Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar
Encyclopedia
Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar (Hindi: चण्डी देवी मंदिर, हरिद्वार) is a Hindu temple
dedicated to Goddess Chandi Devi
in the holy city of Haridwar
in the Uttarakhand
state
of India
. The temple is situated atop the Neel Parvat on the Eastern summit of the Sivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas
. Chandi Devi Temple was built in 1929 by Suchat Singh in his reign as the King of Kashmir. However, the main murti
of Chandi Devi at the temple is said to have been installed in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest priests of Hindu religion. The temple also known as Neel Parvat Teerth is one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) located within Haridwar.
Chandi Devi Temple is highly revered by devotees as a Siddh Peetha which is a place of worship where desires get fulfilled. It is one of three such Peethas located in Haridwar, the other two being Mansa Devi Temple
and Maya Devi Temple
.
also known as Chandika is the presiding deity of the temple. The story of the origin of Chandika is as follows: Long time ago, the demon kings Shumbha and Nishumbha
had captured the kingdom of the god-king of heaven - Indra
and thrown the gods from Swarga (heaven). After intense prayers by the gods, Parvati
assumed the form of Chandi, an exceptionally beautiful woman and amazed by her beauty, Shumbha desired to marry her. On being refused, Shumbha sent his demon chiefs Chanda
and Munda
to kill her. They were killed by goddesss Chamunda
who originated out of Chandika's anger. Shumbha and Nishumbha then collectively tried to kill Chandika but were instead slain by the goddess. Thereafter, Chandika is said to have rested for a short while at the top of Neel Parvat and later a temple was built here to testify the legend. Also, the two peaks located in the mountain range are called Shumbha and Nishumbha.
. To reach the temple one has to either follow the three kilometre trekking route from Chandighat and reach the shrine by climbing a number of steps or climb the recently introduced rope-way (cable car) service. The rope-way service known as Chandi Devi Udankhatola was introduced for the benefit of the pilgrims and it caters to the pilgrims also to the nearby located Mansa Devi shrine
. The rope-way carries the pilgrims from the lower station located near Gauri Shankar Temple on the Nazibabad Road directly to the Chandi Devi Temple located at an altitude of 2900 metres (9,514.4 ft). The total length of the ropeway route is about 740 metres (2,427.8 ft) and height is 208 metres (682.4 ft). There is a dense forest on the other side of the hill and the ropeway offers scenic views of the Ganges River
and Haridwar.
The temple is run by the Mahant who is the presiding priest of the temple. On a normal day, the temple is open between 6.00 am. to 8.00 pm. and the morning aarti
at the temple begins at 5.30 am. Leather accessories, non vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are strictly prohibited in the temple premises.
, to seek the blessings of the goddesses who is believed to fulfill their wishes. The temple is a must visit for the pilgrims going to Haridwar.
Very near to the Chandidevi temple, the temple of Anjana
, mother of the monkey-god Hanuman
is located and devotees visiting Chandi Devi temple also visit this temple. Neeleshwar Temple is also situated at the foot of the Neel Parvat. It is said that Mansa
and Chandi, the two forms of goddess Parvati
always reside close to each other. The temple of Mansa is exactly on the other side of the hilltop on the Bilwa Parvat on the opposite bank of River Ganges. This belief can also be found true in other case since near to Mata Mansa Devi Mandir
in Panchkula
, Haryana
, there is a Chandi Mandir
located nearby in Chandigarh
.
Hindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
dedicated to Goddess Chandi Devi
Chandi
Chandi or Chandika is the supreme Goddess of Devi Mahatmya also known as Chandi or Durga Sapthashati. Chandi is described as the Supreme reality who is a combination of Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati...
in the holy city of Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
in the Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The temple is situated atop the Neel Parvat on the Eastern summit of the Sivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. Chandi Devi Temple was built in 1929 by Suchat Singh in his reign as the King of Kashmir. However, the main murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
of Chandi Devi at the temple is said to have been installed in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest priests of Hindu religion. The temple also known as Neel Parvat Teerth is one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) located within Haridwar.
Chandi Devi Temple is highly revered by devotees as a Siddh Peetha which is a place of worship where desires get fulfilled. It is one of three such Peethas located in Haridwar, the other two being Mansa Devi Temple
Mansa Devi Temple, Haridwar
Mansa Devi Temple, Haridwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Mansa in the holy city of Haridwar in the Uttarakhand state of India. The temple is located atop the Bilwa Parvat on the Sivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas...
and Maya Devi Temple
Maya Devi Temple, Haridwar
Maya Devi Temple, Haridwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Maya in the holy city of Haridwar of Uttarakhand state in India. It is believed that the heart and navel of goddess Sati fell in the region where the temple stands today and thus it is sometimes referred to as a Shakti...
.
Chandi Devi
Goddess ChandiChandi
Chandi or Chandika is the supreme Goddess of Devi Mahatmya also known as Chandi or Durga Sapthashati. Chandi is described as the Supreme reality who is a combination of Mahakali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati...
also known as Chandika is the presiding deity of the temple. The story of the origin of Chandika is as follows: Long time ago, the demon kings Shumbha and Nishumbha
Sumbha and Nisumbha
In the Hindu text the Devi Mahatmyam, Sumbha and Nisumbha, also spelled as Shumbha and Nishumbha, were two Asuras that confronted, and were ultimately slain by, Devi...
had captured the kingdom of the god-king of heaven - Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
and thrown the gods from Swarga (heaven). After intense prayers by the gods, Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
assumed the form of Chandi, an exceptionally beautiful woman and amazed by her beauty, Shumbha desired to marry her. On being refused, Shumbha sent his demon chiefs Chanda
Chanda
In Hinduism, Chanda was a monster in the service of Sumbha and Nisumbha that Chamunda Devi killed. It is also a popular name in the Hindu community...
and Munda
Munda (Hinduism)
In Hinduism, Munda was an Asura in the service of Sumbha and Nisumbha who was killed by Chamunda Devi along with Chanda....
to kill her. They were killed by goddesss Chamunda
Chamunda
Chamunda , also known as Chamundi, Chamundeshwari and Charchika, is a fearsome aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother and one of the seven Matrikas . She is also one of the chief Yoginis, a group of sixty-four or eighty-one Tantric goddesses, who are attendants of the warrior goddess Durga...
who originated out of Chandika's anger. Shumbha and Nishumbha then collectively tried to kill Chandika but were instead slain by the goddess. Thereafter, Chandika is said to have rested for a short while at the top of Neel Parvat and later a temple was built here to testify the legend. Also, the two peaks located in the mountain range are called Shumbha and Nishumbha.
The Temple
The Temple is located at a distance of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from Har ki PauriHar ki Pauri
Har Ki Pauri is a famous ghat on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar in Uttarakhand state in India. This revered place is the major landmark of the holy city of Haridwar. Literally, "Har" means "Lord Shiva", "ki" means "of" and "paudi" means "steps". Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are believed to...
. To reach the temple one has to either follow the three kilometre trekking route from Chandighat and reach the shrine by climbing a number of steps or climb the recently introduced rope-way (cable car) service. The rope-way service known as Chandi Devi Udankhatola was introduced for the benefit of the pilgrims and it caters to the pilgrims also to the nearby located Mansa Devi shrine
Mansa Devi Temple, Haridwar
Mansa Devi Temple, Haridwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Mansa in the holy city of Haridwar in the Uttarakhand state of India. The temple is located atop the Bilwa Parvat on the Sivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas...
. The rope-way carries the pilgrims from the lower station located near Gauri Shankar Temple on the Nazibabad Road directly to the Chandi Devi Temple located at an altitude of 2900 metres (9,514.4 ft). The total length of the ropeway route is about 740 metres (2,427.8 ft) and height is 208 metres (682.4 ft). There is a dense forest on the other side of the hill and the ropeway offers scenic views of the Ganges River
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
and Haridwar.
The temple is run by the Mahant who is the presiding priest of the temple. On a normal day, the temple is open between 6.00 am. to 8.00 pm. and the morning aarti
Aarti
Aarti , also spelled arathi, aarthi is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a form of puja, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee or camphor is offered to one or more deities...
at the temple begins at 5.30 am. Leather accessories, non vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are strictly prohibited in the temple premises.
Significance
The temple is one of the most ancient temples of India. Thousands of devotees flock to the temple, especially during the festivals of Chandi Chaudas and Navratra and the Kumbha Mela in HaridwarHaridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
, to seek the blessings of the goddesses who is believed to fulfill their wishes. The temple is a must visit for the pilgrims going to Haridwar.
Very near to the Chandidevi temple, the temple of Anjana
Anjana
' was the mother of Hanuman and Maruti Anjana and Kesari named him after their first son Hanuman he is said to be born when Hanuman was 16 years old and it is said hey has taken an avatar on earth and believed to be still alive . one of the heroes of the Indian epic, the Ramayana...
, mother of the monkey-god Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
is located and devotees visiting Chandi Devi temple also visit this temple. Neeleshwar Temple is also situated at the foot of the Neel Parvat. It is said that Mansa
Manasa
Manasa is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and prosperity. Manasa is the sister of Vasuki, king of Nāgas and wife of sage Jagatkāru...
and Chandi, the two forms of goddess Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
always reside close to each other. The temple of Mansa is exactly on the other side of the hilltop on the Bilwa Parvat on the opposite bank of River Ganges. This belief can also be found true in other case since near to Mata Mansa Devi Mandir
Mata Mansa Devi Mandir
Mata Mansa Devi is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Mansa Devi, a form of Shakti, in the Panchkula district of Haryana state in India. The temple complex is spread of of the Shivalik foothills in village Bilaspur, near Mani Majra, and Panchkula, 10 km from Chandi Mandir, another noted Devi...
in Panchkula
Panchkula
Panchkula is a planned city in Panchkula district, Haryana, India. It is a satellite city of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. It also shares seamless border with Mohali district in Punjab. The prestigious Chandimandir Cantonment Headquarters of the Indian Army Western Command, is also located in...
, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, there is a Chandi Mandir
Chandi Mandir
Chandi Mandir is a Hindu temple near Chandigarh, India, dedicated to Chandi, the goddess of power. It is about 15 km from the city of Chandigarh, which was named after the temple, and about 10 km away from the Mansa Devi Shrine...
located nearby in Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
.
Other Chandi Devi temples
- Chandi MandirChandi MandirChandi Mandir is a Hindu temple near Chandigarh, India, dedicated to Chandi, the goddess of power. It is about 15 km from the city of Chandigarh, which was named after the temple, and about 10 km away from the Mansa Devi Shrine...
, ChandigarhChandigarhChandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
. Chandi Devi is the presiding deity of Chandigarh. - Gandaki Chandi, Gandaki near PokharaPokharaPokhara Sub-Metropolitan City is the second largest city of Nepal. Pokhara is city of close to 350,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25°N, 83.99°E, which is the centre of the country from east to west or from north to south, 198 km west of Kathmandu or 90 km west of Mugling, and...
, NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, a Shakti Peetha - Mangal Chandika, Ujjaani, West BengalWest BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, a Shakti Peetha - SaptashrangiSaptashrangiSaptashrungi or Saptashringi is a site of pilgrimage situated 60 kilometers from Nashik. According to Hindu tradition, the goddess Saptashrungi Nivasini dwells within the seven mountain peaks. It is located in Vani, a small village near Nashik in India...
Temple, Vani, MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India... - Mahalaxmi Temple, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Maharashtra - Vaishno DeviVaishno DeviVaishno Devi Mandir is one of the holy Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located in the hills of Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir, India. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess.The temple is near the town of Katra, in the Reasi...
Temple, Katra, Jammu and KashmirJammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the... - Katak Chandi TempleKatak Chandi TempleThe Katak Chandi Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Chandi, the presiding deity of Cuttack, Orissa. The temple is located near the banks of the River Mahanadi. It is famous for the annual Durga Puja and Kali Puja festivals. The Durga Puja festivities are prominent in Maa Katak...
, CuttackCuttackCuttack is the former capital of the state of Orissa, India. It is the headquarters of Cuttack district and is located about 20 km to the north east of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. The name of the city is an anglicised form of Kataka that literally means The Fort, a reference to the...
, OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. - Ashtadasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi Temple, Skandhashramam, Salem, Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
- Mangal Chandi Temple, GuwahatiGuwahatiGuwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
, AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country... - Mangal Chandi Temple, ChanditalaChanditalaChanditala II is an administrative division in Srirampore subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Chanditala and Dankuni police stations serve this block. Headquarters of this block is at Chanditala...
, West BengalWest BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.