Haridwar is an ancient and highly visited pilgrimage centers in India which has been respected from the ancient times. It is believed that Haridwar is one of the places which accidently received the drops of Amrit when it was being carried away by the vehicle of Vishnu, the celestial bird, Garuda. Manasa Devi temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Manasa Devi and is located atop a hill in the holy city of Haridwar, Uttarakhand. This temple is located on the top of the mountain named Bilwa Parvat over the Shivalik hills. Shivalik hills are the southernmost chain of giant mountain ranges of Himalayas. This temple is also famous by the name of Bilwa teerth and is one of the five pilgrimages located in Haridwar.

This temple is known for being the Manasa Devi’s holy abode. Hindus consider Manasa Devi as a form of Shakti and it is believed that Manasa Devi has emerged from the mind of rishi Kashyapa. Manasa Devi is also considered as the sister of viper Naga Vasuki. The literal meaning of the term Manasa is ‘wish’ and people believe that the Goddess Manasa Devi fulfills all the wishes presented by her sincere devotees. As a tradition, the devotees who come to Manasa Devi with their wishes tie a thread on the branches of the holy tree located outside the temple. After their wishes are fulfilled, they come to thank the Goddess and as per tradition, they untie a thread from that tree. The devotees often offer the incense sticks, garlands and fruits and coconuts to appease their Goddess.

This temple is located at a distance of about 800 m from the famous Har-ki-Pauri and there are various ways to reach the temple, one of which is cable car facility which gives visitors an opportunity to experience an exciting trek of a couple of minutes for reaching the temple’s location.

History

It is believed that Manasa Devi temple was built in 1811 – 1815 AD by Maharaja Gopal Singh.

Architecture

Manasa Devi temple is quite popular among the visitors and the prime attractions of this temple include two splendid sculptures. One of these is the idol of Goddess Manasa Devi possessing 8 arms, while other is also a unique idol placed in the shrine with three mouths and five arms. These unique sculptures of the Goddess Manasa Devi’s two presiding deities give this temple an astounding religious appeal in the holy city of Haridwar. 

Temple Timings

Since Manasa Devi temple is located at a hilltop, it is open all days of the week from 5 am in the morning to 6 pm in the evening. However, it closes for the lunch from 12 noon – 2pm.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Manasa Devi temple is between April – October when the weather is pleasant. Some of the special occasions during which one can plan the visit to this temple are Haridwar Kumbh fair and Navratri festival which are celebrated with great splendor here.

Places to Visit

Chandi Devi Temple

Chandi Devi temple is located in very close proximity from Manasa Devi temple and is visited by all the visitors who come to Manasa Devi temple. It can be easily reached via bus from Manasa Devi temple or cable car. You can also buy a combination ticket for cable car for both the temples. 

As per a legend, it is said that Goddess Chandi and Goddess Manasa, which are the two avatars of Goddess Parvati always stay close to each other. This belief also comes out to be true in another case where Mata Manasa Devi temple located in Panchkula, Haryana is situated quite close to Chandi Mandir temple located in Chandigarh.

Bhima Goda

Bhima Goda, which is located quite close to Har-ki-Pauri Ghat, is famous for its association from the Mahabharata period. It is believed that while Pandavas were on a journey to Himalayas from Haridwar, Bhima made this tank Bhima Goda with a single highly powerful blow of his knee.

Daksh Prajapati Shiva Temple

This temple is related to Lord Shiva, his consort Sati and Sati’s father Daksh Prajapati. It is one of the major historic spots located in Kankhal situated at a distance of about 2 km from Haridwar. This is the place where Sati immolated herself when her father insulted her husband Lord Shiva.

Festivals

The Navratri festival celebrated in the month of March – April is one of the nine days festival celebrated with great magnificence in Manasa Devi temple.
Kumbh fair, which is celebrated at four places in India, is also one of the biggest festivals of Haridwar when many people visit this place.

How to Reach

The nearest railway station to Manasa Devi temple is Haridwar located at a distance of about 2 Km from the temple. The nearest bus station is also Haridwar located at a distance of 2 Km from the temple. The nearest airport to Manasa Devi temple is Jolly Grant Airport located in Dehradun situated at a distance of about 35 Km from Haridwar. The next nearest airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport located in Delhi, located at a distance of about three and half hour’s drive from Delhi.

Once you reach Haridwar, you can easily reach the temple. One has two ways to reach the temple: one is by walking in which you have to cover up hill hike of about one and a half kilometers. The other way is by using the cable car from departs from the centre of the town and is available all year round.