Himachal Pradesh » Kinnaur http://www.allhimachal.com Himachal Pradesh Information with the details like News, area, people, economy, climate, and history of the state and More... Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:40:30 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc Bhimakali Temple – Sarahan http://www.allhimachal.com/bhimakali-temple-sarhan.html http://www.allhimachal.com/bhimakali-temple-sarhan.html#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:27:06 +0000 Tarsem http://www.allhimachal.com/?p=302 The village is famous for its ancient Bhimakali Temple and as a starting-point for treks to the mountain of Shrikhand Mahadev. This memorable village is often overlooked in the rush to more recent discoveries in the Kinnaur area, but it?s a delightful place to unwind and drink in the unadulterated mountain scenery. Sarahan is on the Shimla-Kinnaur border in the Sutlej valley. Rampur Bushahr, Brow and Sarahan together form an interesting circuit in the Inner Himalayas. This is apple-country at its prettiest, with miles of lush apple and peach orchards and terraced fields that intersperse slate roofed houses. Beautiful flowers and trees grow wild in the valley, flanked by forests of tall deodars and medicinal herbs. The Rampur rajas of Bushahr, who once ruled Kinnaur, made Sarahan their intermediary summer capital, when they left Kamru in the Sangla Valley, and before Rampur Bushahr became the new capital. The 200-year-old Raja Bushahr Palace cum Temple complex is a splendid multi-layered edifice in timber with beams of cedar. Sarahan is 564 km from Delhi and 174 km from Shimla. The best way to get here is to first reach Shimla – by road, or train (till Kalka), or air (Chandigarh is the closest airport) – and then travel to Sarahan by road. From Shimla, taxis or jeeps can be hired and a bus service is available for the 6-hour journey. If driving in from Delhi, it?s convenient to break journey at Shimla. The months of March to June and September to October are delightful in Sarahan. Summer is cool, but daytime temperatures can go up to 32?C, while the winter is chilly with snow. Carry a combination of cotton clothes and light woollens for summer, and heavy woollens for winter. The Bhimakali temple with its six Silver coated doors is a mixture of both Hindu and Buddhist style of architecture attracts pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. The temple of Bhimakali is situated at Sarahan. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Bhimakali, there are numerous other deities installed in the complex. One comes to know of the origin of the temple also through the legends in the ?Markadya Purana? and Durga Shaptshati. Legends say Goddess Durga had promised the Devtas that she would save them from the atrocities of Asuras by re-incarnation. True to her word she decimated the asuras and became famous by the name of Bhima Devi. The five storey Bhimakali temple is situated on a hillock amongst beautiful scenery of gigantic deodar trees. The exquisitely carved wooden sloped roofs are slanting and slightly and concave. These roofs are reminiscent of the Chinese architecture. There are two temples of Bhimakali. The original temple got tilted hence the second has been constructed in the same architectural style. The statuettes of Devis were installed in the temple in 1962.The one meter Ashtdhatu (alloys of 8 metals) Deity of Goddess surrounded by Parikrama Path on the four sides. Besides this deity are statuettes of numerous deities like Chamunda, Annpurna, Brajeshwari, Shiv-Parvati, Ganesh, and Buddha. The Devi decorated with silver plates. The Bimakali temple attracts a stream of visitors during Navratras. Other major fairs celebrated with gaity and fervour are Janamashtami, Ramnavmi, Makar Sakranti, Shivratri and Diwali. Three day Dushehra fair dedicated to Raghunathji is enthusiastically celebrated with a Rath Yatra.

The Bhimakali Temple, reputed to be at least 800 years old, is dedicated to Goddess Durga or Bhimakali and is considered one of the significant Shakti Peeths of Shaivite Hindus. The temple is Tibetan in its architectural style, with Buddhist and Hindu influences and bronze statues of both religions in the shrines. It has slanted slate roofs, golden towers, pagodas and a carved silver door. Dussehra is celebrated in a grand way at both the Bhimakali Temple and in the village of Sarahan, with animal sacrifice playing a big role in the festivities. While in Sarahan, make a trip to the Kamru fort, Chitkul valley, Sangla valley; go angling in the Baspa river; or trek around Srikhand Mahadev, Ranwin or Bashal. This is one holiday you are likely to remember for a long time.

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