A part of Mussoorie Valley is famous for its tourist attractions, shopping, mouthwatering cuisine, and late-night clubs. But there are some spiritual sites in Mussoorie that you should visit once during your trip to the valley of Queen! These 7 temples in Mussoorie might not be the ones most talked about, but if you’re traveling here for the sake of Hinduism, you can visit once and get blessings from above.
This blog is all about the 7 not-so-famous temples in Mussoorie that you must visit once. We have tried our best to curate as much information as we could gather, along with the history of each temple in Mussoorie.
1. Maa Jwala Devi Temple –
Jwalaji Temple is one of the famous temples in Mussoorie dedicated to Jwala Devi, one of the many forms of Maa Durga. This spiritual site is located about 9 km west of Mussoorie, on the top of Benog Hills, and it’s surrounded by lush green forest cover. To reach this temple in Mussoorie, you have to trek for 2 km, and upon arriving, you will be astonished by the panoramic views of the Shivalik Range, Yamuna River, Doon Valley, and Mussoorie valley!
Credits – Tripadvisor
2. Surkanda Devi Temple –
Surkanda Devi temple is located at a height of about 2700+ meters near the Dhanaulti and Chamba hills. At this spiritual site, you will find yourself surrounded by dense forest and aesthetic scenic Himalayan views to the north. If you look at the south, you can see glimpses of Dehradun and Rishikesh city! The history of this temple is associated with Sati. When lord Shiva was passing over the place on his way back to Kailash carrying Sati’s body, her head fell at a spot where the modern temples of Surkanda Devi Temple stand, and due to this, this temple in Mussoorie got its name as Sirkanda.
Credits – IncredibleIndia
3. Nag Devta Temple in Mussoorie –
This ancient temple is located in Khatyari, a town in Uttarakhand. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it’s more than 1000 years old! This place quietly nestles at a hilltop of more than 6000 feet and is comfortably covered with breathtaking Himalayan views.
Upon entering this spiritual site, you will be amazed by its unique architecture and the beautiful idols of Lord Shiva and Nag Devta. This temple hosts quite a few yearly festivals. The most prominent festival is Nag Panchami, where this temple is beautifully celebrated with flowers and lights, and devotees from across India come here to offer their prayers to the Nag Devta.
Credits – MussoorieTourism
4. Bhadraj Temple, Mussoorie –
Bhadraj Temple is a part of Badrinath Temple, and it’s believed that the pilgrims visiting this temple receive the same blessings as the pilgrims visiting Badrinath Temple. It is believed to have been constructed in the Dwapar Yug after the Mahabharata War came to an end. Post-war, Lord Balram went on a journey for penance, and he came across this spot in Binhar. Lord Balrama was filled with immense joy and happiness. On the other hand, the locals took good care of their cows and were quite hospitable. All these qualities fostered in him a special affection for this place, and he meditated here for quite a long period. He also taught shepherds war tactics and left for Badrinath after his penance.
But he promised the people that he would come back to Bhardraj in the form of a stone to look after them. After a few years, Nandu Mehra was looking for ayurvedic medicines at the banks of the Yamuna River. It was that time when he heard a voice asking him to take him out. Ultimately, the locals found a statue of Lord Balrama. Nandu heard another voice that instructed him to carry the statue and place it in a high-altitude spot. This is the lesser-known history of this spiritual place in Mussoorie!
Credits – Hirecamp
5. Santura Devi Temple in Mussoorie –
It’s one of the famous temples in Mussoorie – Santura Devi stands tall and strong in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. This religious spot is located at a height of 2200 meters above sea level, and upon reaching this temple, you will be covered with beautiful snow-capped mountains, dense forests, and scenic Himalayan views. Adi Shankaracharya built the Santura Devi temple during the 8th century. It is said that he meditated at this spot and received blessings from Santura Devi.
Since then, this temple has become a popular pilgrimage site, and thousands of visitors pay their respects there. While at this temple, you can also visit the nearby town of Gopeshwar, which has several temples and is known for its beautiful natural scenery.
Credits – Tripadvisor
6. Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple –
It’s one of the famous temples in Mussoorie with an interesting backstory. As the legends say, Guru Dronacharya lived in the caves at this place, famously known as the Drona caves. Dronacharya was blessed with a son – Ashwathama. However, due to extremely poor conditions, he was unable to feed his family with milk. Since Guru Dronacharya did not have the luxury to purchase a cow or cow’s milk, Ashwathama prayed religiously to Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva, on the other hand, was impressed with Ashwathama’s dedication. Happy with his prayers, Lord Shiva fed him milk dripping from the Shivling in the Drona Caves. The Tapkeshwar temple combines two words – Tapak (meaning dripping) and Ishwar (meaning God). The dripping water droplets here create a serene environment.
Credits – Gouttrakhand
7. Santala Devi Temple –
Santala Devi Temple is known by quite a few names, like Santaura Devi Temple and Santaula Devi Temple. It is believed that Santla Devi and her brother turned into stone deities at this place. The story dates back to the Mughal era. Santala Devi and her brother, realizing that they were not well-equipped to fight the Mughals’ army, abandoned their weapons and started praying to God. A divine light blessed the brother and sister, and soon they turned into stone, and it was at this place that it happened.
Since then, this place has been highly respected by the people who flock here from faraway places to worship this Goddess and her brother. However, in the early 2000s, this famous temple in Mussoorie received fresh infrastructure work with support from the Garhwal Rifles.
Credits – eUttranchal
Where Should You Stay During Your Trip to Mussoorie?
So that you have planned your visits to these iconic temples in Mussoorie, the question comes – where should you stay during your vacations? Well, we have a simple yet relaxing answer to this question. When at Mussoorie, you can plan your stays at Hotel Drive Inn or Baris Hotel Mussoorie – 2 of the best hotels in the Queen of Hills! Apart from these hotels being quite spacious and luxurious, their location is worth noting! Mussoorie’s 15 most iconic tourist places and the temples are quite nearby the hotels.
We do provide cab services to our guests on demand. At Mussoorie, while you visit the temples, allow Gorgeous Hospitality to help you with relaxing and rejuvinating stays at either of our hotels.
