Hadimba Devi Temple is dedicated to the wife of Bhim, one of the five Pandava brothers in the Indian epic Mahabharata. As the legend goes, Bhim married Hadimba and they had a son. Later on, Hadimba left the place and became a spiritual. The people later erected a temple in her respect, known as Hadimba Temple. The temple is in pagoda style and comprises no idol within, albeit, some footprints are engraved and are worshiped by devotees.
Hadimba Devi Temple has 24 m high tower. The three tiers of its square roofs are covered with timber tiles, while the conical roof is clad in metal. The unadorned walls of mud-covered stonework contrast with the wooden doorway, which is elaborately decorated with miniature depictions of Goddess, attendants, animals and stylized foliation. On the beams above the doorway appear the Navagrahas, female dancers an isolated scene from the Krishna story.
As per another legend, the architect of the temple had to lose his hand for this masterpiece. King was afraid of duplication of the master craft and he ordered architect’s hand to be cut. This anecdote might have some portion of reality and truth, with only the temple being a mute witness. It is also said that this could not stop the master architect, who trained his left hand and at the request of the people, executed an even finer temple at Trilokinath in Chamba.
The temple is also known for a fair held every year in Hindi month of Sravan in the memory of Raja Bahadur Singh, who built the temple. The fair is popularly known as Bahadur Singh Re Jatar among locals. There is another fair too which is held on 14th May each year in the celebration of birthday of Hadimba Devi. Women around and from Dhungri forest come and celebrates this fair with music and dance.
History of Hadimba Temple - Himachal Pradesh
Legend states that the brother of the goddess, a demon named Hadimb used to rule some of the sub-mountainous tracts of the Himalayas. His sister, Hadimba fell in love with Bhima- one of the Pandavas who happened to step into the territory of Hadimb having escaped the wax house unhurt. On Hadimba's request, Bhima killed her brother and married her. Both of them lived in the valley for about a year after which Bhima joined his brothers and mother. During the course of time, Hadimba gave birth to a son who was named 'Ghatotkachh'.
Hadimba ruled the region till her son was grown up enough to look after his subjects. After which, she retired to the inner hills of Manali for meditation. Her resort for meditation came to be known as Dhungri and a temple was raised there to commemorate her supernatural powers. Since then, she became the patron-deity of Kullu kings. The throne taking ceremony of every king has to be necessarily done with the permission of the goddess.
It is customary to sacrifice a buffalo after worshiping her for a king. She is also a very important deity in the celebrations of the biggest celebration at the valley- Kullu Dussehra as the celebrations cannot begin before her arrival. The ceremonial horse of the festival is also blessed by the goddess from her temple only. This 500 years old temple is not enshrined with any idol. There just is a foot print in stone which is worshipped by the people. The people of the valley celebrate the birthday of their goddess on the first of 'Jaith' or 14th of May. Held in the Dhungri forest, this fair lasts for three days. Thousands of men, women and children partake in this grand fair and make themselves merry in music and dance.
Another indigenous ceremony at the temple observes a grand procession of Kartikswami of Simsa, Chhandal Rishi of Parsha, Shrishti Narayan of Aleo, Shriganh of Jagatsukh, Vishnu of Shajla, Maladevi of Sial and Sankh Narayan of Nasogi carried out by their followers at Dhungri. On the 4th day, the Jaith fair shifts to the Manu temple in the village Manali.
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