Jawala Ji Temple, also recognized as Jwala Devi temple, is one of India's 51 Shaktipeeths and one of the most renowned Shakti Temples. It's designated "Kalidhar" since it's located in the Shivalik range in Kangra valley. The Pandavas are said to have built this as their first temple. Jwala Ji is a Devi Temple in Jawala Mukhi, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, dedicated to the "GODDESS OF LIGHT." Sati's tongue was said to have been fallen exactly where the Jwala Devi Temple now exists. The Tongue of Sati is represented by forever burning Holy Flames or Jwala. Jwala Devi temple is an incomparable and one-of-a-kind place of worship. There is no god or idol to be worshipped. It has a succession of natural flames or Jyotis that have been thought to represent the Goddess's sign since time immemorial. Jawala Ji is a wonderful heritage site for people from all over the world, not just those from Jawala Mukhi, Kangra, or Himachal Pradesh. Every year from March to April and September to October, colourful fairs are organized as part of the Navaratra celebration.
Legends tell of a time when demons ruled over the Himalayas and disturbed the gods. The gods, led by Lord Vishnu, determined to kill them. They concentrated their efforts, and massive flames erupted from the ground. A young girl was born from that fire. She is known as Adishakti, the first ‘shakti.' Sati or Parvati, she grew up in the house of Prajapati Daksha and subsequently became Lord Shiva's consort. She committed herself after her father disrespected Lord Shiva and she was unable to accept this. When Lord Shiva learned of his wife's murder, his fury knew no bounds, and he began stalking the three worlds while holding Sati's body. The other gods trembled in the face of his anger and requested Lord Vishnu for assistance. Lord Vishnu unleashed a hail of arrows that shattered Sati's body and severed it in two. The fifty-one sacred 'shaktipeeths' developed from the locations where the pieces fell. “At Jawalaji (610 m), Sati's tongue fell, and the goddess is manifest as small flames that burn faultless blue through fractures in the age-old rock.” It is reported that hundreds of years ago, a cowherd discovered that one of his cows was constantly devoid of milk. He followed the cow to find out what was wrong. He watched a girl emerge from the jungle, drink the cow's milk, and then vanish in a burst of light. The cowherd went to the emperor and told him what had happened. The king was aware of the tradition of Sati's tongue falling in this place. The king attempted but failed, to locate the sacred site. A few years later, the cowherd went to the king to report seeing a light burning in the mountains. The king discovered the location and received darshan (vision) of the sacred flame. He constructed a temple and arranged for priests to perform regular worship there. The Pandavas are said to have returned afterwards and repaired the temple. This concept is supported by the folk song "Panjan Panjan Pandavan Tera Bhawan Banaya." Raja Bhumi Chand was the first to construct the temple. Jawalamukhi has been a famous tourist destination since time immemorial. Mughal Emperor Akbar once attempted to put out the flames by covering them with an iron plate and even channelling water to them. But the flames demolished all of their attempts. Akbar then gifted the shrine with a golden parasol (chattar). However, his cynicism about Devi's power caused the gold to degrade into another metal that is still unknown to the rest of the world. His faith in the deity was increased as a result of this occurrence. Thousands of pilgrims visit the shrine every year to satisfy their spiritual needs.
Jawala Ji Temple Road, Jawalamukhi, Himachal Pradesh 176031
Jwalamukhi is the name of a deity with a
flaming mouth. According to mythology, Sati's mouth dropped here during a time
of self-sacrifice. Since then, the Goddess has filled the space, expressing
herself in the form of nine fires. After many years, Raja Bhumi Chand Katoch, a
Kangra resident and passionate devotee of Goddess Durga, dreamed of the sacred
location one day.
He dispatched his men to find the location. The
place was discovered by the Goddess's grace, and Raja began construction on a
temple. The Pandavas are said to have helped with the construction of this
temple. Eventually, the temple's construction was completed in the nineteenth
century, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his son, Kharak Singh, donated gold and
silver for the dome and entrance, respectively.
The legend about Akbar, the Mughal Emperor
During Akbar's reign,
he became familiarized with the Jwalamukhi tales. In a moment of anger, he
attempted to extinguish the flames with a stream of water. The Goddess's
immense strength allowed the flames to continue to burn. Recognizing Jwala
Devi's strength, Akbar marched his army to this temple. He brought a gold
umbrella (Chatra) for the Goddess, but when he offered it, it transformed into
an unknown metal, indicating that the Goddess rejected his gift.
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Religious Activities |
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Daily Routine |
Summer Winter Temple Opening Time 5 AM
6 AM Temple Closing Time 10
PM 9 PM |
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Aarti |
Summer Winter Mangal Arti 5 AM-6 AM 6 AM-7 AM Bhog Arti 11:30
AM-12:30 PM 11:30 AM-12:30 PM Evening Arti 7 PM-8 PM 6 PM-7 PM Shaiyan Arti 9:30
PM-10 PM 8:30 PM-9 PM |