When it comes to hill stations in India, Shimla’s name comes first. The city is known for its beautiful mountain valleys and wonderful weather. Many places in Shimla attract tourists. But there is a temple here about which very few people know.
Hateshwari Mata Temple is 130 km from Shimla. This temple is located in an ancient village on the banks of Pabbar River in Himachal Pradesh. This temple is very famous and people from far and wide come here to have darshan of Mata. There is a miracle in this temple, which everyone is surprised to hear. Let us know about Hatkoti Temple of Shimla…
History is related to Mahabharata period
According to the information, the history of this temple is related to the Mahabharata period. There are 5 monasteries in this temple complex, which contain idols of Shiva. It is said that this monastery was built by the Pandavas. Even today it is called the house of Pandavas or the toy house of Pandavas. According to the legend, Pandavas used to sit here and worship Mata Rani.
Miraculous utensils in the temple
Whenever you go to this temple, you will see a big copper vessel. This ship is very old. It is said that whenever the water level of Pabbar river increases, this pond starts overflowing. That is why it is kept bound with sugar. Local people believe that this Sakro is buried under the feet of Mata Rani. So that the vessel cannot escape. Also the local people believe that if they find the lost character while sowing the crop then the harvest will be very good.
7th century mother statue
The statue of Hateshwari Mata killing Mahishasura in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is worth seeing. This statue is from the 7th century. Its height is 1.2 meters. The idol has 8 arms. The mother is holding the head of Mahishasura in her left hand. It is said that the right foot of the mother is underground. So there is Chakra in one hand and Raktabeej in the other hand. Parashuram’s copper urn is also kept near the goddess in the sanctum sanctorum.
History of Hatkoti TempleHateshwari Mata Temple was built in the 9th to 10th century. Even before this, ruins of many temples have been found here. Hatkoti village is spread over 5 square kilometers. Even today there are many temples in the village. Its carvings and architecture date back to between the 6th and 9th centuries. The temple looks like a pyramid, surrounded by walls of wood and stones.
Preity Zinta also got her children shavedBollywood actress Preity Zinta has a special connection with this temple. However, the actress got her twin children shaved in the Hatkoti temple itself. Since then this temple has been much talked about.
How to reach Hatkoti TempleYou can use Shimla Rohra route to reach Hatkoti temple. This road passes through places like Khara, Patthar and Kotkhai. You can also reach here by taxi.