Hadimba Devi Temple, Manali

Hadimba Devi Temple is Manali's best-known landmark. The four-tiered wooden temple from 1553 stands among tall deodars on Dhungri hill, 2.5 km from the town centre.

The Hadimba Devi Temple, also spelt Hidimba and known locally as the Dhungri Temple, is dedicated to Hidimba, the wife of Bhima in the Mahabharata and mother of Ghatotkacha. She is the presiding deity of Manali, and Himachal Tourism notes that this may be the only place in India where she is worshipped as a goddess. The temple was built in 1553 by Maharaja Bahadur Singh around a rock where Hidimba is said to have meditated.

It stands on a stone base, and its wooden tower rises about 24 metres in four tiers: three square roofs covered with timber tiles and a brass cone at the top. The doorway is richly carved with Durga, animals, dancers, foliage, scenes from Krishna's life and the Navagrahas. Inside, a large rock serves as the image of the goddess, with a small brass figure and a stone bearing her footprints. About 70 metres away is a shrine to Ghatotkacha.

Tall deodars, part of the Dhungri Van Vihar forest, surround the temple. The Dhungri fair in spring and Navaratri draw large crowds. The temple is about 2.5 km from Manali town and can be reached on foot through the forest or by taxi; Old Manali and the Manu Temple are nearby. Expect queues on peak-season weekends and go early for a quieter visit.