Bhimakali Temple is a

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...

at Sarahan in

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; Sanskrit: ''himācāl prādes;'' "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a States and union territories of India, state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen Indian Himalayan ...

, India. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Bhimakali, the presiding deity of the rulers of the former Bushahr state. The temple is situated about 180 kms from

Shimla Shimla, also known as Simla ( the official name until 1972), is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of British India. After independence, the city ...

and it is considered as holy as 51 ''shakti peethas''.Prem N. Nag, Dainik Jagran, 26 August 2007

History

The temple was built in 13th century as a shrine dedicated to goddess

Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...

, locally known as Bhimakali, and is revered as one of the 51 sacred ''shakti peethas''. She is the '' kuldevi'' of the rulers of the erstwhile Bushehr state. The temple is a popular pilgrimage site in Himachal Pradesh. Raja Padam Singh contributed towards rebuilding the temple in the 1920s. During the 1905 Kangra earthquake disaster, the main tower tilted slightly but astonishingly straightened back during a subsequent tremor. Legend has it that the temple has deep foundations and includes a disused tunnel connecting it to the village of Ranwin, located a kilometer away. In ancient times, priests supposedly used this secret passage for entering and leaving the temple.

Legend

According to one legend, during Daksha Yagna, the Ear of Sati Devi fell here when Lord Vishnu cut the pieces of her body carried by heartbroken Lord Shiva. Other legend states that this area was under the rule of a Demon called Banasura, the great-grandson of king Prahlad an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. Due to the Usha-Anirudh affair, Lord Krishna fought here with him, and in this battle, Lord Siva stood against the former. The legend goes that the head of the defeated king Banasura was buried in front of the entry gate now marked as a raised platform to the first courtyard. After Banasura, Pradyumna son of Lord Krishna ruled this area. Then the ruling king constructed this temple recognizing Devi Bhimakali as the presiding deity of this area.

Architecture

The architectural style of the temple is a blend of Hindu and Buddhist temple construction styles that is not found anywhere else in the hilly region. Constructed in tower temple typology and ''kath-kuni'' style, the temple has three courtyards that surround the main complex. There is a twin tower, a guest house, the old royal palace of Bushahr, accommodation space for support staff, and a couple of smaller temples. The first courtyard has ''Narsingha'' temple, the second courtyard has ''Raghunath'' temple, and the third courtyard has the twin towers containing the idol of goddess ''Bhimakali''. There are four exquisitely carved gateways to the temple: the first gate is gold-plated, the second gate is silver foiled, the third gate opens to the ''Raghunath'' temple, and the fourth gate opens to the twin tower temples and it is known as ''Shri Dwar''. The entire complex has wooden and silver carvings. The external open areas are decorated with wooden chimes that still produce humming sounds while oscillating. Stones and deodar wood were the primary materials of construction.

Conservation

In 2022, a portion of the foundation of the temple collapsed. An analysis committee was established in 2023 with the help of the Bhimakali Temple Trust Rampur to assess the damages and prepare a plan to protect and conserve the temple. Experts from IIT - Mandi were hired to assess the cause of natural damages and propose conservation methods.

Travel

The temple is reachable by air, train, and road. The nearest airports are Bhuntar Airport and Chandigarh Airport. The nearest railway station is the Chandigarh junction railway station. Private bus operators and the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) ply daily buses from nearby major cities like New Delhi. The temple is at a walking distance from the Sarahan market area.

Gallery

File:Inscription on door to Bhimakali Temple - These gates were made in the reign of Raja Padam Singh 1827. Sarahan, India.jpg, Inscription on door to Bhimakali Temple - These gates were made in the reign of Raja Padam Singh 1927. File:On one of doors- Bhimakali Temple, Sarahan, Sep2012.jpg, On one of the doors of the temple Sarahan-Bhimakali-32-gje.jpg, Inner courtyard of Bhimakali Temple Bhimakali Temple, Sarahan (Kinnaur 052) (12582275963).jpg, View of the Bhimakali temple File:Bhimakali temple in Back ground.jpg, Bhimakali Temple in the background Image:Temple in Sarahan, Himachal.jpg, A temple alongside the Bhimakali temple File:Bhimakali Temple at sarahan.jpg, Bhimakali Temple at Sarahan

References

External links

Of Stones Soaked In HistoryBhimamkali info on NIC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhimakali Temple Hindu temples in Himachal Pradesh Buildings and structures in Shimla district Wikipedia Feminism and Folklore