Kalimath Temple

Getting there

• By air

  The district site gives Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun, 160 km away, as the nearest airport for Rudraprayag. That distance is measured to the town, not to the temple.

• By train

  Rishikesh is the nearest rail head for Rudraprayag, 140 km away. Like the airport figure, it is measured to the town.

• By road

  Rudraprayag is well connected by road. Kalimath is situated close to Ukhimath and Guptakashi.

Rules to know

• The idol of Kali is taken out and worshipped once a year, at midnight, with only the chief priest present.

Why devotees come here

Kalimath is a village in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand. The temple is dedicated to Maa Kali, a fierce form of Maa Durga, and stands on the left bank of the Mandakini river. It is one of the Siddha Peeths of the region, and devotees visit round the year.

The Srimad Devi Bhagwat lists Kalimath as one of 108 Shakta pithas in India. The Rudraprayag district site calls it one of the Siddha Peeths of the region and says it is held in high religious esteem. Devotees visit round the year, and in large numbers during the Navratras.

Legend says that after defeating Raktabija, Kali chose this sacred place to withdraw her immense energy into the earth. The deity is worshipped in a sacred pit rather than as a visible idol, and the Sri Yantra is the object of devotion.

The temple stands in Kalimath village in Rudraprayag district, at about 6,000 feet on the left bank of the Mandakini river. Near the temple are other ancient temples to Laxmi, Saraswati and Gauri Shankar, and many antique Shivlings.

Festivals

• During the NavratrasNavratras

  Large numbers of devotees visit the temple during the Navratras, though it draws visitors round the year too.

Tips for your visit

• Kunjethi village, about 2 km east, has temples of Mata Manana Devi and Mankameshwar Mahadev.
• A hilltop 6 km from Kalimath has a huge Kalishila and another Kali temple.
• Bhairava Mandir is located nearby.

Questions people ask