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{{Short description|Hindu temple in Himachal Pradesh, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Hidimba Devi Temple
| image = Hidimba Devi Temple - North-east View - Manali 2014-05-11 2648-2649.TIF
| alt = Hidimba Devi Temple, North-east View
| caption =
| map_type = India Himachal Pradesh
| map_caption = Location in [[India]]
| coordinates = {{coord|32.24228|77.187366|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = India
| state = Himachal Pradesh
| district = Manali
| location =
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Hidimbi]]
| primary_deity_Godess =
| utsava_deity_God =
| utsava_deity_Godess=
| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals = Dhungari Mela
| architecture = Pagoda
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| year_completed = 1553
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Hidimba Devi Temple''', locally known as Dhungari Temple,<ref>http://blessingsonthenet.com/indian-temple/id/84/hadimba-devi-temple-kullu</ref> also known variously as the '''Hadimba Temple''', is located in [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manāli]], a hill station in the State of [[Himachal Pradesh|Himāchal Pradesh]] in north [[India]]. It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to [[Hidimbi]] Devi, wife of [[Bhima]], a figure in the Indian epic [[Mahābhārata]]. The temple is surrounded by a cedar forest called Dhungiri Van Vihar at the foot of the [[Himalayas|Himālayas]]. The sanctuary is built over a huge rock jutting out of the ground which was worshiped as an image of the deity. The structure was built in 1553 by Maharaja Bahadur Singh. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kullumanali.com/hadimbatemple.php |title=Hidimbi Temple |publisher= |accessdate=14 September 2006}}</ref>by Ananya.b.s of 7A kvsap camp paroorkada .

== History ==
The [https://www.tourism-of-india.com/hidimba-devi-temple-manali.html Hidimba Devi temple] was built in 1553 CE by Maharaja Bahadur Singh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blessingsonthenet.com/indian-temple/id/84/hadimba-devi-temple-kullu|title=Hadimba Devi Temple|accessdate=21 June 2018}}</ref> The temple is built around a cave where Devi Hidimba performed meditation. Hidimbi was supposed to have lived there with her brother [[Hidimba|Hidimb]], and not much is known about their parents. Born into a Rakshasa family, Hidimba vowed to marry one who would defeat her brother Hidimb, who was supposed to be very brave and fearless. During the [[Pandava]]'s exile, when they visited [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]]; [[Bhima]], one of the five Pandavas, killed Hidimb. Thereafter, Hidimba married [[Bhima]] and gave birth to their son [[Ghatotkacha]].

== Worship of Hidimba Devi ==
People in Manali worship Hidimba Devi as a deity. During [[Navaratri]] all Hindus across the nation worship [[goddess Durga]], but people in Manali worship Hidimba Devi. Queues of people can be seen outside the temple, but the crowd increases during [[Navaratri]].<ref name="Hidimba worshipped during Navaratri">{{cite news |title=Hidimba worshipped during Navaratri |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/hidimba-not-durga-is-worshipped-in-manali-during-navaratra/articleshow/57902893.cms |accessdate=19 August 2017}}</ref>

== Design ==
The Hidimba Devi Temple has intricately carved wooden doors and a 24-meter-tall wooden "shikhar" or tower above the sanctuary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.templenet.com/enchima1.html |title=Temples of the Himalayas |publisher= |accessdate=14 September 2006}}</ref> The tower consists of three square roofs covered with timber tiles and a fourth brass cone-shaped roof at the top. The earth goddess [[Durga]] forms the theme of the main door carvings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/manali/hidimbadeviindex.htm |title=Hidimba Devi Temple |publisher= |accessdate=14 September 2006}}</ref> Also depicted are animals, foliate designs, dancers, scenes from [[Lord Krishna]]’s life and [[Navagraha]]s. <ref> {{cite web| url=https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/unknown-facts-about-hadimba-devi-temple/the-imposing-architecture|title=The imposing architecture of Hadimba Devi Temple|accessdate=21 June 2018}}</ref>The temple base is made out of whitewashed, mud-covered stonework. An enormous rock occupies the inside of the temple, only a 7.5 cm (3 inch) tall brass image representing goddess Hidimba Devi. A rope hangs down in front of the rock, and according to a legend, in bygone days religious zealots would tie the hands of "sinners" by the rope and then swing them against the rock.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/manali/hidimbadeviindex.htm |title=Hidimba Devi Temple |publisher= |accessdate=14 September 2006}}</ref>

About seventy metres away from the temple, there is a shrine dedicated to Goddess Hidimba's son, [[Ghatotkacha]], who was born after she married [[Bhima]]. The most surprising feature of the temple or what believers could call the most reassuring feature of the temple is the fact that inside the temple the imprint of the feet of the Goddess carved on a block of stone is worshipped.
[[File:Yak near Hadimba temple.jpg|thumb|A yak near the Hadimba temple, Manali, Himachal Pradesh]]

== A Mahabharat narration ==
[[File:Hidimba Devi Temple sign.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Sign at Hidimba Devi Temple]]
[[File:Hadimbatemple2.jpg|thumb|Side View Hidimba Devi Temple]]
The Indian epic [[Mahabharata]] narrates that the [[Pāndavas]] stayed in Himachal during their exile. In [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]], the strongest person there, named Hidimb and brother of Hidimba, attacked them, and in fight [[Bhima]], strongest amongst the [[Pandavas]], killed him. Bhima and Hidimb's sister, Hidimbi, then got married and had a son, [[Ghatotkacha]], (who later proved to be a great warrior in the war against [[Kauravas]]). When Bhima and his brothers returned from exile, Hidimbi did not accompany him, but stayed back and did [[tapasyā]] (a combination of meditation, prayer, and penance) so as to eventually attain the status of a goddess.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Hidimba Devi Temple}}
* [https://www.orientalarchitecture.com/sid/170/india/manali/hidimba-devi-temple Oriental Architecture: Hidimdi Devi Temple]
* [http://www.templenet.com/enchima1.html Temples of the Himalayas]
* [http://www.kullumanali.com/hadimbatemple.php Hidimba Temple]

{{Hindu temples in Himachal Pradesh}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Manali, Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kullu district]]
[[Category:16th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1553]]

Hidimba Devi Temple - Revision history

>Zeex.rice at 09:09, 29 June 2021