Tanot Mata Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Jaisalmer Airport (JSR) is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Jaisalmer Railway Station (JSM) is the nearest station.

• By road

  The temple is about 122 km from Jaisalmer city, roughly two hours by road through the Thar desert.

On the way

• Drive through the Thar desert, about two hours by road from Jaisalmer city.
• Climb about 1000 steps to reach the temple.

Rules to know

• Tourists are not allowed beyond the temple.

Why devotees come here

Tanot Mata Temple stands in Tanot, Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, close to the Pakistan border. It is dedicated to Tanot Mata, whom legend links to Durga. The compound holds a victory tower and a war museum.

Tanot Mata is worshipped as Aavad, daughter of Mamadji Charan. Legend says she is an incarnation of Durga, and that she has long been the protector of this area.

The temple is said to date from 828 AD, when the Bhati Rajput king Tanu Rao built it and installed the idol of the deity. After the 1965 war, the Border Security Force took charge of the temple and its upkeep.

After the 1971 war, the Indian Army built a Vijay Stambha, a victory tower, inside the compound to commemorate the Battle of Longewala. A war museum at the temple houses unexploded Pakistani bombs and tanks. The temple and its museum are now part of the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative of the Indian Military.

Festivals

• During NavratriNavratri

  The temple is lit up with lamps during special ceremonies and festivals like Navratri.

Tips for your visit

• Longewala War Memorial is about 40 km from the temple, and the Sam Sand Dunes about 50 km.
• The Indo-Pak border viewpoint is about 20 km from the temple and needs prior permission from the authorities.

Questions people ask