Bhalei Mata Temple
Encyclopedia
Bhalei Mata Temple The temple of Bhader kali popularly known as Sri Bhalei Mata is located on a beautiful spur of 3800 feet height at a place called Bhalei which is now a Sub-Tehsil
headquarter. It is about 25 km from Salooni
Tehsil headquarter. The temple can be approached either from Chamba
or from Dalhousie
and is at a distance of 40 kilometers from Chamba and 35 kilometers from Dalhousie.
The deity is in the front of an image of black stone of two feet height and is enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Bhadar Kali draw a large number of pilgrims from far and wide. A big havan
ceremony is performed during navratras of Ashwin and Chait months.
Mythology has it that the temple of Bhadar Kali was built originally by Raja Pratap Singh
during his reign. He was a religiously disposed king and has to his credit construction, repair and renovation of many temples in the district. The legend is that the deity appeared to Raja Partap Singh in dream and told him that she was lying hidden in a place called Bhran about three kilometers from the present site of temple. The deity asked the Raja to bring her from there and erect a suitable temple for her. The Raja with his officials went to the site and discovered the image. The Raja and his team were very happy they had already decided to construct a temple for the deity in Chamba town. So they started their journey back. On way back they stopped for rest at Bhalei and when they resumed their journey, the bearers could not lift the palanquin of the deity in which she was being taken to Chamba. A Brahman from Kilod village was invited to interpret this peculiar incident. The Brahaman interpreted that the deity did not want to go to Chamba, rather she desired her temple to be erected at the site.
According to another belief, the people of this area were not happy over the idea of the deity being taken to Chamba, so they requested the Raja to construct the temple at Bhalei.
Whatever be the reason, the temple was built at Bhalei by Raja Partap Singh and later renovated by Raja Sri Singh. Recently a lot of renovation work has been carried out.
Statue of Bhader Kali was unfortunately stolen in the year 1973 by antique thieves but happily recovered at Chohra near the present dam site. It is believed that the image of the deity seems to be perspiring since that event.
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
headquarter. It is about 25 km from Salooni
Salooni
Salooni is tehsil headquarters in Chamba district in Himachal pradesh. It contains combined office building, govt senior secondary school, degree college, community health centre and all other important govt Offices. Salooni falls under Dalhousie as legislature constituency and Kangra as...
Tehsil headquarter. The temple can be approached either from Chamba
Chamba
Chamba may refer to:*Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, city in Himachal Pradesh, India*Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, India*Chamba State, princely state*Chamba, Uttarakhand, small town in Tehri-Garhwal district, Uttarakhand, India...
or from Dalhousie
Dalhousie
-Buildings:*Dalhousie Castle, a castle near Bonnyrigg, Scotland, until 2003, was the seat of the Earls of Dalhousie, the chieftains of Clan Ramsay*Dalhousie Obelisk, a monument in Empress Place, Singapore...
and is at a distance of 40 kilometers from Chamba and 35 kilometers from Dalhousie.
The deity is in the front of an image of black stone of two feet height and is enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Bhadar Kali draw a large number of pilgrims from far and wide. A big havan
Havan
Havanam is the term for a sacred purifying ritual in Hinduism that involves a fire ceremony. It is a ritual of sacrifice made to the fire god Agni. After lighting a Havan Kund , objects such as fruits, honey, or wooden goods are put into the sacred fire...
ceremony is performed during navratras of Ashwin and Chait months.
Mythology has it that the temple of Bhadar Kali was built originally by Raja Pratap Singh
Raja Pratap Singh
Raja Pratap Singh राव प्रताप सिंह was the founder King of Barauli State, in the Aligarh District, who was Prithviraj Chauhan's nephew and assisted in his fight against the Muslim invaders, who were led by Muhammad of Ghor in 1191...
during his reign. He was a religiously disposed king and has to his credit construction, repair and renovation of many temples in the district. The legend is that the deity appeared to Raja Partap Singh in dream and told him that she was lying hidden in a place called Bhran about three kilometers from the present site of temple. The deity asked the Raja to bring her from there and erect a suitable temple for her. The Raja with his officials went to the site and discovered the image. The Raja and his team were very happy they had already decided to construct a temple for the deity in Chamba town. So they started their journey back. On way back they stopped for rest at Bhalei and when they resumed their journey, the bearers could not lift the palanquin of the deity in which she was being taken to Chamba. A Brahman from Kilod village was invited to interpret this peculiar incident. The Brahaman interpreted that the deity did not want to go to Chamba, rather she desired her temple to be erected at the site.
According to another belief, the people of this area were not happy over the idea of the deity being taken to Chamba, so they requested the Raja to construct the temple at Bhalei.
Whatever be the reason, the temple was built at Bhalei by Raja Partap Singh and later renovated by Raja Sri Singh. Recently a lot of renovation work has been carried out.
Statue of Bhader Kali was unfortunately stolen in the year 1973 by antique thieves but happily recovered at Chohra near the present dam site. It is believed that the image of the deity seems to be perspiring since that event.