Vajreshwari Temple, Kangra

Kangra was once one of the richest places in India and was plundered many times because of its wealth. It even attracted Mahmud of Ghazni because of its untold wealth. And this wealth is reflected albeit weakly in comparison to the original at Vajreshwari Temple. The entrance to the temple is flanked by two huge stone lions as if to guard the wealth inside. The temple itself was destroyed by the earthquake of 1905 but rebuilt in 1920. Here, the Goddess Parvati is worshipped in her Pinid form. This temple is significant because when Lord Shiva danced the Tandav with his wife Sati on his back, her left breast is supposed to have fallen here, making it a blessed place. The Goddess Vajreshwari herself is a fierce manifestation of Parvati who killed a demon Mahishasura. Also, the body of the demon king Jalandhara is supposed to be buried here. According to tradition, butter is applied on the statue on Makar Sakranti, mirroring the time when the Goddess was injured during her attack on the demon and butter was applied to heal the wounds. Once the richest temple in North India, Vajreshwari Temple is still rich with legend and worth visiting.