Jakhoo Temple is an ancient temple in Shimla

Shimla

Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...

, dedicated to Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 deity, Hanuman

Hanuman

Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...

.

It is situated on Jakhoo Hill, 2.5 km /1.3 miles east from the Ridge, Shimla

The Ridge, Shimla

The Ridge road is a large open space, located in the heart of Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, India. It runs east to west alongside the Mall Road, and joins it at the Scandal point on the west side. On the east side, the Ridge road leads to Lakkar Bazaar, a wooden crafts market...

 at a height of 2,455 m (8,000 feet) above sea level. Shimla

Shimla

Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...

's highest peak offers a panoramic view of the Shivalik Ranges and the town of Sanjauli.

An ancient "Lord Hanuman

Hanuman

Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...

" temple is there and every year a big festival is held on Dushera . You can go to the temple by foot (a steep climb) from Ridge (path behind the church) or can hire a pony/horse. Taxis are available too.

The legend

One legend goes that Lord Hanuman stopped there to rest while he was searching for the Sanjivni Booti to revive Lakshman in the Epic Ramayana

Ramayana

The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...

. On arrival at the temple signs advise visitors to secure all personal belongings and beware of the monkey

Monkey

A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...

s, which are everywhere. This is appropriate as the temple is in honour of the Monkey Lord. Visitors must remove shoes (and leave them in the "shoe house") before entering the temple.

There are several eateries at the temple site. Local visitors ring the bell for good luck before making the descent back into Shimla.