The hill station of Manali in Himachal Pradesh has many ancient temples and the Hadimba Devi Temple is one of them. Surrounded by a cedar forest, this ancient cave temple is located at the foot of the Himalays and dedicated to Hadimba Devi. The temple attracts visitors for as much as it unique design as for its mythological relevance, as it’s dedicated to the sister of a character in the epic Mahabharata.

The Hadimba Devi Temple has a tall tower above the sanctuary that juts out from the group and reaches up. It has carved wooden doors and images of goddess Durga makes their presence on the main door carvings. Mud-covered stonework and whitewashed form the base of the temple whose inside has a giant rock. A visit to this temple is sure to take visitors a rich peek into the ancient times.

The temple is also a site of festivals an celebrations taking place right through the year. Two fairs particularly stand out – one, held in the moth of Sravan and second, help on 14th May as birthday of Hadimba Devi. Locals visit this temple and celebrates both the fair with great fanfare and fervor, accompanied with music and dance.