Credit: ASHIS GHOSH
About Taranda Mata Temple
Taranda Mata Temple is a quite unique temple and has an interesting story associated with it. It was built in the belief that it would prevent the deaths that happened during the construction of the marvelous Hindustan-Tibet road.
The high gorge of the Satluj valley has always presented a huge challenge to connecting the Indian mainland to Tibet. After the India-China war in 1962, a need was felt to construct a road that helped in the transport of ammunition and logistics to military and civil people.
When road construction started in the region in 1963 under the Graf Wing of the Army BRO, a lot of BRO people died due to rock falls. The geography of the region was such that roads had to be built by cutting and drilling the mountain walls. After so much thoughtfulness, BRO decided to take the help of locals, who suggested establishing a Taranda massuageata temple dedicated to Maa Chandralekha beside the road. It was thought and told to by locals to BRO such taking place due to construction of the road.
Maa Chandralekha is upset, and her energy resides here. It will only be possible when the temple is constructed at the construction site. So finally, the temple was established by taking a mother’s idol from Taranda village. After the establishment of the temple, there was not a single report of death due to natural causes. It increases the belief of people, and everyone who makes their way to the Kinnaur bows their head down for a safer journey.
Though the temple is constructed at a new site, the chariot of Devi Chandralekha still lies in the Taranda village of Nigulsari.