Short Notes on Temples of Himachal Pradesh
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Temples of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh introduced as “Dev Bhoomi” which means the "Land of god and goddesses". In Himachal exist many old and famous temples and almost all villagers follow the direction of their local deity before starting new work.
There are four distinct styles of hill temple architecture throughout Himachal Pradesh.
· The pent roof and verandah
· Pyramidical style
· Pagoda style
· A combination of 'pent' roof and pagoda type roof
Famous Temples Himachal Pradesh
Distt. Chamba’s Temples
l Shakti Devi / Chhatrari Temple:-It is situated in Chatrarri in the district Chamba. It was constructed by the famous architecture “Gugga” during the reign of Meru Varman in the 7th century A.D.mAIN idol in the temple is of goddess Shakti
.
l Lakshmi Narayan Temple:-It was built by Sahil Varman (920 – 940 A.D.) iT is a group of six temples.
l Lakshna Devi Temple:-It is situated in Bharmour. It is devoted to Mahishamardhini Durga. It was constructed by “Gugga” during the reign of Meru Varman
l Mani Mahesh Temple:-It is situated in Bharmour. It is devoted to Lord Shiva. It was built by Meru Varman.
l Ganesh Temple:- It is situated in Bharmour.It is built by Meru Varman.
l Narashingha Temple:- It was built-in 940 A.D. by Tribhuvan Rekha Devi, the queen of Yogakara Varman.
l Hari Rai Temple:- It was Built by Lakshman Varman in the 11th century.
l Chaurasi Temple:- It is a group of 84 temples built in the 9th century.
Distt. Kullu‘s Temples
l Bijali Mahadev Temple:- It is devoted to Lord Shiva. A 60 feet staff above the temple attracts divine blessing in the form of lightning and breaks the “Stone Linga” in the Sanctum.
l Manu Temple:- It is situated In Manali. It is devoted to the great ancient Lawgiver ‘Manu’.
l Hidimba (Dhungri0 Devi. Temple:- It is also situated in Manali. It was built by Raja Bahadur Singh in 1553 A.D. Annual Dhungri fair is celebrated here in the month of May.
l Jamlu Temple:- It is situated in Malana. It is devoted to the SAGE Jamadagni Known as the Jamlu Devta. He was the husband of Renuka ji & father of Parshuram.
l Raghu Nath Temple:- It was built by Raja Jagat Singh in 1651 A.D. It was devoted to Raghu Nath Ji – the chief deity of Kullu. The temple has an image of Raghu Nath Ji that was brought from Ayodhya.
l Kartikeya Temple:- It is situated in Kankhal. Devoted to the Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva.
l Manikaran Temple:- It is situated in Manikaran. It is well known for hot water springs. Guru Nanak Dev visited here for meditation.
l Gauri Shankar Temple:- It is situated in Jagatsukh. It is built in the 8th
l Arjun Guffa:- It is situated in Prini. Arjuna practiced austerities to get the powerful Pashupati Astra from Indra Devta.
l Vishweshwar Mahadev Temple:- It is situated in Bajaura. It is devoted to Lord Shiva. It built in 10th
l Vaishno Devi Temple:- It is situated in Kullu. Devoted to goddess Vaishno Devi.
l Tripura Sundari Temple:- It is in Naggar of Kullu district. It was built in the 16th century A.D. by Raja Yashodhapal. Located on the left bank of the river Beas.
Distt. Mandi’s Temples
l Bhootnath Temple:- It is situated in the district Mandi. Built by Raja Ajbar Sen in 1527 A.D. Devoted to Ardhnarishvara.
l Shikari Devi Temple:- It is situated in Sundernagar. It is devoted to Goddess Shikari Devi.
l Kamaksha Devi Temple:- It is situated in Karsog. It is a Pagoda style temple built in the 10th – 11th century A.D
l Prasher Temple:- It is situated in Pandoh. Built by Raja Ban Sen in 1346 A.D.
l Panchvakta Temple:- Built in the 15th A.D. Has a Five-faced image of Shiva.
l Trilokinath Temple:- It is built by Sultan Devi – the queen of Raja Ajbar Sen in 1520 A.D.
l Shyama Kali or Tarna Devi Temple:- It is situated in Tarna Hill. Built by Raja Shyam Sen (1641-1679) A.D.
l Madho Rai Temple:- Built in 1705 A.D. Devoted to Madho Rai (Krishna), the presiding deity of Mandi.
Distt. Kangra’s Temples
l Masrur Rock Cut Temple:- It is situated in Nagrota Surian.It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. built by the King Lalitaditya of Kashmir in the 8th century. Known as ‘Ellora of Himachal Pradesh.
l Vajreshwari Temple;- Present structure was built by Desa Singh Majitha in the Sikh style. Plundered by Mehmood Ghazani in 1009 A.D. & by Khawas Khan in 1540 A.D.
l Baijnath Temple:- It is dedicated to Vaidyanath (Shiva). Earlier Known as “Kirgram” the oldest Shiva temple in India, was built in the 13th century and renovated by Raja Sansar Chand in the 19th
l Jawala Mukhi Temple:- It is built by Raja Bhumi Chand of the Katoch Dynasty of Kangra. In 1365 A.D. Firoz Shah Tuglaq took possession of 300 volumes of Sanskrit books from the temple and translated them into Persian under the title Dalai-e-Firozshahi by the court poet Aazz-ud-din Khalid Khani. In 1813 A.D. Maharaja Ranjeet Singh built the golden dome of the temple.
l Chamunda Devi Temple:- It is built in the 19th
Distt. Shimla’s Temples
l Sankat Mochan Temple:- It is situated in Tara Devi. Devoted to Hanuman ji.
l Jakhoo Temple:- It is situated on Jakhoo Hill in Shimla. It is devoted to Lord Hanuman Ji is situated at the height of about 8500 Ft.
l Kalibarri Temple:- It built in 1845 A.D. This temple was devoted to Goddess Shayamla Devi (Shimla is named after this Goddess).
l Tara Devi Temple:- It is devoted to Goddess Tara Devi.
l Bhima Kali Temple:- It is situated in Sarahan. Earlier Sarahan was known as Shonnitpur.
l Sun Temple:- It is situated Nirath (Rampur). It is devoted to the ‘Lord Sun’. Also known as the ‘Sun Temple of Himachal Pradesh”.
l Hatkoti Temple:- It is situated in Rohru. It is devoted to Goddess Hatkoti & Built in the 7thHas an ASHTADHATU image of Mahishamardini.
Distt. Una’s Temples
l Chintpurni Temple:- Pandit Mai Das, a Saraswat Brahman, is generally believed to have established this shrine of Mata Chintpurni Devi in Chhaproh village in ancient times. Over time this place became known as Chintpurni after the eponymous deity.
l Baba Bharbhag Singh:- Baba Bharbhag Singh has a famous Gurudwara which was earlier known as Dera. A famous fair “Baba Bharbhag Singh Meta” is held here in the month of February.
l Shiv Bari:- It is located in Gagret. Believed to have been the practising range for archery pupils of Guru Dronacharya.
l Baba Rudra Nand Ashram:- It is located in Nari. Built by Raja Sahil Vermen in memory of his daughter Champavati.
Distt. Hamirpur’s Temples
l Baba Balak Nath Temple:- It is located in the Deotsidh place.A cave temple located in the Dhaulagiri hills of Hamirpur.
l Gauri Shankar Temple:- It is located in Sujanpur Tira in distt. Hamirpur. It was built by Raja Sansar Chand.
l Murli Manohar Temple:- Its also located in Sujanpur Tira. Constructed during the reign of Raja Sansar Chand.
l Narvdeshwar Temple:- It is located in Sujanpur Tira. Built by the chief Queen of Raja Sansar Chand.
l Shani Dev Temple:- It is located in lambloo in distt. Hamirpur. Panchmukhi Hanuman murti is situated here which is more than 60 feet in height.
l Gasota Temple:- It is located Gasota in distt. Hamirpur. Every year the famous Gasota fair is held here.
Distt. Sirmour’s Temple
l Shirgul Devta Temple:- It is located in Chrdhar. In the 11th century temple of Shirgul Devta, the main deity of residents of Shimla and Sirmaur.
l Trilokpur Temple or Bala Sundri:- It was built by Raja Deep Prakesh in 1573 A.D. Devoted to Goddess “Mahamaya Bala Sundari “ & also known as ‘Chaurasi Ghanto Wali Devi’.
l Jagan Nath Temple:- It is located in Nahan. It was built by Raja Budh Prakesh in 1681 A.D.
l Gayatri Temple :- It located in Renuka. It built Mahatma Paraya Nand Brahmchari.
Distt. Solan’s Temple
l Shalooni Temple:- It is devoted to Shoolini Mata. (Solan was named after this Goddess).
Distt. Lahaul Spiti Temples
l Trilok Nath Temple- It is located in Udaipur. It was built by Raja Lalitaditya in the 8th Adorned with one metre Lamaistic Marble image of Avalokiteshvara. Every year in the month of August a festival named Pauri is held here.
l Marikula Devi Temple :- It located in Udaipur. Built by Ajay Varman. It is a nationally protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
l Kardang Monastery:- It is located in Keylong. Built in the 12th century and renovated by Lama Nobru in 1912. Has a large library of Kangyur & Tangyur volumes of Buddhist scriptures in Bhoti language.
l Shashur Monastery:- It is located in Keylong. It was built in the 17th century by Lama Deva Gyatsho of Zanskar. He was a missionary of Nawang Namgyal, the king of Bhutan.
l Dhankar Monastery:- It is located in Kaza. It is the principal figure is a statue of Vairochana (Dhyan Budha)
l Tabo Monastery:- It is located in Kaza. It is known as “Ajanta of the Himalayas”. Oldest Monastery in the world. It was founded in 996 A.D. in the Tibetan year of the Fire Ape by the Tibetan Buddhist lotswa (translator), Rinchen Zangpo (Mahauru Ramabhadra), the king of the western Himalayan Kingdom of Guge.
l Kee Monastery:- It is located in Spiti. It largest monastery in Spiti, built in the 11th
l Guru Ghantal Monastery:- It is located in Tupchiling.It is the oldest Gompa of Lahaul. Located on the right bank of Chandra river at 3020 meters. Above sea level.
Distt. Kinnaur’s Temples
l Mindal Devi Temple:- It is located in Devi Kothi. It was built by Raja Umed Singh in 1754 A.D.
l Jangi Monastery:- It located in Recongpeo. Constructed in the 10 – 11th century A.D.
l Lippa Monastery:- It is located in Taiti. Founded by Lama Devarama. Has three temples.
l Mathi Temple :- It locate in Chhitkul. Mathi is the local goddess of the people of chhitkul having three temples the main one is said to have been constructed about five hundred years ago by a resident of Garhwal.
l Pooh Gompa
l Naamgaya
l Kanam Gompa
l Nako Gompa
Distt. Bilaspur’s Temples
l Naina Devi Temple:- It built by Bir Chand
l Gopal Ji Temple:- It built by Raja Anand Chand in 1938
l Murali Manohar Temple:- It built by Raja Abhaysand Chand
l Dev Bhatti Temple:- It is built by Raja Deep Chand
