Mansa Devi Temple is one of the oldest temples in Haridwar and is located on top of Bilwa Parvat. Bilwa Parvat hill is part of the Sivalik hills, which is the southernmost mountain chain of Himalayas.
This temple is also known as Bilwa Tirth and is one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) within Haridwar. It was built by Maharaja Gopal Singh of Mani Majra in 1811-1815 A.D. The presiding deity is the powerful Manasa Devi who is the wife of King of snakes, Nagaraja or Vasuki. It is believed that Goddess Manasa fulfills the wishes of all her devotees who visit her. Devotees’ tie a thread to a tree located in the temple and prays for the wish to come true. They come back and untie the thread when their wishes are fulfilled.
Two deities are installed in the sanctum sanctorum, one is depicted with eight arms and the other is depicted with three heads and five arms.
Coconuts, fruits, flower garlands, and incense sticks are offered to Goddess Manasa Devi.
The temple atop the hill can be reached via a rope-way known as “Mansa Devi Udankhatola” or by trekking 1.5 kms uphill. The rope-way length is 1,770 feet and covers a distance of 584 feet. Monkeys often trouble people trekking up the mountain. The views of Haridwar town and River Ganges are spectacular from the temple.
Maximum numbers of people visit the temple during April and June. Many shops around the temple sell pooja items and other souvenirs.
Place Statistics:
Type of place: Ancient Temple
Situated: Haridwar, Uttarakhand
Distance: 800 mt from Har ki Pauri. 2kms for Bus stand or Railway station
Transport: Well connected by road and ropeway (Udaan Khatola). Local buses, rickshaws, taxis ply to the temple
Facilities: Many hotels and resorts are available in Haridwar to suit all budgets
Timings: 8 am and 5 pm, except for lunch closings of 12 pm to 2 pm
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