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Some
105-km east of Shimla
, in Jubbal Tehsil on the banks of the river Pabbar, lays the mysterious
valley of stone temples Hatkoti. Close by stands a small village by the
name of Parhaat. At Hatkoti, two other small mountain streams Bishkulti
and Raanvti join the Pabbar. The color of the Bishkulti or vish-khalti
water is somewhat grayish and the local belief says that the stream oozes
out poison. With the convergence of the three water streams, according to
the Hindu mythology makes Hatkoti a place fit to be a pilgrimage.
Himachal itself, though studded with temples, has a very special
reverence for Hatkoti, the abode of Goddess Mahishasurmardini an
incarnation of Durga.
The Temple Complex: The temple complex consists of
a main temple dedicated to Durga and a smaller temple dedicated to Shiva,
the two standing side-by-side. There are some conical stone structures
meant for storing grain, presumably built by the local people at a much
later date. At Dharamshala,
a kirtan ghar and a rest house make up the complex. On the basis of the
architectural design and style of sculpture, it is believed that the
Hatkoti temples belong to the Gupta period and must have been built
between the 6th and 9th century AD.
The Garbhagriha: The Garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum is
naturally dark, but the idol, exquisitely cast in bronze, emits a soft,
ethereal glow. It depicts the goddess Mahishasurmardini also called Mata
Hateshwari, eight-armed and riding a lion as she drives her spear through
the heart of the demon Mahishasura. On either side of the image, there is
an inscription in a variation of the Brahmini script that no one has been
able to decipher so far.
Shiva temple: The Shiva temple nearby is very similar in
architecture and design with the rest of the temples present in Hatkoti.
One of the remarkable features of this temple is the shivling situated
within the temple, which is wider than the doorway.
Sunpuri Hills: At the heart of the Hatkoti valley stand the hills
of Sunpuri, merging into each other, making it sacred for the localities
to call it the Ardhnarishwar. Surmounting this hillock is a small temple
with another finely chiseled image of Mahishasurmardini, made of stone.
Panzo Pandoora Ghaurdoo: Small temples scattered near Sunpuri
Hills are said to have been built by the Pandavas and are called by local
people as 'Panzo Pandoora Ghaurdoo' or the toy houses of the five
Pandavas.
Charoo: Charoo, which means a large bronze vessel, stands battered
with age on one side of the mandap of the Mahishasurmardini temple
securely chained to an image of Ganesha positioned inside the temple.
Khara Patther: Khara Patther is an upcoming skiing hotspot, which
falls enroute to Hatkoti from Shimla. Besides, if one is in a pilgrimage
mood can visit Giri Ganga, a few kilometers away from Khara Patther.
Angling & Trout-Fishing: From Khadralla, the way to this paradise for anglers, lies through Sungri. Beyond Hatkoti, 11 km away, is Rohru situated on the banks of River Pabbar - an excellent spot for angling, with fishing pools teeming with trout. The trout hatchery at Chirgaon, upstream, ensures a well-stocked river.
Air:
Shimla is the nearest
airport.
Rail: Nearest rail heads
Shimla narrow gauge
Kalka broad gauge.
Road: One can either take the
Shimla
-Theog-Kotkhai-Khara Patther-Hatkoti-Rohru motor road or the Dehradun to
Hatkoti route, which passes through Chakrata, Deoban, Tiuni and Arakot.
Hatkoti is at a distance of 105 km from
Shimla , the capital
of Himachal Pradesh
One can stay at the Forest Rest House nearby or in one of the few hotels, which have mushroomed lately. Those looking for luxuries can go to Rohru, 10-km away from Hadsar.
Twice a year, during the Chaitra Navratra in the month of April and the Ashvin Navratra in October, the temple complex reverberates with the sounds of bells and cymbals and khartals. On both occasions a fair is held, attracting pilgrims from far and near. Those who worship Durga in the form of Shakti sacrifice a goat or sheep, those who worship her in the form of Vaishnavi, offer flowers and halwa. Himachali folks make offerings of parched rice and homegrown walnuts, as these are considered highly acceptable to the Devi.