Chintpurni Temple, Molena. Himachal Pradesh
Chintpurni Mata is also known as Chhinmastika Devi. This temple is considered a Shaktipeeth and a temple where the Goddess has also appeared in another form. This temple and pilgrimage go back to the most ancient of times. In this temple, Mata Chintpurni is a loving mother who blesses devotees to be free of troubles.
First Appearance of the Goddess – Chhinmastika
Early in the days of creation, there was constant fighting between the Devtas and the Asuras. According to the Markandeya Purana, in one such battle, Mata Bhagwati killed countless demons. Even after having killed all the demons, Mata Bhagwati’s army was thirsty for blood. To satisfy them, Mata Bhagwati cut off Her own head. She then came to be known as Chhinmastika (Devi without a head). Her head fell at the place where the Chintpurni temple now stands. A temple was built and the site became a pilgrimage in those ancient days, but over the centuries it was forgotten and faded away from living memory.
Second Appearance of the Goddess – Chintpurni Mata
Many hundreds of years later the Yugas had changed. It was now Kaliyuga (the present Yuga). In a village called Chhapro which is not far from where the original Chhinmastika Temple was, there lived a pious Brahmin named Mai Das. He was a devotee of Durga Mata and often neglected his duties. Mai Das was married to a girl from a nearby village. Shortly after that, his father died and his two brothers refused to support him. Mai Das set out to visit his father-in-law in the nearby village. On the way, he stopped to rest under a tree and fell asleep. He had a dream in which a beautiful Divine Goddess appeared and told him to stay in this place and worship. When he woke up, Durga Mata Herself appeared in front of him. She showed Mai Das the spot where the original Chhinmastika temple existed. She also showed him a place where water could be found. Durga Mata then turned into a Pind. Mai Das built a small temple over the Pind and lived in a hut beside the temple. Soon devotees began coming and over the years it became a major pilgrimage. The temple was enlarged and renovated by devotees over the years.
Festivals of Chintpurni Temple
The main Festivals celebrated here are Chaitra Navratri, Aasov Navratri and Shravan Ashtami Mela. All these festivals attract huge crowds of devotees and are celebrated with zeal and fervor.
Temple Timings
- 04:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Winter Timings | 5:30 am – 9:30 pm |
Summer Timings | 4:00 am – 10:00 pm |
Morning Aarti | 6:00 am |
Evening Aarti | 8:00 pm |
How to reach Chintpurni Temple
- The nearest railway station is the Hoshiarpur railway station, about 42 km from the temple. From Hoshiarpur, there is a motorable road up to the temple.
- The nearest airport is Gaggal (Kangra) Airport, about 60 km from the temple.
- Amritsar Airport is a better option and is about 160 km from the temple.