Mythical temples of Himachal Pradesh are immensely popular among Indian devotees and the natural surroundings of hills make these religious shrines much more serene. Several mythological episodes are connected to these numerable temples in this Indian state. Thousands of tourists and ardent devotees pay visit to the holy temples located here. Over 2,000 temples are present in Himachal Pradesh, of which a large number of temples are mythical. Temples like Naina Devi, Jwalamukhi, Baijnath, Chamunda Devi temple, Bajreswari and several others are noted mythical temples situated here.
Naina Devi Temple
Hindus believe that Sati`s eye fell down at the place of construction of Naina Devi temple. Therefore this temple is one of the 51 `shakti peethas` in the country. Devotees celebrate a famous fair in the temple premises every year during the `shravan ashtami`. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Naina Devi and located over the Shivalik ranges of the Himalayas. The Navratra festival is celebrated with great pomp to commemorate the presiding deity of the temple.
Jwalamukhi Temple
Meaning `the opening of flames`, the Jwalamukhi Temple was established to worship Goddess Jwalamukhi and it is a common belief that Sati`s tongue dropped in this very sacred place. There are nine permanent flames in this temple dedicated to nine forms of the goddess. A vast number of devotees visit this temple, particularly to witness the famous `Aarti` session, which is practiced as many as five times in a day. Jwalamukhi Temple is located at a distance of about 34 km from Kangra.
Baijnath Temple
Located on the Mandi-Palampur Road in Himachal Pradesh, the Baijnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is said that the Shiva Linga present here is actually one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country, as per the records of some legends. Festivals like `Makar Sankranti`, `Mahashivratri`, `Vaisakha Sankranti`, `Shravana Mondays`, etc are celebrated with great enthusiasm near the temple, every year.
Chamunda Mata Temple
Situated at an approximate distance of about 20 km from the local town of Kangra, Chamunda Devi temple is dedicated to Lord Chamunda, who is said to be the combination of Chanda and Munda. Besides its significance for its rich mythological background, Chamunda Devi temple is also revered for its Ayurvedic dispensary, Sanskrit College and a library. The temple is constructed at a height of 1000m above sea level.
Bajreswari Temple
Bajreswari temple, situated in Kangra is one of the famous 51 Shakti Peethas of India, which was discovered by Goddess Bajreswari Herself, during the horse sacrifice named `Ashvamedha` according to a mythological belief. This temple had to bear the brunt of brutal destruction in the hands of several foreign invaders. Therefore the presiding deity of this temple is Mata Shri Bajreswari Devi, who is referred to as `kul-devi` by the local people.
Other Mythical Temples
Chintpurni Temple, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Raghunath Temple, Chaurasi Temple, Kathgarh Temple, Chattari Temple, Bijli Mahadev Temple and Hidimba Temple are a few of the well-known mythical temples in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
The state of Himachal Pradesh comprises several mythological temples which demonstrate rare, architectural beauty and are some of the greatest pilgrimage spots which are respected throughout the country.
