DUNAGIRI TEMPLE, Dwarahat – Second shaktipeeth of Goddess Durga
Dunagiri temple, the famous shaktipeeth of Goddess Durga, is situated 14km from Dwarahat which is located in Almora district of Kumaon region in Uttarakhand. This temple is situated at an altitude of 8000 feet above sea level. There are around 365 stairs to reach the temple premises.
HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY OF DUNAGIRI TEMPLE, KUMAON, UTTARAKHAND
The history behind Dunagiri temple is said that in Tretayug, when lord laxmana was hurt by Meghnatha, then susan vaidh sent lord hanumana to ‘Dronanchal Parvat’, the famous mountain for sanjeevni, and a part of that mountain fell down where this temple was built. Even now, many herbs are found at this place.
Also, in Mahabharata, the Guru of Pandavas, Dronacharya, have done ‘tapasya’ at this mountain, which is the reason the name of this mountain is ‘Dronanchal’.
Although devotees come here throughout the year but during Navratri, wide numbers of devotees come to Dunagiri to seek the blessings of “MAA DUNAGIRI”. In this place “Maa Dunagiri” is worshipped in the form of “Vaishno Devi”.
‘Akhand jyot’ in the temple is a special feature of Dunagiri temple. If any women with pure heart and soul worships here and light this ‘Akhand Jyot’ to get a child, Goddess Dunagiri bless her with the same.
IMPORTANT INFORMATIONS
Location – Malla Surana, near Dwarahat, Almora, Uttarakhand.
Altitude – 8000 feet above sea level
Timings – Winters: 5:00 am to 5:00pm
Summers: 5:00 am to 7:00 pm
Entry fees – None
Best time to visit – From March to October especially in Navratri.
Nearest Railway Station – Kathgodam railway station which is 124 km away from Dunagiri temple.
- Trains from Delhi to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
- Train no. 15013 Ranikhet Express: Daily, leaves Delhi 22:35, arrives 05:45
- Train no. 14012 Anand Vihar Kath. AC Exp.: M W Su, leaves Delhi 06:00, arrives 11:55
- Train no. 15035 Uttarakhand Sampark Kranti Express: Daily, leaves Delhi 16:00, arrives 22:40
- Trains from Dehradun, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Rishikesh to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
- Train no. 14120 Dehradun Kath. Exp.: Leaves Dehradun 22:50, Haridwar 00:10, arrives 07:10
- Trains from Kolkata, Lucknow to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
- Train no. 13019 Bagh Express: Daily, leaves Howrah 21:45, Lucknow 00:05, arrives 09:30
- Trains from Kanpur, Lucknow to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
- Train no. 12209 Kathgodam Garib Rath: Daily, leaves Kanpur 06:15, Lucknow 08:05, arrives 15:05
- Trains from Jammu, Jalandhar, Ludhiana to Kathgodam (to reach Dunagiri):
- Train no. 12208 Kathgodam. Garib Rath : Daily, leaves Jammu 23:45, Ludhiana 04:10, arrives 14:35
Nearest Airport – Pant Nagar Airport which is 162 km away from Dunagiri temple.
PLACES TO STAY NEAR DUNAGIRI TEMPLE, DWARAHAT, ALMORA
- Shree Homestay- Dunagiri Rd, Dwarahat, Uttarakhand 263653
- Katyuri Kings Village Homestay-Village- Hat, Near Mrityunjaya Temple Dwarahat, 263653 Dwarahat
- Dwarahat Village Homestay-Tehsil, Village & Post- Malli Mirai, Dwarahat, Uttarakhand 263653 Ph. No. 096341 98680
- Samriddhi Homestay – Village Haat Kausani Road Near State Bank of India, Bagwalipokhar, Ranikhet, Uttarakhand 263621
- Mayank Resort- Dunagiri Road, Dwarahat, Uttarakhand 263653
PLACES TO VISIT NEAR DUNAGIRI TEMPLE, DWARAHAT, ALMORA
- Pandukholi – It is 27 km from Dwarahat. It is named after the 5 brothers ‘Pandavas’. It is said that they have taken shelter in the cave for around a year.
- Chaukhutia – It is made of words ‘chau-khutia’ i.e., four feets. It is about 31 km from the temple.
- Mahavatar Babaji Cave – It is at the distance of 8 km from the temple. Here, KRIYA YOGA was originated and Yoga guru Lahiri Mahasya learnt Yoga from Mahavatar Babaji.
- Ranikhet – It is the hill station in Kumaon region. It is 48km from Dunagiri temple. Ranikhet is famous for military regiment area.
- Bhatkot – It is the peak which is few kilometers from the Dunagiri temple, which is 9086 ft. above the sea level.
- Dwarahat – Dwarahat is a small town located in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand which is 14 km away from Dunagiri. This place is famous for various temples which were constructed by Katyuri kings.
FAQ’S
Q-1 Who built the Dunagiri temple?
Ans- Katyuri kings built the Dunagiri temple in the ancient times.
Q-2 Is there any entry fees for the Dunagiri temple?
Ans- No, there is no entry fees for the Dunagiri temple.
Q-3 How to reach the Dunagiri temple?
Ans- There is direct flight from Delhi to Pant Nagar and from the airport there are taxis to reach the Dunagiri temple. Nearest railway station is Kathgodam railway station. By road, there are tons of public and private transport to reach the Dunagiri temple.
Q-4- Is there snowfall in Dunagiri temple?
Ans- Yes, in winters there is heavy snowfall in Dunagiri temple.
Q-5- How many stairs are there in Dunagiri temple?
Ans- There are about 365 stairs to reach the temple premises.
Q-6- What can we do near Dunagiri temple?
Ans- There are several options for treks, village walks, soft adventure, meditation and, spiritual practices.
Travel Tips for Dunagiri temple
- Best time to visit the temple is throughout the year but one should avoid during the rainy season i.e., from mid-July to September.
- Carrying woolen clothes and proper shoes is the best decision while travelling to Dunagiri temple as the climate there is cold. During winters snowfall is also expected.
