Mansa Devi Temple
The temple of Mansa Devi in Haridwar
is as much ancient as it is popular. One of the most frequented in the
town, the temple stands in dedication to Mansa Devi, the Hindu goddess
of Power. The temple's location on the Bilwa Parvat Hill adds much to
its overall beauty. Though the temple lies on the hilltop, visitors do
not face any difficulty in reaching the temple. The temple magnetises
hordes of devotees and pilgrims from all over due to its ancient history
and religious significance. Hindus believe that if you pray to the
goddess with a pure and grateful heart, she is sure to fulfill your
wishes. For a 'darshan' (visit) of the goddess, pilgrims need to stand
in the queue at the temple site.
Visitors have a number of options for
getting to the temple. There are regular Taxis, Auto Rikshaws and Cabs
available from Haridwar to Mansa Devi. To reach the hilltop, you can use
the cable car. Otherwise, if you are looking for a light dose of
adventure, you can choose to trek up to the temple. A number of small
shops stand on the hill. At these shops, you can buy fruits, garlands
and incense sticks to present as an offering to the goddess Mansa Devi,
regarded as the wife of Nag Raja Vasuki.
Close to the temple on the hilltop is
a holy tree, around which devotees tie threads to get their wishes
fulfilled. They seek the blessings of goddess Mansa Devi. Not only in
Haridwar, but the temple of Mansa Devi is known and revered in the whole
of northern India. Apart from getting a glimpse of the goddess at the
temple, visitors can also feast their eyes upon the magnificent views of
the town of Haridwar from the hilltop.
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