Chintpurni Temple, dedicated to goddess Chinnamastika Devi, is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths in India. It is situated in Himachal Pradesh’s district UNA. The goddess is worshiped in her Pindi form, which is her phallic form without a head.
Chinnamasta is a puranic goddess of cosmic power who assists yogis in detaching themselves from the material world. The illustration of the separation of the head from the body signifies the freedom of consciousness from the materialism of the physical body.
Chinnamastika Devi has an intriguing mythological story. According to the Markandeya Purana, Goddess Chandi defeated the demon in a battle. During the battle, two of her yogini incarnations, Jaya and Vijaya, became thirsty and demanded food from Chandi. So in order to feed, Chinnamastika cut her head and When she cut her head, a stream of blood spurted from her arteries, from which yoginis quench their thirst.
The Shiva temple is surrounded by Shiva temples in four directions. Muchkund Mahadev is to the north, Shiva Bari is to the south, Naryan Mahadev is to the west, and Kaleshwar Mahadev is to the east. According to the Puranas, Shiva or Rudra Mahadev will protect the Chintpurni Devi Temple from these four directions. All of these temples are equidistant from the Chintpurni temple, adding to the belief that Chintpurni is the abode of Chinamastika Devi.
According to another legend, Chintpurni Temple is a Shakti Peeth. Vishnu cut the body of Sati into 51 parts when Shiva was performing Tandav. It has been said that the feet of Sati fell at this place.
Pandit Mai Das is thought to have been the first priest to establish the shrine of Chintapurni Temple. He built the temple when a goddess asked him to build a temple in his dream. He built the temple in Chhaproh village, which over time became known as Chintpurni.
Fairs and festivals in Chintpurni Temple
Navratri is held with great fervor and color, during which visitors pay a visit and seek the blessing of the goddess.
The fair is held three times a year, in the months of March, July, and September.
Timings
Opening Timings :
In Winter: 5:00 am to 9:30 pm
In Summer: 4:00 am to 10:00 pm
Aarti Timings :
Morning Aarti: 5:30 – 6:00 am
Evening Aarti : 7:30 – 8:00pm
How to reach Chintpurni Temple
By road: Chintpurni is well connected by road. You can reach the temple by taking a bus from Delhi, Chandigarh, or other major cities. Taxis and private cars are also available for hire.
By train: The nearest railway station to Chintpurni is Una, which is approximately 55 km away. From the station, you can take a taxi or bus to reach the temple.
By air: The nearest airport to Chintpurni is Gaggal Airport in Kangra, which is approximately 60 km away. From the airport, you can take a taxi or bus to reach the temple.