Purnagiri Temple is situated on the top of the Poornagiri hill in the town of Tanakpur of Champawat district of Uttarakhand state in India. It dedicated to Hindu goddess Maa Parvati. Perched at a height of 3000 feet above sea level, the temple is 22 kilometers away from Tanakpur. The Poornagiri Mandir has its own importance and devotees from every corner of the state come to visit the temple.
Purnagiri Temple Overview
| Location | Tanakpur, Champawat District, Uttarakhand |
| Height | 3000 feet above sea level |
| Importance | One of the 108 Siddha Peethas of Hinduism |
| Deity | Goddess Purnagiri |
| Festivals | Chaitra Navratri (March/April) and Ashwin Navratri (September/October) |
| Best time to visit | October to May |
| Nearest Airport | Pantnagar Airport 98 km) |
| Nearest Railway Station | Tanakpur Railway Station (22 km) |
| Accommodation | Dharamshalas and guest houses are available |
Importance of Maa Purnagiri Temple
Purnagiri temple has great importance among Hindu devotees. It is considered as one of the sacred 108 Siddha Peethas of India. Every year thousands of devotees visit Purnagiri Temple in Chaitra Navratri, which falls in the month of March – April. It is believed that after visiting Maa Purnagiri temple, one has to visit Siddha Baba Temple. Then only the journey is considered to be meaningful.
The temple holds immense religious significance for the locals and is considered a highly revered pilgrimage site. It is believed that a visit to the temple can fulfill one’s wishes and bring good luck and prosperity. The temple attracts a large number of devotees from all over India, especially during the Navratri festival.
Navaratri is one of the most important festivals celebrated at Purnagiri temple with great fervor and devotion. During this nine-day festival, devotees from all over the country come to seek the blessings of the Goddess.
The celebration starts on the first day of Navaratri, when the idol of the Goddess is brought out from the temple and carried in a palanquin to her temporary abode, also known as ‘pandal’. The pandal is beautifully decorated with flowers, lights and other decorative items.
The celebrations are marked by a series of rituals and customs, including ‘Havan’, ‘Arti’, ‘Bhog’ and ‘Kanya Pujan’. During the ‘Havan’, special offerings are made to the Goddess in the form of flowers, fruits and other sacred items. The ‘Arti’ is performed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, to seek the blessings of the Goddess.
On the eighth day of Navaratri, also known as ‘ashtami’, a special ‘bhog’ is offered to the Goddess, which includes a variety of dishes such as ‘puri’, ‘chana’, ‘halwa’, ‘sabzi’ and ‘kheer’. This is followed by the ‘kanya pujan’, where young girls are worshipped as the embodiment of the Goddess.
The celebrations come to an end on the ninth day of Navaratri, also known as ‘Navami’, when the idol of the Goddess is taken back to the main temple with great fanfare and celebrations. The festival is concluded with the ‘Visarjan’ ceremony, where the idol of the Goddess is immersed in a nearby river.
Location of Purnagiri Temple
Flowing through the hills, river Kali Ganga enters into the plains in Tanakpur and from here on, it is known as Sharda River. One can get here by road till Thulligad from Tanakpur and then there is a 3 km long stairway to finally reach the Purnagiri Temple. The temple is the highest point of the Purnagiri hill. From here one can see the expanse of river Kali, its small islands, a few Nepali villages and the whole township of Tanakpur.
Mythology of Purnagiri Mandir
As per the Hindu Mythology, in Sat-yuga, Sati (Maa Parvati) was the daughter of Daksha Prajapati and she wanted to marry Lord Shiva. But Daksha Prajapati was against it as Daksha Prajapati was a king and Lord Shiva was a Yogi. After Sati married Lord Shiva against Daksha’s wish, he thought of insulting his Son-in-law Shiva and conducted a Yagna. Daksha invited all Devtas but he did not invite Lord Siva and his Ganas.
Later on, Sati came to know about this incident and asked her father to apologize to Shiva. But Daksha insulted Sati before all the guests. After all these things, Sati self-immolated herself in the Yoga Agni.
As Lord Shiva came to know about this, he ordered Veerabhadra to destroy the Yagna and Kill Daksha Prajapati. Veerabhadra along with Kali and Shiva Ganas destroyed the Yagna and beheaded king Daksha.
He carried the remains of Sati’s body with grief and performed the dance of destruction through the Universe. The places where the parts of her body fell are now recognized as Shakti Peeths. In Purnagiri the Naabhi (Naval) part of Sati fell, where the present temple of Purnagiri is situated.
How to Reach Purnagiri Temple
The temple is 366 km away from Delhi and 22 km from Tanakpur.
By Road
Tanakpur is well connected to major cities like Delhi, Lucknow, and Dehradun by bus. Regular and AC buses from ISBT Anand Vihar and ISBT Dehradun are easily available to Tanakpur. From Tanakpur, one can take a taxi or bus to reach the temple.
By Train
Trains to Tanakpur Railway Station are easily available from major destinations of India like Delhi, Dehradun, and Lucknow. From the railway station, one can take a taxi or bus to reach the temple. It takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour to reach the temple by road.
By Air
Pantnagar Airport is the closest to Tanakpur. It is situated 98 km away from here. One can hire a taxi from here or use public transports. Buses are easily available to Tanakpur from Haldwani and Rudrapur. Haldwani is 32 km from the Pantnagar airport and Rudrapur is 15 km away.
Purnagiri Temple Distance Chart from Various Cities
| Delhi | 380 km |
| Meerut | 320 km |
| Bareilly | 130 km |
| Moradabad | 190 km |
| Jaipur | 600 km |
| Chandigarh | 560 km |
| Kanpur | 375 km |
| Lucknow | 310 km |
| Shimla | 665 km |