Chamunda Devi Temple Kangra

Legends Associated with This Shrine

The mythology of Maa Chamunda Devi has been chronicled in “Durga Sapt-Shati’. The Story goes like this- the two great demons namely the Chand and Mund led a huge army with weaponary on being ordered by their king ‘Shumb’ and ‘Ni-Shumb’. Both saw goddess sitting on a peak of Himalaya and the goddess were smiling, as the goddess was unarmed, the two demons tried to catch hold of her. Then the whole army took up their arms and encircled goddess. The goddess got enraged and furious and it seems that her whole body became black with anger and eyebrows raised on the forehead. Then with the Maa Amba’s austerity immediately, ‘Kali-Devi’ appeared with a sword in her hand and roared violently.

Maa Kali was covered with a garland of human heads which was gracing her neck and while the body was covered by tiger-skin. Maa Kali’s skin looked dry and her shape ferocious. And the most important expression was that she had eyes were drawn deep and mouth wide open and tongue brandishing violently. Temple is the place where the two great demons ‘Chand’ and ‘Mund’ came to fight with the goddess, while goddess appeared in the form of Kali and killed both the demons. When ‘Kalika’ defeated the two demons with presenting the heads of ‘Chand’ and ‘Mund’ to the goddess Amba, from whose prowess Kalika was created, then the goddess became happy. Later the Goddess Amba gave a boon to Kalika that she will be remembered and worshipped as Chamunda. Maa Kali’s roar trembled the skies and attacked the demon army swiftly killing the demons mercilessly and ate them.

Whosoever came in her path was killed and swallowed by her even the bodyguards, elephants, soldiers along with their weapons. In similar fashion, Maa Kali put in her mouth, chariots along with horses and drivers and chewed them making a horrifying noise. At some point in time, she would grab people by the neck and somewhere she would catch hold of hair. She would swallow the arrows and other weapons thrown on her by the demons. In this way, the goddess Kali

put an end of the demoniac army, by killing and devouring them.

Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There

By Road

The Nearest Bus stop is Gaggle

By Rail

The nearest railway station is Pathankot at a distance of 90kms.

By Air

The Nearest Airport is at Gaggle, 28 km away.

Shrine Timings

Winter : 06.00 am to 12.00 pm and 01.00 pm to 9.00 pm. Summer : 05.00 am to 12.00 pm and 01.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

Events Celebrated at This Shrine

Navaratri

Extra Information About this Shrine

Main Attraction: March-April & September-October Navaratri Celebrations