Renuka Ji Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Chandigarh is the nearest airport.

• By train

  The nearest convenient railway station is Ambala.

• By road

  The temple is about 315 km from Delhi and about 40 km from Nahan, the district headquarters. The nearest bus stand is at Dadahu, about 2 km away.

Rules to know

• Plastic bags are banned across the whole Renuka region.

Why devotees come here

Renuka Ji Temple honours Devi Renuka in Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh. Renuka Lake, the largest lake in the state, lies in the same district. The Puranas consider Renuka Tirtha the birthplace of Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu.

Devi Renuka is the mother of Parashurama in the stories told here. According to the Puranas, the Renuka Tirtha is considered the birthplace of Parashurama. Local tradition tells a sadder story. Jamadagni refused to part with the divine cow Kamadhenu, and then he died. Renuka is said to have jumped into the lake to end her life.

The lake is said to have taken the shape of a woman, and that is why it bears the name Renuka. Each year the five-day fair begins on the eve of Prabodhini Ekadashi, when Parashurama is believed to reach the lake. The arrival marks the visit of Renuka's son to the lake, which is believed to be the home of Devi Renuka. The fair falls in the first fortnight of November, about ten days after Diwali, and it lasts five days. Dance, music, exhibitions and food kiosks are set up on the banks of Renuka Lake during the fair.

Festivals

• First fortnight of NovemberInternational Renuka Ji Fair

  A five-day fair held every year, about ten days after Diwali. The Sirmaur district administration has issued a tender notice for the 2026 fair.

• Eve of Prabodhini EkadashiPrabodhini Ekadashi

  Parashurama is said to reach the lake on this eve, and the five-day fair begins.

Tips for your visit

• Renuka Lake sits 672 m above sea level, in Sirmaur district.
• During the fair, processions of five local deities visit the Devi's temple.

Questions people ask