Santala Devi Temple Dehradun
Santala Devi Temple, an iconic holy place situated in the city of Dehradun, the capital of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, is renowned for its religious sanctity and 15km proximity from the capital.
It lies amidst a jungle located near Santour Garh and above the banks of the Noor River.
The shrine of Goddess Santala and her brother Santoor is also known as Santaura Devi Temple or Santaula Devi Temple and it is believed that if anyone prays to her with a sincere heart, the deity will grant their wishes.
Traditions tell us that thousands of years ago the Temple of Santala Devi was the dwelling of Mata Santala and her brother Santoor.
Story of Santala Devi Mandir:
The legend tells that the daughter of the King of Nepal, Santala Devi, discovered in the 11th century that a Mughal Emperor had plans to marry her.
So, Santala Devi traveled through the mountain paths to reach Punjabiwala in the Doon valley.
Once there, she built a fort to live in, only to have the Mughals soon launch an attack against her.
Seeing she was not capable of defending herself against the invading forces, Santala Devi raised her arms and began praying to God, hurling away her weapons in a symbolic act of surrender.
When the light illuminated her, she suddenly transformed into a stone idol. Concurrently, the glare blinded all of the Mughal soldiers that came to raid the fort. After the occurrence, the fort was replaced with a temple.
Legend has it that in the 16th century, numerous soldiers used to visit and offer worship to the temple. Around the same time, a British officer with no offspring learned of the temple from his subordinates.
He strictly followed all the regulations to offer worship at the temple, and within the year he became the proud father of a son. Consequently, ever since, this temple is well-known amongst couples wanting children and people who seek fulfillment of their wishes.
How to reach Santala Devi Temple?
If you’re wishing to pay a visit to the Santala Devi Temple, you have the flexibility of reaching here by plane, train, or road – pick whatever suits your needs best!
By Airplane
If you’re considering a trip to the Santala Devi Temple in Dehradun by plane, Jolly Grant is the nearest airport.
Once there, you can arrange a taxi to take you to the temple.
By Train
For those seeking to get to Santala Devi Temple via train, the closest railway station is situated in Dehradun.
After reaching the station, hailing a taxi will enable you to travel further.
By Road
If you’re planning to arrive by motorbike, car, or bus, rest assured that Dehradun is connected to many large cities by the National Highway, making it easy to get to Dehradun.
Once you’re there, you’ll find that the Santala Devi Temple is located very close.
People's beliefs:
The sacred fair of faith is held in the abode of Goddess Santala Devi in the Dehradun district. Hundreds of devotees had gathered at the temple with hopeful hearts and wishes.
According to lore, Mother Santala fulfills the wishes of the one who prays from the depths of their soul. This place of reverence and awe is the representation of Maa Santala’s unconditional and limitless love for humanity. As legend tells, Maa Santala Devi was a princess from Nepal’s royal family. She was the incarnation of Shakti and blessed with extraordinary power.
Unfortunately, a marriage proposal was received from the Mughal ruler during this time. And, that’s when Maa Santala retreated to Santaur, a secret location. Here, the goddess set up a fort and decided to live peacefully. However, this didn’t sit too well with the Mughal ruler and the fort was under attack shortly afterward.
