Dhari Devi temple: Garhwal’s powerful Siddhapeeth & Shaktipeeth

The very first time I had heard of Dhari Devi (a form of Goddess Kali) was after the Kedarnath floods in 2013, when the story of the powerful goddess’s wrath became synonymous with the catastrophe. We are all aware that the day her idol was shifted for dam construction, the same day the floods played havoc. The guardian goddess of the Char Dhams (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri) in Garhwal, Uttarakhand came back to her temple on the Alaknanda River near Srinagar, and since then, no further attempts have been made to remove her presence from there.

In 2019, during my Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, we were shown her temple from the road above by our driver, but we never stopped to pay our respects. It was an incomplete Yatra in many ways, as even after waiting for almost 2 days at Guptakashi helipad (with my septuagenarian mother), we were unable to reach Kedarnath. This pain of an unfinished Yarta remained, and for six long years, I would often wonder why I couldn’t go to Kedarnath. In the intervening years, I was blessed to complete the darshan of 11 Jyotirlingas; only Kedarnath remained.

In October 2025, when I again tried to visit Kedarnath, I made a necessary inclusion in the itinerary – the Dhari Devi temple. I somehow felt that, without her blessings, my pilgrimage could not be complete. Following a nail-biting return journey from Kedarnath amidst a delayed helicopter ride due to rain and snowfall, I was finally at the gates of the Dhari Devi temple.

Both a Siddhapeeth and a Shaktipeeth (among the 108), this has always been considered a very mysterious temple. Her upper body is worshipped here as Dhari Devi, while the lower part is enshrined at Kalimath temple near Rudraprayag.

After a long walk down the pathway to reach the temple, even before entering the precincts, I was mesmerised by the serene surroundings in the midst of the mighty Alaknanda River. No wonder the goddess never wants to leave this beautiful abode she has chosen for herself.

The temple was most unusual and unlike any other I have been to. I was happy to see there wasn’t much of a crowd inside.  Everything was so well organised, and there was a short queue of devotees giving their offerings peacefully to a priest.

Under a golden canopy, the astonishingly beautiful dark face of Dhari Devi was hypnotic. She was wearing a silver crown and a large gold nose ring. It is said that her face changes appearance at different times of the day (child, young woman, old woman). I stood mesmerised for quite some time, before becoming aware of the other deities surrounding her – Ganesha, Bhairav Nath, 64 Yoginis, Chetrapal Adi Gan. Also prominent was the stone mountain backdrop of the sanctum sanctorum.

My heart overflowed with gratitude as I thanked Dhari Devi for enabling my Char Dham Yatra on her land. It had been a long wait for me, but I knew that, as per divine will, this was the chosen, right time.

Soaking in the wonderful atmosphere of the temple, I wanted to keep gazing at the goddess for the longest possible time.

My heart was full as I stepped outside the temple, and I felt beautifully complete. I might not get an opportunity to visit the temple again, but I know the blessings will remain with me through this lifetime and beyond.

Important info:

How to reach: Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is located about 125 km from Dhari Devi temple. The nearest railhead in Rishikesh, which is 115 km away. Private taxis and buses are available from both locations.

Accommodation: There are many stay options in Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun for various budget categories.

(Sudipta is an energy healer and mystical storyteller. Her collection of short stories ‘Invoking Our Inner Goddess’,’ Mystical Tales Of Sacred Earth’, ‘The Blue God’s Love’ and ‘Enchanted Waters: The Magical Flow Of Life’ are available worldwide on Amazon Kindle.)