Surkanda Devi Temple Dhanaulti, Uttarakhand
Surkanda Devi Temple is located on the Mussoorie-Chamba road near Unniyal Village and Dhanaulti. This temple is one of the 51 Shaktipeeth temples in India and has been a highly revered pilgrimage site since ancient times. The temple is situated at an altitude of 9000 feet above sea level.
The architecture of the temple is beautiful; the temple premises were neatly maintained and on top, there were some shops selling necessary puja offerings. The Surkanda Devi Temple is located at an altitude of about 2756 meters and lies near hill stations in Dhanaulti.
Surkanda Devi Temple Story
Most of us are familiar with the story of Daksha Yagya. In that Yagya, Lord Shiva was insulted by Daksha Prajapati. Unable to tolerate this, Sati Mata ended Her life by entering the sacrificial fire. When Lord Shiva heard of this, He was enraged beyond control.
He destroyed the Yagya and beheaded Daksha Prajapati. He later restored Prajapati’s life, but with the head of a goat. Lord Shiva picked up Sati Mata’s body and took to the skies.
This situation would have had grave consequences for the world. Lord Vishnu cut Sati Mata’s body into 51 parts with His Sudarshan Chakra. These parts fell at different spots in the Indian subcontinent, and each spot became a Shakti Peeth. Mata Sati’s head fell at the place where now stands the Surkanda Devi Temple.
This is a small temple atop the hill. The sanctum in the simple structure of the temple houses the Murti of Maa Sarkanda Devi, beautifully adorned with silk garments and a silver crown. On the temple premises, a mural of Hanuman Ji can also be seen.
There is also a marble statue of the goddess seated on a lion within the complex. Beautiful views of the dense forests below and panoramic views of Himalayan peaks can be seen from here.
Though this is an ancient temple, not much of its history is known. For most of the year, the temple is covered by fog, making it all the more alluring.
Ganga Dussehra is the main festival celebrated here. The festival starts on the first day of the Jyestha month and ends on the tenth day. Both Navratris are also celebrated in this temple.
Surkanda Devi Temple Timings
The Surkanda Devi Temple is open at 5:00 AM early in the morning and closes at 10:00 PM. You can visit and Darshan this temple during this time period at any time throughout the year.
- 05:00 AM to 07:00 PM Summer
- 07:00 AM to 05:00 PM Winter
Surkanda Devi Temple Ropeway Service
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Maa Surkanda Devi Temple and inaugurated the Kaddukhal-Siddhpeeth Devi ropeway service. The ropeway initiative will be a big relief for the devotees visiting this temple for darshan. Devotees had to walk on foot from here for around 2 hours, but now they can easily visit the temple for darshan. This will also boost tourism in Uttarakhand.
The ropeway ticket price for Surkanda Devi Temple is Rs. 177 (two-way journey) per person. By ropeway, you can reach the temple in just 10 minutes.
You have to book a ticket for Surkanda Devi Temple by visiting the ticket booking window. An online booking service is not available at this time.
Ropeway service will also increase the livelihood of the people at the local level. The ropeway is 502 meters long and can carry up to 500 tourists per hour.
Adventurous activities like water sports are being conducted in the giant lake spread over 42 square kilometres in the Tehri district.
How to Reach Surkanda Devi
The route from Dehradun goes via Mussoorie. The motorable road ends in Kaddukhal village. From there, this temple is reached by a 3-kilometer trek. trek is quite steep and takes about one or one and a half hours to complete. Ponies are available in case walking is not possible. This Temple is about 34 km from Mussoorie.
By Road
The nearest bus station is Dhantuli, just 2 km away from the Temple.
By Rail
Dehradun is nearest railway station, about 67 km from the temple.
By Air
Nearby airport is Dehradun Airport, about 97 km from the temple.
Hotels Near Surkanda Devi Temple
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Surkanda Devi Temple Snowfall
The minimum and maximum temperatures in April in Surkanda Devi Temple are -7°C and 10°C respectively. The weather is generally in April and you would feel it throughout the day. Warm clothes are recommended for Surkanda Devi Temple in April.
