Situated at an elevation of 7,589 feet, Sarahan, a small village in Himachal Pradesh, renowned for Bhimakali Temple erstwhile Bhimadevi Temple of mother Goddess Bhimakali, is dedicated to the presiding deity of the rulers of earlier Bushahr State.
The temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Mother Kali and is close to 170 km from Shimla. Bhimakali Temple timings are kept in such a manner to let the most of the visitors to seek the blessings of MaaBhimakali.
Sarahan, being near the old Indo-Tibetan Road, is known as 'Gateway of Kinnaur' and is mentioned in Puranas as Shontipur. Shree Virbhadra Singh, the former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, is a royal member of Royal family. He is the son of the erstwhile king Padam Singh and is known as 'Raja Sahab' at Sarahan. Since 1962, he is the member of Assembly/parliament and has hold CM post for six times. Rani Pratibha Devi, his wife, too is a member of Assembly.
What Is The Precise Location Of Sarahan?
The Sarahan is around 170 km from Shimla and 564 km from the Capital city of Republic of India, New Delhi.
Sarahan, flanked on the banks of the meandering Sutlej River is a perfect paradise for the tourists, which regularly provide them with incredibly scenic beauty traversing through steep-cliffed mountains on one side and deep ravines on the other. The dense emerald pine forests, apple orchards, and terraced farms further enhance its amazing beauty.
Sarahan provides amazing views of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks, wherein the Shrikhand peak provides the best picturesque scene with a unique bare tip while all other surrounding tips are covered with dense snow. The sight become beyond comprehension when the sunrays adorn the peak in the evening.
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What Is Bhima Kali Temple All About?
Kuldevi, the presiding deity of the dynasty of Bushahr Kingdom is the Goddess of the Bhimakali Temple, though the temple houses the statues from both Hindus and Buddhists sect. There are two temples on the same site, one is a traditional wooden temple, and the other one is newly built. Bhimakali Temple Mandi is often visited by scores of tourists from Hindus and Buddhist to seek Maa Kali’s blessings.
The olden temple is an ancient resurrected temple, which was earlier build in a Kath-Kunj style. A few of its wall images dates back to 1st to 3rd century BC of Kushan era. Its walls are made up of alternate rows of wood and grooved interlocked stones to provide them with enough strength to stand the test of the time. During those times, the Bhushar kings were the dynastic priest of the temple. At that time, they used to reside in the temple premises though later they shifted to 100 m adjacent to the temple.
What Are The Nearby Attractions At Sarahan?
There are many luring attractions surrounding Sarahan that are usually visited by the tourists and other visitors coming there to worship and pay their obeisance to the Goddess Bhimakali. A few of the main attractions are -
Pheasantry: There is a functioning pheasantry at a 500 m distance from Bhimakali temple that houses many species of the birds, which one can visit during winters, as during summers it is closed because of the breeding season of many birds. It is also the house of the state bird of Himachal Pradesh, the Jujurana, which is a protected species too.
Hawa-Ghar: At 2 km uphill of Sarahan is Hawa-Ghar, which earlier used to provide amazing views of the peak and the valley. It is built under a canopy and nowadays, surrounded by several tall trees that used to obstruct the surrounding views. However, glimpses of the amazing scenic beauties are still visible from them.
Warm Water Stream: Ahead of the turn of Sarahan on NH22, is there a warm water stream at Jeori, with dedicated bathing areas and well-built changing rooms. Visitors often bath there to get rid of various ailments as the stream is considered to be of medicative properties.
Sangla Valley: Close to 54 km ahead of Sarahan lies the beautiful Sangla Valley though the road to Sangla is treacherous, rough and narrow. The road runs parallel to the meandering Sutlej river that is deep down in the forge and is at its frenzied ferocity making noisy gushes while it moves. The journey itself is mesmerizing and so are the stunning views one would be passing by while holding the breath and enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
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What Is The Best Time To Visit The Mother Bhimakail Temple?
The best time to visit Sarahan and Mother Bhimakali Temple is during summers from April to July when the temperature hovers between 10-30 degree centigrade.
August to October is the rainy season here, and one should avoid being here, though many tourists till visit during the rainy season.
From September to November one can also have glimpses of snow at Kufri and Narkanda while coming to Sarahan. Many tourists do reach here during this period.
During winters from November to March, there is heavy snowfall in Sarahan with temperature varying from 7 to -7 degree centigrade, engulfing the entire region under the snow blanket.
How To Reach Sarahan?
Sarahan is nicely connected to the rest of the country by Air/Rail and Road. One could prefer any mode of the journey as per their convenience and availability.
By Air: Jabarhatti Airport at Shimla is the nearest domestic airport to Sarahan that is close to 182 km from there, while Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi is the nearest International Airport that is close to 564 km from Sarahan. From both the airports' state buses as well as private cabs and taxis are readily available.
By Rail: The nearest railhead to Sarahan is Kalka. One can also come via Shimla that is 175 km from here, though it is a narrow-gauge route and only toy trains ply over it. One can easily reach here by train, as many trains regularly come here. From Kalka, one can conveniently come to Sarahan by a hired taxi or a cab.
One can also opt to come to Chandigarh railway station that is close to 246 km from Sarahan and is well connected to other cities of the country across PAN India. From there, taxis and cabs are readily available.
By Road: One can come by availing state bus service from Chandigarh, Shimla, Rampur, and Jeori. From Shimla, it is 6 to 8 hours journey while it takes close to 9 to 11 hours from Chandigarh.
The heavy snowfall at Narkanda and landslides at places like Jhakhri hampers the road connectivity during winters. However, one can avail an alternate route via sainj bypasses the Narkanda during this period.
Jeori is close to 17 km from Sarahan and buses regularly ply between Sarahan and Jeori though getting a taxi from Jeori can be a bit difficult.
What Is The Best Time To Visit The Mother Bhimakail Temple?
The best time to visit Sarahan and Mother Bhimakali Temple is during summers from April to July when the temperature hovers between 10-30 degrees centigrade. August to October is the rainy season here, and one should avoid being here, though many tourists till visit during the rainy season.
During winters from November to March, there is heavy snowfall in Sarahan with temperature varying from 7 to -7 degrees centigrade, when the entire region gets covered under the blanket of snow.
Conclusion
There is nothing better than visiting Sarahan and have blessings of Goddess Mother Bhimakaili, in Himachal Pradesh while soaking nature's beauty and giving an unforgettable treat to eyes, whether you are a nature lover, peace seeker, or with a sacred heart.
It provides you with panoramic views of the majestic snow-capped Himalayan range and apple orchards on the one hand and a chance to enjoy the serene and pleasant environment of hill stations on the other. Above all, thousands of visitors rather visit here to get acquainted with the Bhimkali Temple Architecture.
Sarahan is a perfect paradise to enjoy the beautiful natural vistas and splendid panoramic views. It is best to explore it with spouse, family, or friends as you will not find such a pleasant place with chilled weather and serene environment anywhere else.
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