One of the most popular Devi Mata Temple is located in Ranikhet Tehsil of Almora district of Uttarakhand State. This holy and religious temple is situated at a distance of 7 km from Ranikhet town. This temple is dedicated to Maa Durga and is named Jhula Devi. When you get a chance to visit the temple, don’t forget to chant “ॐ श्री झुलादेव्यै नमः” (Om Shree Jhuladevyay Namah).
History and Story of Jhula Devi Temple
According to the local people, this temple is 700 years old. It is located in Ranikhet near Chaubatia Garden. The building of present temple was built in 1935. There is also a temple near Jhula Devi Mandir dedicated to Lord Rama. Jhula Devi Mandir is also known as Jhula Devi and “Ghanti Wala Mandir“.
According to Hindu mythology, this temple was built with the aim of invoking the blessings of Maa Durga to free her from harassment by the wild animals living in the area. The goddess is worshiped by the name “Jhula Devi” because of the swing established on the temple premises.
Another story is prevalent about the mother swinging. It is believed that once in the month of “Shravan“, the mother appeared to a person in a dream and expressed his desire to swing. The villagers prepared a hammock for the mother and installed it in the temple.
From that day onwards, the mother goddess started being worshiped here in the name of “Jhula Devi”.
The Chaubatia area was a dense forest full of wild animals. “Leopards, Deer, and tigers” are used to attack people in the area and take away their domestic animals. People used to be afraid of “leopards and tigers” and people living around used to pray to ‘Mata Durga’ for protection from the dangerous wild animal.
It is said that the ‘goddess’ appeared in a dream to a shepherd one day and asked the shepherd to dig a particular spot as the goddess wanted to build a temple for herself at that spot. As soon as the shepherd dug the pit, the shepherd found the idol of the goddess in that pit. After this, the villagers built a temple at that place and installed the idol of the goddess. Therefore villagers were released from the fear of jungle animals and due to the establishment of the temple the herdsmen used to leave their cattle to graze in nearby areas.
Facts & Faith of Jhula Devi Temple
Countless bells hanging around the temple premises represent the divine and sorrow-ending powers of ‘Ma Jhula Devi’. It is believed about Jhula Devi is enshrined in the temple and Maa Durga fulfills the wishes of her devotees as fulfilling their wishes, devotees come here to offer copper bells, and the melodious sound of the bells makes everyone happy. “Believe me, it does“. Devotees believe that Maa Jhula Devi fulfills the wishes of those who pray in the temple. Thousands of bells in the temple are a symbol of the faith of the people.
While visiting here you also get a chance to visit Ram Mandir, which is located nearby. There is regular movement of lots of devotees in Jhula Devi temple. Hindus have great faith in the temple, Jhula Devi Mandir is a popular place to visit in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand.
How to reach Jhula Devi Temple?
It is very easy to reach the Jhula Devi Mandir because the road connectivity to the temple is good. One can visit by their own vehicle or rent a taxi from anywhere in India. Also, below are some routes and ways to reach the Temple.
By Railway – Kathgodam Railway Station is the nearest railway station from where you can hire a taxi. Jhula Devi Temple is about 74.2 Km distance from Kathgodam.
By Air – Pantnagar Airport is the nearest airport to Jhula Devi Temple. You’ll have to hire a cab from the airport to the temple which is a 108.4 Km hill road journey.
By Road – You can easily drive your own car or hire a taxi from anywhere in India to reach the Jhula Devi Temple. Below are some top places you want to drive a car from.
- Ranikhet to Jhula Devi Temple distance – 7 km
- Haldwani to Jhula Devi Temple distance – 81.5 Km
- Almora to Jhula Devi Temple distance – 51.2 Km
- Dehradun to Jhula Devi Temple distance – 346.1 Km
- Delhi to Jhula Devi Temple distance – 369.9 Km
Jhula Devi Nearby Tourist Places
If you’re early in the Temple and have taken the blessings of Maa Durga then you can visit some nearby places to relax your day with loved ones.
Ram Mandir – This is just nearby the temple about 1 km.
Rani Jheel – Drive back to Ranikhet and you’ll find Rani Jheel (Lake). This is a very peaceful place to enjoy the beauty of nature and to do some family boating.
Golf Course – After visiting from the Temple you can push your car to Golf Course. Which is about 11 km from Jhula Devi Mandir. You can enjoy snacks or lunch with your family near the Golf Course stadium.
Ranikhet Market – Don’t forget to take some memories of Ranikhet as you might get less time to visit here again. So, if you want to do some shopping then Ranikhet Market is the choice for you.
You might have some questions about the temple or travel guide. You can ask in the comment section below or find some answers from the below list.
Like the Chitai Golu temple, this temple is recognized by the number of bells hanging on its premises. It is believed that Jhula Devi fulfills the wishes of her devotees and after the wishes are fulfilled, devotees present a copper bell here.
According to the local people, this temple is 700 years old. The temple complex was built-in 1935.