available on the way to the shrine.
• Tea shops are on the way, and a basic rest house (sarai) has bedding and utensils.
• The path has stone steps, forested trails, meadows and steep ascents.
• Avoid the monsoon, when the trails turn slippery.

Questions people ask