Raghunath Temple in Kullu Himachal Pradesh

Here is Some Information about Raghunath Temple in Kullu Himachal Pradesh India.

Location: Kullu ,Himachal pradesh
Built in:1660 A.D.
Built By: King Jagat Singh
Dedicated to:Lord Rama
Entry: free
Photography: Allow
Temple Timing: 6:00 Am to 10 Pm
Visiting Timing: 30 Mins
Best time to Visit: Oct to March
Nearest Railway Station: Jogindernagar
Nearest Air Port: Bhuntar Airport (11 km)

The Raghunath Temple is one of the oldest and most popular temples of Himachal. Built in a blend of Pyramidal and Pahari style, the temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. The Lord is believed to be the safe guarder of the entire valley.Raghunath Temple, constructed by king Jagat Singh in 17th century, is the oldest temple in the valley. The story behind the construction of this temple is that when a Brahmin was found in the valley with lots of pearls, Rajah ordered his men to take them away from him. Subjected to torture, which he found unbearable, the Brahmin locked his entire family in his house and set it on fire.

The temple is located on a hillock and gives a magnificent view of the valley. The ancient symbol of devotion and faith attract pilgrims and tourists even to this day. The temple is known for the Dussera festival celebrated in the temple which is honored as an International Festival. Thousands of visitors come from all over the world to attend the celebration that is held for 10 days. On the first day the family deity (Kuldevi) of the Kullu rulers, Goddess Hadimba is brought to the temple where she is welcomed and graciously brought into the temple of Raghunathji. The royal family welcomes the Goddess and escorts her into the temple. Then the idol of Raghunathji is placed besides the Goddess on her chariot and they are taken to another place for six days. The royal family stays in the Dussera ground during the celebration. Nearly all the Gods and Goddesses are brought here in a procession believing that they are participating in the celebration. On the sixth day a grand celebration with music, dance and hymns is held with all the Gods. This is called as Mohalla. On the tenth day the chariot is brought to the bank of River Beas where a pile of bushes is burnt assuming it to be the Lanka (abode of Ravana) burning. Animals are sacrificed and the visitors have a feast. The idols are placed back in their respective temples and the celebration is ended in a delightful way.

History of Raghunath Temple

This temple was built by Raja Jagat Singh to house the statue of Lord Ragunath-Lord Rama. The main tourist attraction of Kullu is the Raghunath Temple, dedicated to Lord Ram, who is one of the principal deities of the Hindu religious pantheon. To atone for the sin he sent a senior counter to Ayodhya for statue of Lord Raghunath- Lord Rama. This temple was built by Raja Jagat Singh to house the image and even today, is greatly revered. The story behind the construction of this temple is that when a Brahmin was found in the valley with lots of pearls, Rajah ordered his men to take them away from him. Subjected to torture, which he found unbearable, the Brahmin locked his entire family in his house and set it on fire. Rajah was very depressed with this event and felt guilty about what he had done to the Brahmin. To get over his guilt, he visited Shri Kishan Dass ji Paihari, who advised him to construct a temple of Lord Rama. On the advice of the sage, Rajah donated his entire kingdom to Lord Rama. Thereafter, he constructed the temple in 1651 as an act of penitence, by establishing the idol of Raghunath or Lord Rama that was brought into Kullu from Ayodhya. Raghunath, who is the presiding deity of the valley, has been showcased on his chariot, at the temple.

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How to Rich Raghunath Temple in Kullu

By Air: The nearest Airport is Bhuntar Airport 11 km distance for kullu.

By Rail: The Nearest Railway Station is Jogindar Railway Station.

By Road: Buses are available connecting Kullu with the nearest cities

Picture Gellery for Raghunath Temple