Himachal Pradesh is known for its beauty, tourist destinations, and attractive places. The natural beauty of Himachal with its high valleys and hills provides peace and tranquility to the people visiting here. In such a situation, today we are going to tell you about a temple located here where Bhima's second wife is worshipped. This temple is very popular in Himachal Pradesh and a festival is also organized here every year. Located near Manali, this temple is of pagoda style with four roofs amidst giant cedar trees. The history of this temple is linked to the Mahabharata period. This temple was built by Kullu ruler Bahadur Singh in 1553. The walls of this temple are built in traditional Pahari style. Its entrance is an excellent example of wood carving. So let's know about the history of this temple...
Hidimba Devi Temple located in Manali is dedicated to the demon Hidimba, the second wife of Bhima. There is no idol of the goddess installed in the temple but the footprints of Hidimba are worshiped here. This temple is also called Dhungri Temple. This temple is a four-storey structure situated in the middle of the forest. Devotees and tourists come from far and wide to see this.
Hidimba lived with her brother Hidimba in this area. She swore that she would marry whoever defeated her brother in battle. When the Pandavas passed through this area during their exile, Bhima killed the local people to save them from the atrocities of Hidimba. In this way, Hidimba's sister Hidimba married Bhima.
Bhima and Hidimba had a son named Ghatotkacha, who died fighting for the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra war. This temple looks like the shape of a Kalash when seen from a distance. This temple is in the shape of a 40-meter-high cone and the walls of the temple are made of stones.
Hidimba Devi temple has a wooden door. On top of these, there are small figures of goddesses and animals. The door frame beams of this temple have Navagraha and female dancers from the story of Lord Krishna. There is no idol of the goddess in this temple, but there is a huge stone with her footprints, which is worshiped as the idol of the goddess. There is also a temple dedicated to Ghatotkacha at a short distance from this temple.
Hidimba Devi Temple devotees can reach by bus, train, and plane. The nearest airport to this temple is Bhuntar Airport in Kullu which is 10 km from Manali. The distance of this temple from Manali is 3km. The nearest railway station here is Joginder Nagar, from where Manali is at a distance of 166 kilometers.
(PC: Lifeberrys)
