Hadimba Temple, which was constructed in the 16th century, is one of
the best places to visit in Manali and is located amid a beautiful
deodar forest on top of a hill in Manali. The temple holds great
significance for the locals and also the tourists who frequently visit
the pilgrim spot to seek blessings from Goddess Hadimba. The temple is
dedicated to the Goddess Hadimba who was also the wife of the strongest
of the Pandava brothers, Bhima. According to the Hindu mythology, the
giantess Hadimba meditated in this region as an apology for her sins.
So, she was given the position of Goddess by the most powerful Goddess
Durga, whose 10 centimeter footprint is preserved at the entrance of the
temple.
The Goddess Hadimba used to meditate within the confinements of the
temple, where a stone idol of the deity that rises to a height of 60
centimeters is placed. This temple was constructed by Raja Bahadur Singh
in a distinctive architectural style. The temple premises has a temple
of Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima and Hadimba and a hero of the
Mahabharatha war, whose idol is made primarily of wood and lies 70
meters from the Hadimba temple.
