Published: bySadhak Yogi,16 Aug, 2015
Places I explored :
How would you feel, when you are standing at the top of a hill at 10,000 ft and there is nothing but the scenic beauty , as far as the eyes can see. The freezing cold breeze entering the ears and striking your body and then…. slowly the sun shining in its full glory through the clouds… For me, it was like bliss….
I was very excited, when one of my students asked me, if I would like to visit a temple in the mountains. He told me that every year, a group of local bikers visit this temple. These guys are one of those local devotees, who start their new year, visiting the temples to receive the blessings of Goddess.
On 1st January, it was a chilly day full of clouds. When I woke up in the morning, I was having severe back pain. It was not even possible to keep my back straight. I thought that I would have to cancel my trip. I prayed to Surkanda Devi to heal my pain and my prayers were heard immediately. It was nothing less than a miracle for me. Within minutes, I was getting ready and left my room. From Natraj Chowk in Rishikesh, we started our journey on bikes towards “Kunjapuri temple”. There we performed some pooja ceremony and resumed our journey towards Surkanda Devi temple.
Surkanda Devi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Sati (the wife of lord Shiva, before she took birth as Goddess Paarvati). The Surkanda Devi temple is located on the top of hill near Dhanaulti hill station (about 8 KM) and Chamba (22 KM) in Tehri district of Uttarakhand, India.
The temple provides very beautiful 360 degree view of Garhwal region. In the north, snow capped mountains of Himalayas can be seen (on a clear day). On the other side, you will see Rishikesh and Dehradun valley. A variety of beautiful flowers and herbs are grown in abundance here. You can also see very beautiful birds of the western Himalayas in this region.
According to Hindu mythology, while Lord Shiva was carrying the dead body of Goddess Sati in his arms and wandering through the Himalayas, the body parts of Goddess Sati fell down at different places. The Surkanda Devi temple is located where the head of the Goddess was fallen.
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Approx. 10,000 ft above sea level
The temple can be visited throughout the year. Especially during the “Ganga Dusshera” Festival (from May – June), thousands of devotees visit this temple. During the winter season, there is some snowfall in this region (usually from last week of December – Mid of February). In that case, you can’t drive upto the Kaddukhal village on vehicles, when there is much snow on the road. So if you plan to visit there during that period, please check the weather reports/local newspapers before you start your journey.
Route 1:
From Rishikesh -> Narendra Nagar -> Chamba -> Kaddukhal village.
Buses/jeeps are available to reach Chamba from Rishikesh. From there one can further reach to Kaddukhal village. This village is located on the Chamba – Dhanaulti road.
Route 2:
From Dehradun -> Mussoorie -> Dhanaulti -> Kaddukhal village.
If you travel on private vehicles, you can park them at Kaddukhal village, which is at the base of the hill. From there one has to climb 1.5KM up the hill to reach the Surkanda Devi temple. If you don’t like to climb, you can hire ponies to reach at the top of the hill.
You can also reach the temple via 8 KM trek from Dhanaulti amidst the forest.
Motor bikes/Private cars, if you are travelling alone or couples.
Shared jeeps or buses if you don’t like to drive in the mountains
One can easily travel the temple during daytime from Rishikesh/Dehradun and come back in the evening. Though it is best, if you stay in Mussoorie or Dhanaulti hill stations and from there visit the temple. The temple remains open since morning till evening.
You can easily find accommodation in Mussoorie or Dhanaulti. As both are famous hill stations, so there are a large number of hotels, guest houses, resorts and some hostels. So most of the people prefer to stay there and come back the same day after visiting the temple. Some accommodations are also available at Chamba & Kanatal.
There are no medical stores near the temple. So bring your own medicines with you. You can find some medical stores in Mussoorie or Chamba. If you are in Dhanaulti, it is better to ask locals to find medicines. As the altitude of Surkanda Devi temple is high, there may be some breathing problem to the people suffering from asthma or heart problems. As the climb from Kaddukhal village to the top of the hill is very steep, even the young people need to take rest on the way, before they reach the temple. Few people also suffer from vomiting.
There are a few small shops at the parking/base of the temple at Kaddukhal village, where you can buy oily cooked food items, biscuits, tea and mineral water.
There are phone towers built on the hill near the temple, so you can expect good signals in your mobile phones.
There is no petrol pump near the temple. You can get the fuel in the Dehradun/Rishikesh town area. Though it is also available in hill towns like Chamba/Mussoorie, but you are advised to get the fuel, before you start the journey into the hills.
There is no ATM facility at the temple. You can find ATMs in Rishikesh/Dehradun/Mussoorie easily.
If you are a religious person or a devotee of Shakti, then this place has much importance for you. If you are an adventurous person, then you can do photography, trekking and enjoy the scenic views of the valleys and mountains, whatever route you take to reach the temple.
Surkanda Devi Temple is a must visit place near Mussoorie. The 360 degree views of the mountains, valleys and a serenity of this beautiful place will surely make you feel like blessed. So whether you are a religious or adventurous person, you will definitely love this place.
