Dhari Devi Temple: a Legendary Shrine in Uttarakhand

Dhari Devi Temple is a popular shrine of Maa Dhari Devi located in Kalyasaur village, approximately 15 km from Srinagar Garhwal. Situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River between Srinagar and Rudraprayag, the Dhari Devi temple is one of the most important worship places in the Garhwal Region of Uttarakhand, India. Goddess Dhari Devi is considered the guardian and protector of the Char Dhams in Uttarakhand.

Dhari Devi Temple Overview

Legends

The shrine is one of 108 Shakti Sthals in India as numbered by Srimad Devi Bhagwat. The idol of Maa Dhari Devi has two parts, the upper half and the lower half. This shrine of Dhari Devi is home to the upper half of the idol of the goddess. On the other hand, the Kalimath temple is the shrine where the lower half of the idol of the goddess is kept. In Kalimath temple the goddess is worshiped as a manifestation of the Maa Kali, the other half of Lord Shiva.

There is a popular legend that states that once, during a flood in the Alaknanda river, the idol of Goddess Kali became stuck against a large rock. The people of the Dharo village then heard the divine voice of the Goddess, and they fixed her idol at the spot, where the temple now stands. This incident gave rise to the name of the temple – Dhari Devi.

Dhari Devi Temple Uttarakhand

Dhari Devi is worshiped in an open space, with no rooftop or idol. This is because people believe that Dhari Devi likes to sit in the open space. Dhari Devi is considered an Avatar of Kali Mata. The temple attracts a large number of devotees throughout the year, with some of the important festivals being Durga Puja and Navratra. During these festivals, the temple is decorated with beautiful flowers and lights.

How To Reach

The Temple is located at the Kalyasaur village, between Srinagar and Rudraprayag. It is about 16 km from Srinagar to Dhari Devi and 20 km from Rudraprayag to the temple.

You can easily reach the temple by bus or taxi from either Srinagar or Rudraprayag. The nearest railway station is Rishikesh railway station, which is approximately 119 km away. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport, which is 136 km away.