Brajeshwari Devi Temple Kangra

If you are visiting here, you must know the timings for Aarti and Shringar, the opening and closing of the temple. In this temple, aarti is done 5 times- Early morning aarti to wake up the Goddess, Mangla Aarti after bath with Panchmrut, Aarti before closing the door for Afternoon rest, Evening aarti and Shayan aarti at night. The temple door remains closed for half an hour only in the afternoon. Puri, halwa and Chana is the main bhog served to the Goddess. Evening bhog is distributed among devotees. In India, people do not eat rice on Ekadashi- the 11th day of every fortnight, but due to the presence of Ekadashi Mata, rice is a special prasad on that day.

• Mangla Aarti Time: 5 AM (Summer), 5:45 AM (Winter)
• Evening Aarti Time: 7:00 PM (Summer), 6:30 PM (Winter)

It is believed that, Pandavas had constructed this temple to ensure the safety of people in Nagarkot and regain their empire. They have built the temple very beautifully using precious stones, gold, and silver, but foreign invaders have spoiled all things and destroyed the beauty. Despite that, the present temple looks very beautiful and ancient after some renovation work. As per local beliefs, on account of any major problem, idols inside the temple start sweating, which alerts people. The priest of the Temple organises Havan to get blessings from Devo and save the city from problems.

The temple is surrounded by a stone wall and situated in the middle of a big premise with a Drum house at the entrance. In front of the main gate, there is an idol of Dhyanu Bhakt and two lions at both sides. There are also idols of Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu.

There is no suggested time to visit the temple; it can be visited throughout the year. Navratri of Chaitra and Ashwin brings devotees in huge numbers. People come here barefoot and chant Jai Kangra Devi and pray their devotion. There are special celebrations on Makar Sankranti at Kangra Devi Temple. On this day, many kgs of Desi Ghee are washed 101 times in cold water of a well to make that as Makhan. After that, it is applied on the Pindi of Mata and served as prasad after 1 week. The entire temple is decorated with flowers, and kirtans are organised in the evening.

This special celebration is associated with a story. It is said that Goddess Durga rested here after the fight with the Demon Mahishasur. She applied Makhan to her body to heal her wounds. That is the reason, this tradition is followed in temple premises.

For devotees, there is a Langar arrangement for two times by the temple committee. Timings for langar are from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM and from 7:30 PM to 9 PM in the evening. During Navratri fairs, the langar facility continues from afternoon to night.

This Shaktipeeth in Himachal is grand and can be visited easily via road, train, or flight with connectivity to Kangra.

By Air: Take a flight to Gaggal Airport and a local taxi or rickshaw from there, as the distance is only 11 KM. The temple is visible from the Airport tower.

By Train: The Nearest Major Railway station to Brajeshwari Temple is Pathankot. From here, it takes 2-3 hours to cover 85 km approximately by a taxi or local bus. You can also take a train to AMB Anduara Railway Station if connected to your city. It is approximately 73 km from the temple.

By Road: The Most Comfortable and convenient option to take a temple tour in Himachal. Distances of Brajreshwari Mata Temple from Major cities are:

• From Delhi- 465 KM, 9-10 Hours
• From Chandigarh- 230 KM, 5-6 Hours
• From Amritsar- 200 KM, 4-5 Hours
• From Kalka- 215 KM, 5-6 Hours
• From Una- 100 KM, 2-3 Hours

Whether you are visiting Kangra Devi Temple for darshan in Navratra or on a Nau Devi darshan Yatra, going for a Mundan ceremony or performing some rituals after marriage, book a Tempo Traveller in Delhi to make your trip comfortable. For religious yatras in fixed date groups, you can also book seats in the Volvo bus service from Delhi, Chandigarh, or Amritsar.

If you are planning a religious trip to Kangra Devi darshan, do not miss visiting some of the famous places nearby, such as Gupt Ganga, Jayanti Mata, Suraj Kund, Kangra Fort, Virbhadra Temple, Palampur, and McLeodganj. You can visit four more temples nearby to make your tour of the five devi darshan in Himachal. The nearest temples to Brajeshwari Temple are Jwala Devi and Chintpurni Temple. You can also add Kangra Devi Darshan in your Dharamshala McLeodganj Dalhousie Tour Itinerary.