Surkanda Devi Temple

This temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths located all over the Indian subcontinent and is dedicated to Goddess Surkanda, a manifestation of feminine divinity. The temple is famous for its architectural beauty and its location, perched at an altitude of 2,700 meters, which offers a 360-degree view of the surrounding region along with the snowy Himalayan peaks.

Surkanda Devi temple demands a trek of about 2 km from the village of Kaddukhal. The trekking path is well paved and takes about 30 minutes one way. Tourists can also reach the temple by walking along an 8-kilometer trek path amidst the dense forests from Dhanaulti. Hence, it is also a popular attraction among trekkers.

The Surkhananda Devi Fair is celebrated on the eve of Ganga Dussehra at the temple. The festival is celebrated in the month of May or June every year and attracts a large number of devotees.

Timings: 7 AM to 6 PM
Entry: Free
The Best Time to Visit Surkanda Devi Temple
Situated near the popular tourist attraction of Chamba, Surkanda Devi Temple can be visited by any worshipper at any time of the year since the weather remains comfortable throughout the year. However, the best time to visit Surkanda Devi Temple is during the summer season, when the Ganga Dusshera Festival is celebrated with immense zeal here.

Surkanda Devi Temple Story
Most of us are familiar with the story of Daksha Yagya. In that Yagya, Lord Shiva was insulted by Daksha Prajapati. Unable to tolerate this, Sati Mata ended her life by entering the sacrificial fire. When Lord Shiva heard of this, he was enraged beyond control. 

He destroyed the Yagya and beheaded Daksha Prajapati. He later restored Prajapati’s life, but with the head of a goat. Lord Shiva picked up Sati Mata’s body and took to the skies. This situation would have had grave consequences for the world. Lord Vishnu cut Sati Mata’s body into 51 parts with his Sudarshan Chakra. These parts fell at different spots in the Indian subcontinent, and each spot became a Shakti peeth. Mata Sati’s head fell at the place where now stands the Surkanda Devi Temple.

This is a small temple atop the hill. The sanctum, in the simple structure of the temple, houses the Murti of Maa Sarkanda Devi, beautifully adorned with silk garments and a silver crown. On the temple premises, a mural of Hanuman Ji can also be seen.There is also a marble statue of the goddess seated on a lion within the complex. Beautiful views of the dense forests below and panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks can be seen from here.

Though this is an ancient temple, not much of its history is known. For most of the year, the temple is covered by fog, making it all the more alluring.Ganga Dussehra is the main festival celebrated here. The festival starts on the first day of the Jyestha month and ends on the tenth day. Both Navratris are also celebrated in this temple. 

Surkanda Devi Temple Ropeway Service
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Maa Surkanda Devi Temple and inaugurated the Kaddukhal-Siddhpeeth Devi ropeway service. The ropeway initiative will be a big relief for the devotees visiting this temple for darshan. Devotees had to walk on foot from here for around 2 hours, but now they can easily visit the temple for darshan. This will also boost tourism in Uttarakhand.

The ropeway ticket price for Surkanda Devi Temple is Rs. 177 (two-way journey) per person. By ropeway, you can reach the temple in just 10 minutes. You have to book a ticket for Surkanda Devi Temple by visiting the ticket booking window. An online booking service is not available at this time.

Ropeway service will also increase the livelihood of the people at the local level. The ropeway is 502 meters long and can carry up to 500 tourists per hour.

Adventurous activities like water sports are being conducted in the giant lake spread over 42 square kilometers in the Tehri district.