There are many religious places in Himachal Pradesh, which have their own historical importance. One of these historical religious places is the temple of Hanogi Mata.
This famous religious place of Kullu district is situated on the Mandi-Manali highway at a place called Hanogi. This historic temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Hanogi Mata.
There is an influx of devotees here throughout the year. Situated on the top of a small peak on the other side of river Beas, this religious place is surrounded by lush green mountains. The beauty of this place is made just by seeing it.
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Three forms of the Goddess are worshiped in the temple of Hanogi Mata. It is believed that in ancient times this place was the abode of Abhay Ram Guru. He was an expert in Tantric Vidya.
It is believed that Abhay Ram Guru brought Tunga Mata Hanogi from the Tungadhar mountain range with the help of his powers. There is an ancient temple of Kali Mata in a big cave in Hanogi.
The stone idol of Tunga Mata, about five thousand years old, still exists in this cave. People believe that as long as Guru ji lived here, he used to worship the mother.
After him, the worship of the goddess stopped here. It is believed that after this many untoward incidents started happening here.
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These incidents continued for a long time. About six-seven decades ago, local residents started worshiping a tree as a symbol of Goddess Shakti to avoid the wrath of the Goddess.
This tree is still standing on the banks of the Vyas river submerged in water. There is also a small temple of Lakshmi ji here. Today in Hanogi, the Goddess is seated in three forms namely- tamsik Kali, Rajasic Lakshmi, and Satvik Saraswati.
Although devotees visit the Hanogi Mata temple throughout the year, but during the Navratri season, tourists come here in large numbers. Many types of programs are also organized here during Navratri.
How To Reach Hanogi Mata Temple
The distance from Hanogi to Kullu is 41 kms. Tourists can take the help of buses or hired taxis to reach Hanogi Mata Temple from Kullu. The nearest airport is at Bhantur, about 33 kilometers away.
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Bhantur Airport is regularly connected to the airports of Delhi, Chandigarh, and Shimla. The nearest railway station to Hanogi is at Joginder Nagar, about 81 kilometers away.
It is a minor line station, the main station is at Pathankot. To reach Hanogi Mata Temple by road, one can take Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation buses from Ambala, Chandigarh, Shimla, Dalhousie, and other districts to Kullu.