The Temple Were Flames Are Burning From Ages

The Jwala Devi Temple is of utmost religious importance to the followers of Hinduism, and worshiped as one of the 51 shaktipeeths (incarnations of the Holy Goddess).

The tale behind the temple goes that the Holy Goddess has manifested herself in the form of an undying blue flame, which refuses to extinguish even when it comes in contact with water, and is holy. The shrine is located in a slightly deep seated underground sanctum, where a priest presents the offerings of devotees to the flaming shrine. Mughal emperor Akbar is set to have given the golden 'chhatra' or dome, as a symbol of his devotion to the shrine. The Temple is about 35 kms from the Kangra valley, but worth the visit. To reach here, one can take a state transport bus from Kangra. Alternatively you can also take a cab which will roughly cost you Rs. 1000 for a return trip.

Positioned besides a cliff, Jwalamukhi Mandir is built on a wooden platform in the Indo-Sikh style of architecture. The structural design of the temple is simple, but the religious aura makes it undoubtedly divine. The dome and spire of this temple are covered with Gold. The main door of the shrine is plated with silver. In front of the main shrine, there is a huge brass bell that was presented by the King of Nepal.

In the early times, people tried to explore the fact behind these burning flames, but nothing substantial was made out. These flames are burning due to some natural jets of combustible gas. The temple came to be known as the Jwala Devi Mandir. In this temple, there is no idol because the Goddess is considered to be residing in the form of flames. This temple has nine ceaseless flames that are named as Mahakali, Annapurna, Chandi, Hinglaj, Vindhya Vasini, Mahalakshmi, Saraswati, Ambika and Anji Devi respectively.