Shakti Peeth in Himachal Pradesh: 5 Devi Temples, Route & Timings
हिमाचल के शक्तिपीठFive seats of the Devi in the hills.
Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jwala Ji, Brajeshwari and Chamunda — the legend of Sati, which shrine holds which tradition, darshan hours, the route with distances and how to plan around Navratri. Written by Suzu Travels, from Bilaspur.
- 5 temples in 3 districts
- ~378 km full loop by road
- 4–5 days at an easy pace
- 11 Oct Sharad Navratri 2026 begins
Which are the Shakti Peeths in Himachal Pradesh?
Five Devi temples are grouped as the Shakti Peeths of Himachal Pradesh: Naina Devi (Bilaspur), Chintpurni (Una), Jwala Ji, Brajeshwari and Chamunda (all in Kangra). Tradition holds that parts of Sati’s body fell at the first four; Chamunda joins the group by local tradition. All five fit in one road loop of about 378 km — four to five days at an easy pace.
Each temple has its own story and its own way of worship — flames instead of an idol at Jwala Ji, a pindi at Naina Devi, a butter-covered Devi at Kangra every Makar Sankranti. Below you will find the legend that links them, the five temples one by one, darshan hours from official sources, a route with road distances and a sample itinerary.
Looking for the bigger picture? Our pilgrimage hub covers Shakti Peeths across India, and the 12 Jyotirlinga guide tells the Shiva side of the same sacred map.
The story behind the Shakti Peeths
One grief, carried across the worlds, left the Goddess present in many places. This is how tradition tells it.
- Daksha's yagnaSati, daughter of Prajapati Daksha, had married Shiva against her father’s wishes. Daksha held a great yagna and invited every god except Shiva.
- Sati gives up her bodySati went anyway and heard her husband mocked before the guests. Unable to bear it, she gave up her body — in the fire, say some texts; through yogic power, say others.
- Shiva's griefVirabhadra, born of Shiva’s anger, destroyed the yagna. Shiva lifted Sati’s body and wandered the worlds, his dance of mourning threatening creation itself.
- The peethas are bornVishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra divided the body. Wherever a part fell, the Goddess is believed to dwell — a peetha, a seat, each guarded by a form of Shiva called Bhairava.
How many peethas are there? The texts disagree — 4, 18, 51, 52, 64 or 108 depending on the tradition — and compiled lists differ on names and body parts. We retell the legend as tradition and note where the sources part ways.
Darshan timings at the 5 Shakti Peeths
| Naina Devi | About 5 am – 9 pm (longer during melas). Aarti times are not published — confirm locally. |
| Chintpurni | Hours and aarti clock times are not published by the temple trust — confirm locally. A darshan slip (parchi) from the guard is needed to join the queue; paid Sugam Darshan can be booked on the trust’s site. |
| Jwala Ji | Roughly 5 or 6 am – 10 pm, with a short midday break (sources differ slightly; aarti at opening and in the evening). |
| Brajeshwari (Kangra) | 6 am – 12 noon and 12:30 – 8 pm. |
| Chamunda | Generally 6 am – 7 or 8 pm. |
From the district administrations, Incredible India and the temple trusts, checked 8 Oct 2026. Hours stretch during Navratri and the Shravan melas — always confirm locally on the day.
When to go: Navratri and the melas
| What | Date | Status / source |
|---|---|---|
| Sharad Navratri 2026 | 11–19 Oct 2026 (Dussehra 20 Oct) | Panchang sources; one quotes 12–21 Oct — confirm with a local panchang |
| Chaitra Navratri 2027 | From 7 Apr 2027 | Panchang sources |
| Shravan Ashtami melas | July–August | 2027 dates not announced yet (Naina Devi, Chintpurni) |
| Ghrit (butter) festival, Kangra | Makar Sankranti, mid-January | About 7 days, per Kangra district |
| Chintpurni New Year event | 28 Dec – 2 Jan | Temple trust |
Best weather: March–June and September–November. Navratri brings the biggest crowds of the year at all five temples — start each day early, and avoid long drives in peak monsoon.
The 5 Shakti Peeth route, with distances
The natural order runs from the plains up into Kangra: Naina Devi first, Chamunda last. Distances are by road.
The five temples lie within a small corner of Himachal — Bilaspur, Una and Kangra. From our base near Ghumarwin the full loop is about 378 km; from Chandigarh, Naina Devi is the first stop, about 100 km away.
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StartChandigarh or Ghumarwin
Chandigarh to Naina Devi is about 100–106 km; from Ghumarwin it is about 64 km.
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~112 kmNaina Devi → Chintpurniचिंतपूर्णी
Down to Una and up into the hills to Chhaproh.
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~31 kmChintpurni → Jwala Jiज्वाला जी
The shortest leg — easy to cover both on one day.
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~36 kmJwala Ji → Brajeshwari, Kangraब्रजेश्वरी
Kangra town; Gaggal airport is about 8 km away.
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~22 kmKangra → Chamundaचामुंडा
Below the Dhauladhar, 15 km from Dharamshala. Back to Ghumarwin is about 113 km.
Road distances from OpenStreetMap routing, 8 Oct 2026. Hill roads are slower than the map suggests — allow extra time.
How to reach the Shakti Peeths of Himachal
By air
Chandigarh airport is closest to Naina Devi (about 100 km). Gaggal (Kangra) airport is about 8 km from Brajeshwari and about 25 km from Chamunda.
By rail
Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib stations serve Naina Devi. Pathankot is the broad-gauge railhead for Kangra; the Kangra Valley narrow-gauge line stops at Jawalamukhi Road and Kangra.
By road
Delhi to Naina Devi is about 350–370 km. Within the circuit every leg is under 115 km — a private car or taxi is the easiest way to link all five.
From Bilaspur
Suzu Travels is based in Bilaspur district, about 64 km from Naina Devi — we plan the circuit from here every Navratri.
A 5-day Shakti Peeth itinerary from Chandigarh
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Day 1Chandigarh → Naina Devi
Drive about 100 km, cable car up, evening darshan. Overnight at Naina Devi or Anandpur Sahib.
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Day 2Naina Devi → Chintpurni
Early darshan at Naina Devi, then about 112 km to Chintpurni. Darshan with a parchi; overnight at Chintpurni or Bharwain.
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Day 3Chintpurni → Jwala Ji → Kangra
A short 31 km to Jwala Ji for the flames, then 36 km on to Kangra. Overnight in Kangra or Dharamshala.
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Day 4Brajeshwari → Chamunda
Morning darshan at Kangra Devi, then 22 km to Chamunda on the Baner river. Evening in Dharamshala or McLeodganj.
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Day 5Return
Drive back to Chandigarh, or fly out of Gaggal.
Every yatra is planned for your dates, group and pace — Price: Get Quote.
Before you go
- Go early in NavratriQueues form before dawn at every temple. Plan the day around the first darshan.
- Chintpurni parchiTake the darshan slip from the temple guard and join the official queue — the trust asks pilgrims to avoid back-door or paid middlemen.
- Dress and conductModest clothes, shoes off at the gate. Photography inside the sanctum is generally not allowed — follow the notices on site.
- Elders and childrenNaina Devi has a cable car; the other four are reached by road with a short walk. Carry a warm layer for Kangra evenings.
- Add the other DevisThe longer Nau Devi Yatra adds Vaishno Devi, Mansa Devi and more — ask us to extend the route.
The five Shakti Peeths of Himachal, one by one
1 · Naina Devi, Bilaspur
नैना देवी
On a Shivalik hilltop above the Gobind Sagar lake. Tradition says Sati’s eyes fell here; a later legend tells of a herd boy named Naina who found the Devi’s pindi, and the temple carries his name. A short cable car climbs from the base. Not to be confused with the Naina Devi temple in Nainital.
2 · Chintpurni, Una
चिंतपूर्णी
Seat of Chhinnamastika, the Goddess shown holding her own head. The temple trust tells how she appeared to the devotee Pandit Mai Das and freed him of his worries (chinta) — hence the name. Which part of Sati fell here is disputed (foot, forehead or her consciousness, depending on the source).
3 · Jwala Ji, Kangra
ज्वाला जी
No idol: small flames rising from the rock are worshipped as the Devi, where tradition places Sati’s tongue. Devotees see the Goddess in the flames; geologists describe natural gas seeping from the ground. Legend adds that Emperor Akbar tried and failed to put the flames out.
4 · Brajeshwari (Kangra Devi)
ब्रजेश्वरी
In Kangra town, old Nagarkot. Tradition places Sati’s left breast here and credits the Pandavas with the first shrine. Raided more than once in medieval times and flattened by the 1905 Kangra earthquake, it was rebuilt each time; every Makar Sankranti the pindi is covered in butter (ghrit).
5 · Chamunda, near Dharamshala
चामुंडा
On the Baner river below the Dhauladhar. Chamunda is the fierce Devi who, in the Devi Mahatmya, slew the demons Chanda and Munda. It is not in the classical Shakti Peeth lists, but local tradition counts it among Himachal’s five great Devi shrines.
Plan your Shakti Peeth yatra with Suzu
We are based in Bilaspur, Naina Devi’s home district. Tell us your city, dates and group, and we will plan the cars, stays and darshan timings around the Navratri crowds — from a two-day Naina Devi–Chintpurni trip to the full five-temple circuit.
Questions pilgrims ask
How many Shakti Peeths are there in Himachal Pradesh?
Five are commonly grouped: Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Jwala Ji, Brajeshwari (Kangra Devi) and Chamunda. Strictly, Jwala Ji, Brajeshwari and Naina Devi appear in the classical 51-peetha lists, Chintpurni appears in some, and Chamunda is included by local tradition.
Which part of Sati fell at each temple?
Tradition places her eyes at Naina Devi, her tongue at Jwala Ji and her left breast at Brajeshwari. For Chintpurni sources differ — foot, forehead or her consciousness. Chamunda is not linked to a body part.
How many days do I need for all five Shakti Peeths?
Four to five days is comfortable. The road loop is about 378 km from Ghumarwin, and no single leg is longer than about 115 km.
What is the best order to visit them?
Naina Devi → Chintpurni → Jwala Ji → Brajeshwari (Kangra) → Chamunda. This follows the road from the plains up into Kangra and ends near Dharamshala and Gaggal airport.
Is Chamunda Devi a Shakti Peeth?
Not in the classical lists. It is one of Himachal’s five great Devi shrines by local tradition, which is why it is part of the circuit.
When is Navratri 2026, and how crowded do the temples get?
Sharad Navratri 2026 runs from 11 to 19 October, with Dussehra on 20 October. All five temples see their biggest crowds then, and in Chaitra Navratri (from 7 April 2027) — start early each day.
Why does the flame at Jwala Ji never go out?
Devotees worship the flames as the Goddess herself. Geologically, they come from natural gas seeping through the rock — both views live side by side at Jwala Ji.
Which is the nearest airport for the Shakti Peeth circuit?
Chandigarh for Naina Devi (about 100 km) and Gaggal (Kangra) for the three Kangra temples. Many pilgrims arrive at Chandigarh and leave from Gaggal.
Keep exploring
Planning guides
Sources
- HP Kangra district — Kangra pilgrimage
- HP Kangra district — Shri Jawalamukhi Mata Temple
- HP Kangra district — Shri Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham
- HP Bilaspur district — Sri Naina Devi Ji
- Mata Shri Chintpurni temple trust — history
- Incredible India — Shree Naina Devi Temple
- Incredible India — Brajeshwari Devi Temple
- Wikipedia — Shakta pithas
Legends are retold in our own words as traditions. Animations are original artwork by Suzu Travels.
