Bajreshwari Devi Shakti Peeth, Kangra

At a glance

Location

Kangra (Nagarkot), Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh

Presiding deity

Goddess Bajreshwari / Brajeshwari (Bhairava: Abhirunatheshwar)

Temple type

Shakti Peeth

Tradition

Shakta

Nearest railway station

Kangra Mandir station on the narrow-gauge Kangra Valley Railway (~2-3 km); Pathankot (~90 km) for broad-gauge trains

Nearest airport

Kangra (Gaggal) Airport (~12-15 km)

Best time to visit

March to June and September to November. Both Navratris draw the most devotion — and the biggest crowds.

History

Tradition holds that Sati's left breast fell here. The temple stands at Nagarkot in Kangra at roughly 738 metres, and folk accounts trace its founding to the Pandavas, who are said to have been instructed in a dream to build a temple at Nagarkot. Much of this temple's history is really the history of its wealth. Rich in gold and silver bells, it became a repeated target — Mahmud of Ghazni is recorded as having plundered the complex several times, by some accounts at least five. The great Kangra earthquake of 1905 reduced the whole compound to rubble, and it was rebuilt in 1920. The temple standing today is that restored structure.

Spiritual significance

Of Kangra valley's three principal Shakti shrines — Bajreshwari, Jwalamukhi and Chamunda — this is the oldest and was historically the wealthiest. Navratri is the main festival here, and the local mid-January observances around Makar Sankranti are also part of the temple's calendar.

Plan your visit

Train to Pathankot from Delhi or Chandigarh, then bus or taxi to Kangra. The narrow-gauge Kangra Valley train is slow but the ride is worth it. From Dharamshala (~18 km), a taxi is the easiest option.