Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Bankhandi

Bankhandi (near Dehra), Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh

Devta dhams

About

This temple at Bankhandi village, near Dehra in Kangra district, is one of the three best-known temples of Maa Baglamukhi in India; the other two are Pitambara Peeth at Datia and the Baglamukhi temple at Nalkheda, both in Madhya Pradesh. Maa Baglamukhi is one of the ten Mahavidyas and is called Pitambara, 'the one dressed in yellow'. Everything here is yellow: the temple walls, the Mother's clothes, the flowers and the besan laddoo prasad, and devotees often come dressed in yellow too. Many devotees perform havan here. Beside the temple is an old Shiv temple with a large Shivling, where devotees offer water after darshan.

The story

The Baglamukhi tradition says that long ago a terrible storm put all creation in danger. At Bhagwan Vishnu's prayer, the Devi rose from a lake of turmeric-yellow water and calmed the storm; that is why yellow is so dear to her. Local tradition says that in the Dwapar Yug, during their year in hiding (agyatvas), the Pandavs built this temple in a single night, and that Arjun and Bhim offered special worship to Maa Baglamukhi here. Another belief says that before the battle with Ravan, Shri Ram, guided by Hanuman ji, prayed to the Mother here, and the temple's havan kund is held in memory of it. Today devotees from many states, especially in Navratri, come with yellow flowers and sweets for her darshan.

Visiting

The temple is open all year; October to March is pleasant, and Navratri is crowded. It is near the Chandigarh–Dharamshala highway, about 30–40 km from Kangra town. Wear something yellow if you like, as many devotees do. Nearby are the Devi temples of Jwalamukhi, Chintpurni and Kangra.

Festivals

Chaitra and Ashwin Navratri
Baglamukhi Jayanti (Vaishakh Shukla Ashtami)

Devta dhams

Sources