Tara Devi temple is one of the religious temples in Shimla. King Bhupendra sen built the temple in the year 1766. Temple timings are 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM daily. Goddess Tara Devi is worshipped, who is an incarnation of Kali matha.
Tara Devi Temple, Shimla:
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Shimla is the land of many religious places with different cultures and traditions. Not only Hindus and Buddhists but also people with different religions and cultures visit here.
As the temple is located on the hill Tarav, the devotees and visitors have to walk down to the temple through deep forests filled with trees. You can visit this temple to relax and blend with nature.
Tara Devi temple is a popular tourist attraction throughout the entire tour. You can view tall mountains and forests with pine trees and greenery from the temple. It is located 11kms away from the city centre.
This temple attracts people with its traditions and culture. People believe that the goddess protects the entire Shimla city from evil. Many people visit the temple to fulfil the promise they made to the deity for their wishes.
History of Tara Devi temple:
This temple is 250 yrs old and has recently undergone many changes to attract more people. Nearly ten artisans worked on designing the new structure of the temple with beautiful work replacing the old one.
As well as Rohru artisans, Kinnauri artisans also contributed to giving a new structure to the temple. At last, on July 20, 2018, the idol of Tara Devi was re-installed with many rituals.
According to a belief, the idol of tara Devi was originally from West Bengal and later brought to Himachal Pradesh. It says that king Bhupendra sen visited Shimla carrying a small golden locket of his family deity.
During his hunting journey, the king lost his way back and fell asleep in the forest. While sleeping, he got a dream where goddess tara Devi, lord Hanuman, and bhairav asked to build a temple for them.
Immediately after his return, the king donated 50 bighas of land for temple construction. Firstly the temple had a wooden idol of the goddess tara Devi. Later, Bhupendra sen, another king of the same dynasty, had a vision where tara Devi asked to move the temple to travel to Parvathy top.
Afterwards, the temple shifted to the top of the hill with an idol made of materials like ‘Astadatu’ installed in 1825. Since then, every year, sen dynasty kings worshipped to goddess tara on asthami day.
The architecture of Tara Devi temple:
This temple has Pahar-style architecture. The temple was built with wood. The entire temple has been rebuilt with another wood as the old wood changes its texture with long exposure to air. It took nearly INR 6 crores to reconstruct the temple. This temple is under the Himachal Pradesh state government.
The wooden door at the entrance and the red spiritual flags all around the temple walls welcomes devotees to the temple.
Further, The entire temple has a miniature of wood art boasting the greatness of Indian architecture. Artisans of Rohu and Kinnauri majorly contributed to re-designing the temple.
Tara Devi temple timings:
The temple is open daily but closed on special days like solar eclipses and lunar eclipses.
| Day | Timings |
| Monday | 7:00 AM -6:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 7:00 AM -6:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 7:00 AM -6:30 PM |
| Thursday | 7:00 AM -6:30 PM |
| Friday | 7:00 AM -6:30 PM |
| Saturday | 7:00 AM -6:30 PM |
| Sunday | 7:00 AM -6:30 PM |
Pooja timings:
Here Are Tara Devi Pooja Timings:
| Pooja | Timings |
| Mangala aarti | 8:00 AM |
| Bhog aarti | 12:00 PM |
| Shayana Aarti | 5:00 PM |
| Bhog | 5:30 PM |
Best time to visit:
You can visit Shimla at any time of the year. But according to the visitors, the best time to visit is between June and October.
The temple is located on the top of the Tarav hill so winters might be harsh to people from other places. Moreover, the temple has many events during the festive season.
Accommodation:
Sukh Sagar Regency: This luxurious hotel is in Kacchi Gatti, which is 15kms away from Shimla airport.
Love kush cottage: This cottage is 10.9km from the city centre and 16 km from Shimla airport.
Snow valley Heights: It is located in Upper Chakker, Opposite the BJP office. It is only 2.8 km from Tara Devi temple, Shimla airport is 16.4 km away, and Shimla’s old bus stand with 4.6 km.
Larisa Shimla: It is located in Kachi Ghatti, which is only 2.7 km away from Tara Devi temple.
Other places to visit near tara Devi temple:
- Jahoo temple
- Hanuman Temple
- Chamunda Devi Temple
- Sankat mochan mandir
- Christ Church
- Mall road
How to reach Tara Devi temple:
By air: Many flights are available to Shimla. The nearest airport is the nearest airport to Shimla, which is 21 km away from Tara Devi temple.
By train: With a distance of 34 km, Kalka railway station is the nearest station.
By road: There are many private vehicles available in the city. Public transport is available as Shimla connects to many cities. Many visitors trek or come by walk to the temple.
Address:
NH.22, Kachi Ghati, Bagh, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171001.
Tara Devi temple contact number:
Phone: 0177 2002150
Frequently asked question(FAQs)
What is the purpose of Tara?
As the name itself, it provides a single point of light one can navigate with. It is a religious temple for both Hindus and Buddhists.
Is goddess Durga the same as Tara Devi?
Some people believe she is one of the forms of the goddess Durga.
Whose wife is goddess Tara Devi?
She is the wife of Brihaspathi, who is the guru of devas.
When was tara Devi temple built?
The temple was built in 1766 A.D.