Chindi and Karsog

November 30, 2021

Chindi and Karsog

Chindi Mata temple

Sunset at Chindi HPTDC hotel

Chindi is a small village in Himachal Pradesh that is renowned for it's natural beauty. Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, Chindi makes for a tranquil getaway spot. I drove to Chindi from Parashar lake. The only accommodation available here hotel run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department Corporation (HPTDC). The rooms are large and comfortable but a bit dated.

Chindi Mata temple is walking distance from the hotel. The main temple is partially made of wood. Outside the temple is a circular pond. I'm the only person in the temple and the door is closed. I wait around a bit enjoying the natural beauty of the place. In the meantime, another family arrived. They had some offerings with them. They opened the temple door and went inside. The temple doors are never locked; its only closed. It's perfectly acceptable for anyone to open the temple door and go inside. However, nobody is allowed to enter the sanctum. The inside of the temple is made of wood and appears to have been renovated recently.

Inside the Chindi Mata temple

Next day, I left for Karsog. It's only a short drive from Chindi. There are amazing views of Karsog valley during the drive. Karsog is a crowded little town. The main attraction is the ancient Mamaleshwar temple. This temple is situated in the heart of town. Lord Shiva is the main deity here. Renovation of the temple was in progress.

Mamaleshwar Shiva temple

Outside the main temple are 5 Shiva Lingams. These are believed to have been installed by the Pandavas (from Mahabharatam). I sat inside the temple for a while. It was calm, cool and quiet. The temple priest came up to me and we start talking. He pointed to a big drum that was tied up to the ceiling. Legend says that this drum was used by Bhiman (one of the Pandavas). I try my hand on the drum, but I doubt if Bhiman is impressed with my percussion skills. The priest offered me a delicious yellow/golden coloured apple; it's one the temple offerings.

Kamasha Devi temple

About 4 KM from Karsog at the village of Kao is Kamaksha Devi temple. The wooden temple is extremely beautiful. This temple is directly connected to Kamakhya Devi temple in Assam. While I was standing inside the Kamaksha Devi temple, an elderly local man came inside to pray. I strike a conversation with him, but he speaks a local language that I don't understand. He cannot speak Hindi or English either. He tries his best to explain the temple and it's customs.

Karsog Valley

Inside the Kamaksha Devi temple, there are 3 chambers with small doors. The left door/chamber is called Parashuram Gufa (Parashuram cave). The middle door was closed. The right chamber is open. Inside it is a white idol of Kamaksha Devi. This is the only door that's left open outside prayer timing. The old man opened the central door for me. Inside it is a small bed. This is the bedroom for the Goddess. Only the temple priest is allowed to enter this room. The elderly devotee tries to explain a lot to me, but it's a pity that I cant understand most of it. To make matters worse, photography is prohibited inside the temple.

Chindi Mata temple

There is a curious custom in this village that's directly related to Kamaksha Devi temple. The villagers in Kao do not use beds; instead they sleep matresses that are directly placed on the floor. It's supposed to show respect to the deity. I step out of the temple and see a small hotel. It's a house and hotel all in one. The lady owner manages all the show herself. She was siting outside on the floor and cutting pomegranates. We try to talk but she too speaks only the local language. I ask her for food and she says that she will cook when an order is placed. I request her to prepare chicken curry and chapatti. She turns red and gives me a horrified look. In hushed tones, she tells me that I should not ask for non-vegetarian food anywhere in Kao village!