Naina Devi Temple Nainital, Uttarakhand

Naina Devi Temple, Nainital

Naina Devi is considered to be one of the most revered Hindu temples in India. It is situated on the northern shore of Naini Lake, in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The presiding deity of this temple is Maa Naini Devi or Mata Sati. As per Hindu mythology, the temple marks the spot where Goddess Sati’s eye fell on the earth, after Lord Shiva carried her charred remains, taking them out of the fire of the yagna performed by her father - Daksha.

Naina Devi is one of the temples built on the remains of Goddess Sati and is considered to be extremely sacred and pristine by the devotees. Two eyes on the roof of temple depict the “Goddess”. Maa Naini Devi, in this temple, is shown accompanied with Lord Ganesha, the God of Wisdom, and Kali Ma, the Goddess of Death and Destruction. The city of ‘Nainital’ got its name from the Naina Devi temple only.

The temple is situated in the middle of 1567 yard long, 167 yard wide and 93 feet deep lake. Every year since 1918, a grand statue-immersion ceremony has been taking place here, on Bhadrapad Shukla Ashtami. Naina Devi temple serves as a major tourist spot of Nainital. It is said that the current temple at Nainital actually replaces the original 15th century temple, which was built during Kushan dynasty reign and got destroyed in a landslide, in 1880.

There are some people who also say that a devotee of Maa Naini, Moti Ram Shah, was the one who established this temple in 1842 and it got destroyed in 1880 landslide. In short, the truth of the story of Naina Devi temple, before 1880, varies according to the beliefs of different people. Whatever be the past, there is one fact related to the temple, over which there is no contradiction, that it was reconstructed in 1883.

Naina Devi Temple, Nainital, Uttarakhand

According to legends, Sati or Parvati was the daughter of Prajapati Daksha and later, became the consort of Lord Shiva. Once her father insulted Lord Shiva and unable to accept this, she killed herself. When Lord Shiva heard of his wife's death his rage knew no bounds and holding Sati's body he began stalking the three worlds. The other gods trembled before his wrath and appealed to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu let fly a volley of arrows which struck Sati's body and severed it to pieces. At the places where the pieces fell, the fifty-one sacred 'shaktipeeths' came into being. It is believed that Sati's eyes fell at the place where this temple is situated. Therefore, this temple is called Naina Devi.

The word Naina is synonymous with Sati's eyes. Since then, devotees started visiting this temple. Once the devotee reaches the hill top, prasad can be bought from any of the various shops or it can also one's own offerings from home. After crossing the main gate, there is a big Peepal tree on the left side. On the right side of the temple there are idols of Lord Hanuman Ji and Ganesh Ji. After reaching the main entrance of the temple, there are two statues of lions.

Inside the temple, devotees have darshan of three deities. On the extreme left is Mata Kali Devi, the centre representing two Netras or eyes is Maa Naina Devi and to right side is idol of Lord Ganesh.

In and around Nainital

The Naina Devi Temple was destroyed by the landslip of 1880 and later rebuilt. It is located on the northern shore of Naini Lake. The presiding deity of the temple is Maa Naina Devi represented by two Netras or eyes. Flanking Naina Devi are the deities of Mata Kali and Lord Ganesha.

The church of St. John in the Wilderness was established in 1844 and is located on the north end of town (Mallital), about half a mile north-west of the Naina Devi temple. The church was so named by Daniel Wilson, the Bishop of Calcutta, who, after falling ill during a visit to Nainital in 1844 to lay the foundation of the church, was obliged to sleep in an unfinished house on the edge of the forest. (See excerpt from Josiah Bateman on the Literary references to Nainital page.)

A brass plaque on the altar is inscribed with names of the victims of the Landslip of 1880.

Governor’s House also known Raj Bhavan and formerly, Government House was built in 1899 and designed in the Victorian Gothic domestic style (also called "domestic Gothic") by the architect F.W. Stevens. Originally built as the summer residence of the governor of the North West Province, it later became the summer residence for the Lieutenant Governor of the United Provinces. Currently, Raj Bhavan is the official guest house for the governor of Uttarakhand and for visiting state guests. The complex consists of a two-storied mansion with 113 rooms, a large garden, a swimming pool, and golf links. Obtaining prior permission is must for visiting.

Snow View is situated at an altitude of 2,270 m (7,448 ft) and located atop the Sher-ka-danda Ridge (north by north-east of the town centre), is easily reachable by cable car. On a clear day, it offers spectacular views of the snowbound high Himalaya, including Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Nanda Kot. The best time of the year for viewing the mountains is late October and November. (See excerpts from Joseph Fayrer on the Literary references to Nainital page.)

Naina Peak also known as China or Cheena Peak. Naina peak is the highest peak in the town, with an altitude of 2,615 m (8,579 ft). and at a walking distance of 6 km (4 mi) from the north end of the town (Mallital). From atop the peak, one can not only see a broad swath of the snow clad high Himalaya, but also obtain a panoramic view of Nainital town itself. The summit is an invigorating hike from Nainital town; in addition, for the less energetic visitors, ponies can be hired in Mallital or on Snow View.

Source: www.wikipedia.org