A visit to Shri Naina Devi- (Bilaspur) H.P.

an eye toward the top on the way through foot-steps

Shri Naina Devi Temple

Longitude: 76.53 E   Latitude: 31.30 N

Altitude: 1100 m. 

Best time to visit: All time of the year.

A top view of the base of the Naina Devi Temple(bilaspur)

How to reach Naina Devi:

Nearest Air port: Chandigarh (135 km) , Bhunter (131 km)

Railway:Broad gauge at Kiratpur Sahib  and narrow gauge at Shimla 

Road: You have to take a link road to Naina Devi from the NH-21, which is a curved road around a hill and reaches at the bottom of the concrete footsteps to the temple situated at the top of the Naina Devi Dhar. There is a cable car facility also if you don't want to rise through the footsteps.

History of the temple:

India is famous for a numbers of holy places, because the numbers of Hindu DemiGods is about 33 crores, and people generally make temples to worship them. They all are the ways to describe one God. You will find a temple in every smallest village of this country.

Together standing at the Yam-Dwar(at Naina Devi Temple)

 There are so many places which are called holy places due to some historical holy power linked to that place. Generally people construct a temple at such places and they started to go to worship to these holy places.

Some says that the temple was built by Raja Bir Singh in 8th century AD. Some other story says that temple was built by a shepherd(Gujjar) named "Naina".

Naina used to come here every day, with his cattle. One day he observed that when his cattle come under the Sacred Peepal(Ficus religiosa) tree, they started to give milk.

After digging in, he found the Durga shrine at the bottom of the tree. Goddess told him to construct a temple at that place and put his name behind the temple, so the temple is known as "Naina Devi".

 It is one of the Shakti Peeth ( A place where the Goddess Sati's body organ fell) in India.  It is one of the five Shakti Peeths in Himachal pradesh.

Bajrang Bali (Inside the cave)

Famous Shraavana Fair: 
A fmous fair is held here each year on the Shraavana asthami(8th) of Shukla Paksh of Hindu Calender.Thousands of pilgrims can be seen here coming everyday on such occasions.

Where to Stay?

You can stay at any nearby places like Bilaspur, Swarghat etc. where there are a numbers of hotels.

Nearby Famous Places:

• Bhakra-Nangal dam: There are famous sites like Bhakra Dam(Concrete Gravity Dam) constructed on Sutlej river on 22 October 1963, which is the second largest reservoir storage forming dam in India after Indira sagar dam in Madhya Pradesh. This is second tallest Dam(225.55m) after Tehri Dam 261m in India. First prime minister of India Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru called it the "New temple of resurgent India". 

Dam construction has resulted in the formation of the Govid Sagar lake, which is spanning almost 90km behind it. It is a famous spot for the tourists for the boating and other water sports.

People: Naina Devi is a town and municipal council in Bilaspur District of Himachal Pradesh . According to 2001 population census its population was 1161. Almost all people are Hindu and they eat simple north Indian food. Temple has provided the people the opportunities of doing their own businesses, and some are Govt. employees. 

Thanks!