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17th century Maa Tarna (Shyamakali) Temple, Mandi (Himachal)

I have visited many ancient and beautiful temples of the Himachal  and found them all unique in their beauty and construction. With changing landscape, we can see changes in the designs of temples. From the ancient wood temple of Shakti Devi in Chamba to Masroor Rock temple in Kangra , all temples in Himachal offer something unique and special. Today, I will talk about the Tarna Mata temple situated in the Mandi city of Himachal Pradesh that is also known as Choti Kashi because of 80 plus temples. The actual name of the temple is Shyamakali Temple and it was built by king Shyam Sen in the 17th century on the hill called Tarna; therefore, this temple has got its name of Tarna Mata from the name of the hill on which it was built.  This temple is also a sign of victory of the Mandi kingdom because Raja Shyam Sen built this temple after winning a battle against the rival king of  Suket Jeet Sen. Raja Shyam Sen of Mandi wished from Maa Kali to grant him a win over the Raja Jeet Sen and in
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Sidh Baba Garibnath Temple, Androli (Una, India)

I love to cover temples of Himachal Pradesh and Today, I will share with you a beautiful temple situated on the bank of the Govind Sagar Lake near Androli village of Himachal Pradesh, we can find this Shiva temple. It got its name of Sidh baba Garibnath because of a Saint with a similar name who meditated at this place. The unique thing about this temple is that it becomes inaccessible during the monsoon due to a rise in the water levels of Govind Sagar Lake. On any ordinary day, we can reach this temple by road, however, during the rainy season when the water level rises then we need the help of boats to reach this temple. This temple looks beautiful in all conditions whether it is submerged in water or out of water. When the temple is out of the water then it offers a very scenic view of Gobind Sagar lake. Every time, you visit this temple, you can find a different view because of the different water levels in the Gobind Sagar lake.  Image Source - wikimedia  Image Source - (Twitter
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Beautiful Historical and Ancient Temples of Himachal Pradesh

  Himachal Pradesh is popularly known as the state of Gods because of so many temples of different Gods and deities present here. So many famous pilgrim places and shrines are in Himachal Pradesh and every year millions of devotees come to visit these places. In every corner of Himachal Pradesh, we can find a famous or historical temple. I am also bringing to you my collection of some of the famous temples of Himachal Pradesh. All these temples are captured by me on my camera. You can learn more about these temples by clicking on the temple image itself. In these temples, you can see a huge variation in design, style, and material used. The oldest and ancient temples are either made up of stone or wood and they are standing stable on the ground for so many years which shows the high skills of old craftsmen. Moreover, Himachal Pradesh offers a mix of many cultures so we get a chance to see temples of other religions too like Buddhism.  (Click on the Image to Learn more)  1. Shiv Temple
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Chamunda Mata Temple Shakti Peeth (Pictures and Detail)

  On the foot of dhauladhar hills in Kangra district, we can find the Chamunda Mata Temple. This temple is just 19 KM away from Palampur and 25 KM away from Kangra and it is situated on the Dharamshala - Palampur highway. It is a very famous temple of Maa Chamunda and every year millions of devotees visit this place from different parts of India. The temple is situated in a very beautiful location and we can find an ancient Shivalinga beneath a big rock. At present, this temple is going through the work of renovation for the last few years and we can hope to see the completion of work fast.  During the Navratras, we can see a great rush of devotees. The Chamunda Mata Temple is considered one of the 51 Shakti Peeths present in India and it is the main reason for so many devotees to come to this temple. The name of the Maa Chamunda is derived from the names of two demons 'Chanda' and 'Munda' who Maa Chamunda killed, therefore, got this name. This temple is located on the
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Beautiful view of Hills and valleys below from the top of a hill (Day/Night View)

 When you get a chance to live on the hilltop for a few days then you see some interesting things. For a person living in the plains, this experience is very unique because we see a very different life altogether. During the day, we enjoy a wide view of the nearby hills and the valley present below. While at night, we see a very beautiful view like someone has put decorative lights on the hills. I have created a short video from my experience of living at the top of a hill. In this video, you can see how the view looks during day and night. 
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Beautiful Mahakaleshwar Pandoi Devta ji Temple at Pandoa (Shimla)

 You are aware of my road trip on the stretch Nalagrah-Ramshehr-Arki-Basantpur-Luhri -ANNI. When from Basantpur-Tatapani Road, we take a right turn on MDR 22 towards Luhri and Rampur then we follow the Satluj river continuously and get a chance to see communities living near Satluj river and in this valley. We also get a chance to see their culture and beliefs. Today, I am going to talk about the Pandoi Devta temple situated just a few meters away from this road at Pandoa village. Himachal Pradesh can be known as a place of thousands of deities; therefore, we say it the land of Gods. This temple is not visible from the road and you need to take an unpaved road that is 300 meters long to reach this temple. Pandoi Devta temple is a set of one main temple and two Kothis.  At this place, we can find the same style of Shivlinga as we find at the Ujjain; therefore, this place is also known as Mahakaleshwar Pandoi Devta ji Shahib. It is believed that this Shivlinga was created by Pandavas dur
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About Holy city of Varanasi (Banaras), India

Banaras or Varanasi is one of the most famous and holy city of India which is situated on the bank of river Ganga. Every Indian wants to visit it at least once in a lifetime and it is also very famous among foreign visitors too. I also got a chance to visit the holiest cities of India, Banaras also known as Varanasi. Varanasi is a very popular religious destination because of presence of many places of religious importance around it. It is situated on the bank of holly river the Ganga. Banaras is also known as Kashi because of the Lord Kashi Vishwanath temple of Lord Shiva situated in it.  This city holds a great significance in the life of every Hindu because of its religious value. According to the Hindu religion, any person who dies in Kashi attains a godhood and gets himself free from the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, it is a desire of many Hindus to die in this place. This place is known to be constructed by the Lord Shiva himself for the welfare of mankind so that they can
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Adventure of a solo Travelers

It is quite easy to find people who love to travel because traveling provides a chance to see many new places. We all get bored of living in the same place and surrounding by the same people; therefore, we all need a break. Travelling provides this opportunity to us. When we travel to a faraway place and into a new location then we get a chance to have a new experience of life. We can increase this experience many times when we choose to travel alone as solo travelers. Today, it is quite easy to find many people traveling alone as solo travelers. Some are people are traveling on the cycle, some are traveling on the motorcycles while some others are using public transport.  Mostly, it is the fear inside every person which stops him from traveling alone. We all fear the unknown and fear how others will treat us in a different location. Good and bad people are present everywhere anyhow we keep on meeting such people at our secured places too. To enjoy life and to see something amazing and
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To Village Showad, Anni (Kullu) by Nalagarh-Arki-Basantpur-Luhri road (Pictures and Videos on the way)

  Last time, I shared my experience of the journey to Shimla through Nalagarh-Ramshehar-Kunihar road . Today, I will discuss with you the Nalagarh-Arki-Basantpur-Luhri road which offers a great thrill to adventure seekers. I have been to Nalagarh many times but I traveled on the Nalagrah-Arki-Basantpur-Luhri stretch for the first time. Nalagarh-Ramshehr-Kunihar road is also a delight for adventure seekers because it is a single road and offers some challenges to drivers. However when we take a turn to Arki and moves towards Basantpur then the level of excitement increases many times.  I started from Ropar and moved on NH 205 till Ghanauli and then took turns to Nalagarh road. The condition of this road from Ghanauli to Himachal entry point is very bad and then after the road is fine. After reaching Nalagarh, I took the State highway no. 16 towards Ramshehar. It is a single road but the works for its widening are taking place simultaneously. From Ramshehar, I continued on the SH 16 till
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Journey to Hill Station Paneu (Paneo) and Naag Temple (Lesser Known Gem of Hills)

 I always love to visit hilltops because they provide the ultimate beauty and adventure. My journeys to Hatu Peak Narkanda ,  Prashar Lake in Mandi , and to the ancient wooden temple of Skhati Devi in Chhatrari  are some of its examples. This time, I got a chance to visit an ancient Naag Temple situated at Paneu (Paneo) hill station where a British rest house is situated. This hill station and Naag temple are situated 7 KM away from Kungash in Anni Tehsil of Kullu. The ancient Naag Temple is situated at walking distance from the main top and gets a chance to walk through the tall (some are around 50 feet of height) deodar (Pine) Trees. The last six-kilometer road to the Paneo is not metaled and it is very narrow at some points accompanied by a steep climb. This area is predominately an apple-growing belt and we can find many apple orchids on the way.  Around the temple, we can find a small pond that gets its water from rain. The temple also resembles the famous Kamroo Naag temple and w
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