Hadimba Temple

The Hadimba Temple is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hadimba Devi, sister of Hadimb, who was a character in the Mahabharata. Goddess Hadimba was the sister of the demon Hadimb who ruled the mountains and was feared by all.

Situated at the foot of the Himalayas, the temple is surrounded by a cedar forest. Dating back to 1553, the temple is built over a huge rock jutting out of the ground, which was worshipped as an image of the deity.

The patron-deity of the Rajahs of Kullu, Hadimba married Bhima, the Pandava brother. Legend states that the Pandavas stayed in Himachal during their exile, where Bhima was attached by Hadimb.

After killing her brother, Bhima married her. In the final years of her life, she went to the woods called Dhungri Van Vihar to meditate. At the place of her meditation, the temple was built in the year 1553 in Pagoda style. The wooden four-storey structure is also known as the Dhungri Temple.

The temple does not contain any idol, just a footprint on a stone. Legend behind the construction of the temple states that the king who commissioned this temple was so awestruck by its beauty that he ordered the artist’s right hand to be cut. This was done in order to avoid his being able to repeat his masterpiece.

Owing to Hadimba's emergence as the patron goddess of the Rajahs, her blessing is considered necessary by them before every coronation. To seek her blessings, devotees sacrifice a buffalo at the temple, prior to every coronation.

In a ceremony called ‘ghor pooja', blessing of the ceremonial horse by the goddess is sought, which marks the commencement of Dussehra celebrations. On 14th May, a huge fair is also held at the temple to celebrate her birthday. During the celebrations, rice beer or ‘longri’ are relished.

The door of the temple is adorned with beautiful carvings of images of Goddess Durga. Above the sanctuary lies a 24 metres tall wooden 'shikhar' or tower. Three square roofs, covered with timber tiles, adorn the shikhar. The shikhar also has a fourth brass cone-shaped roof at the top.