Sri Naina Devi Temple – Nainital

 

Sri Naina Devi Temple is located on the top of the Naina hill at Nainital of Uttarakhand State.

Sri Naina Devi is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati

There are two eyes in the temple which represent Naina Devi.

It is believed about Naini Lake that when Shiva was going to Mount Kailash with the dead body of Sati, Shaktipeeths were established wherever his body parts fell.

A large courtyard exists inside the temple, to the left of which is a revered peepal tree, and to the right is the temple, which is home to the idols of Lord Ganesh and Hanuman. Two lion statues are placed outside the temple's main entrance. One may have a darshan of three goddesses inside the main sanctum: Kali Devi is located on the far left, Maa Naina Devi is in the center, signifying two Netras or eyes, and Lord Ganesh is located to the right.

According to the legend, Sati, daughter of Daksh Prajapati, was married to Shiva. Daksh Prajapati did not like Shiva, but he could not ignore the request of the gods, so he married his daughter to Shiva even though he did not want to. Once Daksh Prajapati invited all the gods to a yagya at his place but did not even invite his son-in-law Shiva and daughter Uma. Uma stubbornly reached this yagya. When he reached Haridwar she became very sad when she saw that in her father's Yagya in Kankhal, all the gods were being respected and her husband and herself were being disrespected. She jumped into the sacrificial fire of the Yagya saying, 'I will make Shiva my husband in the next life also. As a result of the disrespect you have shown me and my husband, I fail your yagya by burning myself in the sacrificial fire of the yagya.' When Shiva came to know that Uma had become Sati, his anger knew no bounds. He destroyed and corrupted the Yagya of Daksh Prajapati through his followers. Seeing this fierce form of Shiva, all the gods and goddesses were worried that Shiva might cause destruction. Therefore the gods and goddesses prayed to Mahadev Shiva and calmed his anger. Daksh Prajapati also apologized. Shiva blessed him also. But after seeing the burnt body of Sati, his dispassion surged. He placed Sati's burnt body on his shoulders and started traveling in the sky. In such a situation where - wherever the body parts are, there - thereShakti Peetha became. Where Sati's eyes had fallen; There, Uma i.e. Nanda Devi got a grand place in the form of Naina Devi. Today's Nainital is the same place where the eyes of that goddess had fallen. The tears in the eyes took the form of a rhythm here. Since then, Shiva's wife Nanda (Parvati) has continuously worshiped here in the form of Naina Devi.

During Nanda Ashtami, a big fair is organized in the Naina Devi temple and devotees come for darshan and take blessings. This Nanda Ashtami festival runs for 8 days on the premises of Naina Devi temple. A ceremony of statue immersion of Goddess Nanda Devi with her sister Naini Devi is celebrated on the last day of the fair. Other holy occasions like Navratri, Chaitra Fair, etc. also witness a huge number of devotees in Naina Devi temple.

Timings

6.00 am to 10.00 pm