Jhanyari Devi Temple is situated on the Hamirpur-Nadaun road, at a distance of 6km from Hamirpur town in Himachal Pradesh. The temple is more than 200 years old and is managed by a local committee. Every year on the ‘Jeshth-Shukla’ ‘ashtami’ a fair is held in the temple premises. During this period the locals and people from far off places throng to the temple in huge figures. Jhanyari Devi Temple bears immense historical importance and was built by a king of the Katoch Dynasty, who used to worship this respective Goddess as the kul-devi (patron Goddess).
Jhanyari Devi is the patron Goddess of Katoch Kings of Kangra and hence the temple is as much important from the religious point of view as it is significant from the historical perspective. The temple is located at a distance of 6 Km from Hamirpur town on Hamirpur-Nadaun Road. It is said to be two hundred years old and much revered by the people of this region. Special pujas are held every Jeshth-Shukla-Astami. A big fair is also arranged on that occasion.
Legends About Jhanyari Devi Temple:
There is an interesting story that tells us why the temple for the Patron Goddess of the Katochs was built in a place such as this, not inside the royal palace. It is said that the king in his dreams was instructed by the Goddess to build a temple for her. She also told him where to find her. As with the traditions of the royalties of those days, he set out in a big procession along with a beautiful palanquin to find the Goddess and bring her back to the capital with pomp and ceremony. He followed the path that the Goddess had described in his dreams and sure enough, he soon found what he was looking for.
On reaching their destination, he had the palanquin placed on the ground and then put the idol in it. But alas! The palanquin suddenly became too heavy to lift. Dejected, the king decided to spend the night there. As he fell asleep, he saw another dream, in which he was told that it was wrong to put her idol in the palanquin while it was still on the ground. He woke up immediately and after consultation with his minister decided that the temple should be built there only. Soon enough a temple came up on the very spot. <br><br>Now that the kings have lost their kingdom as well as their privy purses, they no longer can look after the temple. It is now looked after by committee elected by the local people. However, the royal splendor may be missing now, but there is no dearth of devotion.
