Hilltop Devi’s in Shimla & Surroundings
Hilltop Devi’s in Shimla & Surroundings
The goddess in Indian mythology holds an elevated place and is revered by the masses. ‘Lakshmi’ is the consort of our principal God Vishnu. It is her benevolence that we are prosperous. Of equal importance is Sarswati, the consort of Brahma. With her benevolence, our education, arts, science and music etc. progress. The third most worshipped Goddess is Parvati, the consort of Shiva. She is the fountainhead of love, devotion and determination. Together they form a female trinity of life as we know it today. The goddess Durga is the combined force of the goddesses Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. In other words she is the warrior Goddess, who slays the enemy.
Just as Haridwar is a Shiva country where the worship of Shiva is predominant, Himachal Pradesh is Devi worship country, here Goddess worship is the greatest. Their images adorn beautiful temples in the length and breadth of Himachal Pradesh. Their temples occupy most exalted hilltops in the state. The city of Shimla itself has a number of temples all located on the hilltop Spurs which form Shimla. Even the high point of the Ridge had a Shayamla Devi temple. It got itself demolished and relocated to Kali Barhi with some difficulty at the behest of the British around 1820s (read later in the text). The British needed that spot for their planned city.
On the way to Shimla about ten kilometers before, there is a well known temple of the Tara Devi, the patron Goddess of the local king of Keonthal on whose lands the city of Shimla stands. The goddess Tara symbolizes all the virtuous and most beautiful women in this world. Local folklore says that it has been around at that location for 250 years. It was recently refurbished. It is located in a hilly, wooded area (6500 feet) that overlooks the valley with Shimla at the front. The difficult uphill climb previously has been made gentle and motor-able. I have been there only once before it’s renovation.
Then there is a Kamana Devi (also known as Kareru Devi) temple perched on top of the Prospect Hill (7080 feet) about five kilometers from the city center. The Devi here is a form of Kali that kills enemies and eliminates fear. Also, it gives strength and power. She blesses everyone that comes to her. The temple here was also the home of the famous astrologer. Even today it is frequently visited for astrological predictions to the faithful.
Dhingu Devi in Sanjauli
The Dhingu Devi temple is a few miles from the Ridge Shimla, in Sanjauli township. It is a Mata Durga temple on top of a hill. Its elevation is close to 7600 feet. It has a mesmerizing view of Shimla area as well as the Sanjauli township. The place had a thick cover of deodar trees. When Shimla was being built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, wood/lumber for construction was harvested in and around this hilltop. The harvested wood was moved on track wagons to the Lakkar Bazaar area for sale, hence the bazaar got its name. After about a hundred years the forest growth has returned. Prior to that, it had a bare look.
Shali Tibba Temple
In the surrounding hilltop of Mashobra about 15 km away, there is Shali Hill top where there is a Devi temple to mark the Goddess Kali’s presence on the Hilltop. Its elevation is about 9400 feet. There is no easy access. There is a trail to reach it, but it takes about two days of trek to reach the bottom of the valley and then up to the top. I have never attempted to reach this temple. It's a tough ascent.
Around 100 km from Shimla, there is Bheem Kali Temple and the patron saint of the King of Bushair. Eastward along the banks of the River Pabbar is a famous Hateshwari Devi temple in Hatkoti. On the other side of the Shimla Shiwalik mountain range, there are the famous temples of Jawalamukhi, Chintpurni, Chamunda Devi, Naina Devi and Kangra Devi (pardon me if I missed a few). They are all forms of Durga. We the faithful are looking for her benevolence to stay healthy, wealthy and prosperous.
My point here is that Himachal Pradesh could proudly be referred to as the home of Devi(s). Other popular Gods Ram, Krishna, Shiv, Hanuman are also equally worshipped but worship of Devi’s dominates.
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Of greatest interest is the disappearance of Shayamla Devi Shrine and Idols within it.
The town of Shimla or Simla or before the arrival of the British, Shayamla Devi Mandir was near the ridge (exact location unknown for me). Geographically, It is also a hilltop where the two slopes meet. It is a vantage position for Devi to locate itself. The British as per some writings, desecrated it and earned the wrath of the Devi. The locals became uncooperative hence some restitution was overdue. The senior officers, realizing that the cooperation of the locals is essential, offered to relocate the Devi Mandir away from its original location to where Kali Barhi is today. The still unhappy locals refused the offered restitution, but the British continued their plans and brought a Bengali Brahmin from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to build and run a temple. This has how it becomes the famed Kali Barhi Temple with Bengali management. The original wooden idols are untraceable, even though I made some inquiries at Kali Barhi, a few years back. The above history has been recounted for generations and it found its reference in the Tribune in 1999:
https://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99nov27/saturday/head14.htm
Cheers.........
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