Kasar Devi Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Pantnagar Airport is the main airport serving the Kumaon region.

• By train

  Kathgodam is the nearest railway station to Almora town.

• By road

  The temple is reached from Almora, either on foot or by road.

On the way

• A winding walkway leads up from the gateway on the main road, at the start of the village.
• The final climb is about 100 steps.

Elderly visitors

• The hike from Almora is eight km, or the temple can be reached by a 10 km road journey.
• Those who do not want to walk can take a bus or a taxi.

Why devotees come here

Kasar Devi Temple stands on a hilltop near Almora in the Kumaon Himalayas, Uttarakhand. It is dedicated to Kasar Devi, a form of Devi Durga, and its main shrine sits inside a cave-like formation of huge rocks.

The village of Kasar Devi is mainly known for its temple. The temple is dedicated to Kasar Devi, a form of Devi Durga, after whom the place is also named. The shrine is said to date from the 2nd century, and it sits on a hilltop on the edge of a ridge off the Almora-Bageshwar highway, in the Kaashay hills of the Kumaon Himalayas. The temple sits at about 2,116 metres above sea level.

Kasar Devi first became known in the 1890s, when Swami Vivekananda visited and meditated here. The current structure was built in 1948 by the Birla family.

The temple complex has two groups of shrines: one for Devi and another for Shiva and Bhairava. The main shrine of Devi is inside a cave-like formation of huge rocks. The main temple houses an akhand jyoti, an eternal flame that has burned continuously for years.

Festivals

• Kartik Purnima, November or DecemberKasar Devi Fair

  A large fair is held at the temple on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.

Tips for your visit

• Visitors who come just to be there can sit on the ridge and enjoy the views and the calm.
• Kalimath village, one km away, is popular with tourists.

Questions people ask