Dhari Devi temple is the center of faith for Ma Kali devotees. Dhari Devi temple is located between Srinagar and Rudraprayag on Badrinath road. It is situated on the banks of the Alaknanda river in Kalyasaur. The temple has the deity of Dhari Devi. According to the legend the upper part of Goddess Kali is said to be here and the lower part in Kalimath. There is a tale behind the name of the Dhari Devi temple. Once the temple was washed off by floods and the idol of goddess kali got struck against the rock.
The people of Dharo village nearby heard the divine voice of goddess and then fixed the idol of goddess Kali at this spot and thus this temple got its name as Dhari Devi temple. there is a strong belief that the Dhari Devi idol shall not be put under any roof and thus there is always an open sky above the idol in the DhariDevi temple. There is one more belief that the idol of goddess Dhari Devi takes the form of a girl in the morning, a woman in the afternoon, and an elderly woman at night. The clicking of pictures of the DhariDevi idol is strictly prohibited. Several devotees pay a visit to this temple during Navratras to seek blessings. Chaitra Navratri and Ashwin Navratra are observed and celebrated in the Dhari Devi temple. The other festival like- Dussehra, Deepavali, and Kartik Purnima are also celebrated with great pomp and show.
Dhari Devi is considered to be the guardian deity of Uttarakhand and is revered as the protector of the Chardham. The architecture of the temple is built in North Indian architecture. One can find several stalls at the entrance of the Dhari Devi temple. Religious items that are used for holy ceremonies are sold here. As one enters one can witness a small temple devoted to Lord Hanuman. The temple holds majestic views of the mountainous landscaped and river Alaknanda.
On 16th June 2013, the original temple of the goddess was shifted to the concrete platform at a height of about 611m from the Alaknanda river to give way to the construction of the 330MW Alaknanda Hydro-Electric Dam constructed by Alaknanda Hydro Power company. Hours later after the idol was moved, the region saw a natural disaster that resulted in floods and landslides washing away the entire shrine town and killing hundreds of people. Locals believe that Uttarakhand had to face Goddess as she was shifter from her MoolSthan to make way for a 330MW hydel project that was left in ruins after the flood. In the year 1882, a similar attempt was done by the local king that resulted in a landslide that had flattened Kedarnath. The new temple is now built at its original location.
Best Time to Visit
The aptest time to pay a visit to Dhari Devi temple is between November and June when the weather is salubrious. Summers here are quite pleasant with the temperature ranging between 20 to 36-degree Celcius. One can easily trek to the temple and other tourist attractions in Uttarakhand packages during the summer season. If planning to visit in the winter season just keep warm clothes as it gets very cold in Kalyasaur from December to the end of February with the temperature dropping down to 0 degrees celsius. The region receives snow during the winter season. On the other hand monsoon season starting from July and lasting till September receives rainfall with the temperature ranging from 27 to 21-degree Celcius. Avoid this particular season for a trip to Dhari Devi temple as there are huge chances of landslides and roadblocks.
Where to stay
One planning to visit Dhari Devi temple can stay either in Srinagar or Rudraprayag. One can find budget hotels to resorts in these two places and are situated very close to Dhari Devi temple. Srinagar and Rudraprayag ensure some of the best places to stay that are comfortable and cater to every guest’s need.
How to Reach
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport that is around 136km from Dhari Devi temple and is located in Dehradun. After reaching the airport one can hire a taxi or avail bus service to reach DhariDevi temple. The nearest railway station is Rishikesh that is 124kms away from Kalyasur and Haridwar railway station is around 142kms away from Dhari Devi temple. After reaching the railway station one can avail bus service or hire a taxi to reach this temple. The aptest way to reach this temple is via road as there are many interstate and local buses that run at regular intervals and provides one a comfortable ride. DhariDevi temple has a well-connected road network. It is around 124 km from Rishikesh, 19kms from Rudraprayag and 165kms from Dehradun. It also enjoys a good connection with other prominent and popular destinations in the Uttarakhand state.
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