Dhara Devi Temple

Dhari Devi temple is located in Rudraprayag district, just a few kilometers from Pauri Garhwal district, in the Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand state of India. Dhari Devi temple, located on the banks of the Alakhnanda river, is thought to protect the tirtha yatri (pilgrims) of Char Dham.

The Dhari Devi temple features an idol of Goddess Kali with her upper half body, which is a fierce image. Goddess Kali is the dark and dangerous form of Goddess Parvati, who drank demon blood to protect the gods. Parvati transformed into the Kalirup (Kali [dark] form) while fighting the demon King Mahisasur and his armies. Goddess Kali chopped char dham yatra off Raktabij’s head and drank all of his blood in order to kill him, the demon whose single drop of blood on the ground transformed him into a gigantic and fierce demon. This is how the goddess guarded the gods and their heaven. Prior to the battle with the demons, Parvati transformed into a beautiful lady bathing in a spring near Mahisasur’s palace in order to attract and kill the demon King at the request of Indradev (king of heaven).

Dhari Devi temple’s idol is set in a 20-meter-high rock. Dhari village can be reached via a hanging bridge on the opposite side of the Alakhananda River.

Legend of the Dhari Devi Temple

According to local legend, Dhari Devi once experienced a massive flood in the Alakhananda River, destroying many properties. Following the flood, locals reported hearing a woman cry in the river. When they arrived at the Alakhananda riverbank, they noticed the upper half of an idol of Goddess Kali attached to a rock in the river, and they were told that the goddess wanted to be installed there because she is under the open sky. Locals followed the instructions and built the Dhari Devi temple on a small island in the Alakhnanda river, a few kilometers downstream from Kaliya Saur on the Srinagar-Rudraprayag road.

The lower half of the idol is believed to be in Kalimath, Rudraprayag district, 67 kilometers from the Dhari Devi temple. Kalimath is near Guptakashi and on the way to Kedarnath temple.

Dhari Devi and Flood (2013)

The devastating flood of June 16, 2013, is linked to the Dhari Devi temple, according to locals who have a strong faith in the deity. Locals believe that Dhari Devi is the goddess who protects pilgrims to Char Dham in Uttarakhand, India. On the evening of June 16, 2013, the Government of India and the State Government of Uttarakhand moved the idol of Dhari Devi from her original location, despite locals’ protests that the deity should not be char dham yatra tour operators moved or the people would suffer the consequences. The central and state governments ignored environmentalists who warned that building a dam across the Alakhananda river would pollute the river and have a negative impact on people’s lives. On the night of June 16, 2013, Kedarkshetra experienced heavy rainfall, followed by a massive destructive flood that damaged the area around Kedarnath temple and impacted the region up to Haridwar via Devprayag and Rishikesh. The flood caused mass destruction, death, and casualties for a variety of reasons, but for the locals, it was the result of relocating the Dhari Devi temple from its original location.

In 1882, when a local King attempted to relocate Dhari Devi’s idol from her original location, the area was flooded and destroyed.

Best time to visit Dhari Devi Temple

The Dhari Devi temple region is open year-round, but it is best to avoid the monsoon season. During the monsoon season, heavy rainfall has a high chance of destroying the road and posing hazards to tourists.

How to reach the Dhari Devi temple

The Dhari Devi temple region can be reached by trekking from Kaliya Saur. Kaliya Saur is located on the Sirnagar-Rudraprayag highway, travel agents in haridwar which is easily accessible by road from anywhere in Uttarakhand. It is 15.9 kilometers from Srinagar. Here, we talk about

How to contact Kaliya Saur:

By air: Jolly Grant Airport. Dehradun is the nearest airport in kilometers from Kaliya Saur.
Rishikesh railway station is the nearest railway station (Km) to Kaliya Saur. Dehradun railway station Km and Haridwar railway station Km are the two railheads closest to Rishikesh.
By road: The well-developed motorable road from Rishikesh to Kaliya Saur runs through Devprayag, Srinagar, and Kaliya Saur. Rishikesh is only a kilometer from Kaliya Saur. The Srinagar-Rudraprayag highway connects to Badrinath.

Places Near Dhari Devi Temple

Srinagar: Situated 560 meters above the sea level on the left bank of Alaknanda river, Srinagar is the largest city of Pauri Garhwal district. Srinagar is 32.5 kilometers from Devprayag and on the way to Badrinath from Rishikesh.