Chamba Sightseeing - Vajreshwari Temple

This temple is dedicated to the Goddess Vajreshwari or Yogini Devi. This ferocious warrior Goddess is surrounded by much myth. One story says that the Gods, troubled by a demon performed a huge ritual around a fire (yajna) to pray for deliverance. Indra, the short tempered God of thunder and lightning, angry because he wasn’t given enough attention during the ceremony, hurled his trademark weapon, the thunderbolt into the fire. The fire grew larger and from the flames emerged Vajreshwari, Goddess of Thunder who vanquished the demon. Another story states that she is a manifestation of Parvati, the wife of Indra and survived a thunderbolt hurled at her by the demon to emerge as the Goddess of Thunder. The Goddess’s mount is a tiger and this temple built in her honour is said to be more than a 1000 years old. It is situated at the end of Jansali Bazaar, the northernmost corner of town and is built on a platform in the Shikhara style of architecture. This is a lesser used Nepali style which comprises a tall tower with five or nine ridges or sections along its length with the topmost layer shaped like a bell. This temple also has Chhatris and is elaborately carved. Navratris are celebrated lavishly in the temple premises. Smaller temples stand on either side of the main temple. Visit this temple and you’ll be paying your respects to the most potent Goddess in this area.