Nainital Attraction : Naini Devi Temple Nainital

Naini Devi Temple or Naina Devi Temple is one of the virtuous place of Nainital.

Location : Naina Devi Temple is located at atop the Naina hillock near the Naini Lake.

Naini Devi Temple Nainital

About Temple

Naini Devi Temple or Naina Devi Temple is considered as one of the 'Shakti Peeths' and a prominent devotional site of Nainital. Due to its religious significant and its location it attract devotees and tourist form all over the world. Naina Devi Temple is considered one of the most important places of worship in Nainital. 

In  temple complex, you can see the a huge Peepal tree and it seems like sheltering the visitors. After across the Peepal tree, there is an idol of Lord Hanuman. Inner sanctum of the temple there are idol of three deities. In the centre are two netras (eyes) that represent Naina Devi, to the right Lord Ganesha and to the left is Mata Kali Devi. Two lion statues are the main shrine of Maa Naina Devi.

Legend of this temple

According to legend the temple was built on that place where Goddess Sati’s eye fell on the earth. The story about this is that, Sati, another name of Goddess Parvati. Lord Shiva was the consort of Sati (Goddess Parvati). Due to the insulting of Lord Shiva by her father she was unable to accept any desecration of her Lord, she jumped into the sacrificial bonfire. When lord Shiva hearing of his wife's death, he went mad with rage and grief. He carried her body across his shoulders, he began to motion the three worlds.

Such was his cope that all the other Gods trembled and everybody rejected to interfere. Then Lord Vishnu unleashed his Chakra and cut her body into 51 pieces and to save the earth from Shiva’s anger. The places where the pieces of her body fell and touched the ground were termed as the sacred Shakti Peeths. It is believed that Sati's eyes fell at the same spot where this temple is built, hence the name Naina Devi. 

Main Festival :

Here are 3 auspicious occasion festivals namely, Navratri (September – October), Chaitra Mela (March – April) and  Shravani Mela (July – August). You can visit this temple any time.