The Kangra Devi

Shri Babaji Maharaj was born in Kangra. Before he was born, all the children that had been born to his parents had died one after another. Immediately after his birth, his parents had taken him to Kangra Devi Temple, and had placed the child before the idol of the Devi, offering the babe to the Devi, and had, thereafter, given him the name of Devi Das.

The Kangra Devi temple, also called the Brajeshwari Devi temple, located in the old Kangra Township, is said to have been built over the charred breasts of Sati. Thus it is one of the Shakti Peeths. This shrine, once renown for its great wealth, has been plundered relentlessly over the ages. The first of the plunderers was Mahmud of Ghazni, who looted it in 1009. A mosque was built on the ruins and a garrison was left behind. 35 years later, the local king regained its possession. The shrine was repaired and a replica of the idol was enshrined. 

The temple was filled with gold, silver and diamonds only to be ransacked again in 1360 by Firoz Tughlaq. Later Emperor Akbar visited the shrine with his Dewan, Todar Mal and restored it to its former grandeur. The temple was razed to the ground by an earthquake in 1905, but a new one came up the very same year and it’s construction compleated in 1920.

The Devi is worshipped in the form of Pindi. A legend avers that the body of demon king Jalandhara is buried at this place. According to another legend, the Goddess Vajreshwari received injuries while killing the demon Mahishasur which were cured by applying butter. The tradition is still celebrated on Makar Sakranti every year.