At The Hidimba Devi Temple (built 1553)
Animal skulls hung at the Hidimba Devi Temple in Manali.
The temple was constructed in 1553 by Maharaja Bahadur Singh, who made a promise to the Hidimba deity of the Mahabharata epic.
The Indian epic Mahabharata narrates that Pāndavas stayed in Himachal during their exile. In Manali, a powerful "rākshas" (demon), Hidimb, attacked them, and in the ensuing fight, Bhima, the strongest Pandav, killed him. Bhima and Hidimb's sister, Hidimba, then got married and had a son, Ghatotkacha, (who later proved to be a great warrior in the war against Kauravas). When Bhima and his brothers returned from exile, Hidimba did not accompany him, but stayed back and did tapasyā (a combination of meditation, prayer, and penance) so as to eventually attain the status of a goddess.
At The Hidimba Devi Temple (built 1553)
Animal skulls hung at the Hidimba Devi Temple in Manali.
The temple was constructed in 1553 by Maharaja Bahadur Singh, who made a promise to the Hidimba deity of the Mahabharata epic.
The Indian epic Mahabharata narrates that Pāndavas stayed in Himachal during their exile. In Manali, a powerful "rākshas" (demon), Hidimb, attacked them, and in the ensuing fight, Bhima, the strongest Pandav, killed him. Bhima and Hidimb's sister, Hidimba, then got married and had a son, Ghatotkacha, (who later proved to be a great warrior in the war against Kauravas). When Bhima and his brothers returned from exile, Hidimba did not accompany him, but stayed back and did tapasyā (a combination of meditation, prayer, and penance) so as to eventually attain the status of a goddess.