Surkanda Devi Temple: Shakti Peetha

Chardham Yatra Package – Book Your Tour with Travel Acharya

Shakti means Power, strength or energy to do something. From a small cell to a humongous star, everything is because of Shakti. In the Hindu religion, Shakti is the cosmic energy and one such source of energy is Shakti Peethas. This travelogue gives an overview of one such Shakti Peetha: Surkanda Devi Temple and the details of this sacred temple.

Introduction to Surkanda Devi Temple

Overview

The divine temple of Surkanda Devi, the incarnation of Goddess Durga surrounded by beautiful ranges Of Himalaya where you can view mystic sites of Chandrabadni, Dehradun, Rishikesh, Pratapnagar, and Chakrata. The place provides incredible views of pinnacles, nature, forest and snowy peaks which makes it an ideal location for nature lovers and enthusiasts. Temple is famous for its wonderful architecture and natural iconic views.

Location

A Hindu sacred site Surkanda Devi Temple upholds the beliefs of millions of Goddess devotees that attract them to this place. Surkanda Devi temple is situated in Kanatal town of Uttarakhand at 2756 m (9042 ft) in Tehri district near Chamba and Dhanaulti. The temple is accessible from Uttarakhand cities such as Rishikesh and Dehradun in the south of the temple surrounded by the Saklana range in north. The Chandrabadni and Kunjapuri are other Shakti Peetha temples that form a triangular sacred site tour for pilgrims. 

History

According to Hindu mythology, the place where Mata Sati’s head fell and turned into Surkanda Devi Shakti Peetha. ‘Sur’ means ‘head’ and ‘Kanda’ means ‘hill,’ which depicts Sati’s head on the peak of a hill. The history goes back to the time when Shiva and Sati were married. Prajapati Daksh, Sati’s father, was against Shiva and didn’t invite them to Yagya. On hearing words of disgrace for Lord Shiva from her father, the deity sacrificed herself in Agni Kund. On seeing this tragic event, Shiva carried Sati’s burnt body all over the world and beheaded Daksh (later replaced by a goat’s head). On seeing Shiva’s unconsciousness in the grief of Sati, Lord Vishnu, with his Sudarshan chakra, divided the body into 51 Shakti Peethas, and on this place, the head fell.

Shakti Peetha-Importance

Shakti Peetha means the Centre of Cosmic power or energy. In Hindu mythology, cosmic energy is Mata Parvati, Jagat Janani from where the universe and living organisms originated. The body parts of Mata Sati are scattered in parts of India(42 Shakti Peethas), Sri Lanka (1 Shakti Peetha), Bangladesh (6 Shakti Peethas) and Pakistan(2 Shakti Peethas) which total makes up 51 Shakti Peethas. Surkanda (Mata’s head) is one of those Shakti Peethas along with Chandrabadni (Mata’s torso) and Kunjapuri (Mata’s chest). 

Exploring the Temple of Surkanda devi

Surkanda Devi Temple Temperature and Best Time to Visit

• Summer(May-June): Temperature goes from 28℃ to 15℃, hot weather with clear and cool skies at night. 
• Monsoon(July-August): Temperature ranges from 25℃ to 12℃, heavy downpours and a refreshing environment. Trails at this time are slippery, be cautious.
• Autumn(September-November): Temperature is from 20℃ to 10℃, pleasant weather accompanied by shedding of leaves with clear views of the Himalayas. 
• Winter(December-February): Temperature drops down from 10℃ to 0℃ or minus, chill weather with occasional snowfall and best time for snow trek.
• Spring(March-April): The temperature warms up from 5℃ to 20℃, and the season is slightly cool with the blooming of flowers.

If you want to visit Surkanda Temple, the best times are summer, autumn and spring. Winter season is best for those who can bear chill weather and enjoy the snow.

Entry Fees and Timings

How Can You Get to Surkanda Devi Temple?

Kaddukhal village is the nearest trek base for Surkanda Devi Temple travelling by road and trekking.

Chardham Yatra from Bangalore – Book Your Tour with Travel Acharya 

By Road

Visitors can cover Kanatal and Dhanaulti to Surkanda Devi Temple Distance by car, rental, or bus. The nearest city to Surkanda Devi Temple is Mussoorie, which can be your starting point.

Tourists from major cities like Delhi can take UTC Online buses to Dehradun. Then drive to the Mussoorie-Dhanaulti road to Kaddhukhal, where the trek begins. Local buses are available for Dhanaulti.

Visitors from Rishikesh/Haridwar can travel to Kanatal or Dhanaulti via bus or rental cars from NH34 (Chamba Road). 

The distance between Dhanaulti and Kanatal:19.1 km (43 min drive).

By Airways

To reach Surkanda Devi Temple via flight Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is available, take a road route from Dehradun to Kaddhukhal village. 

Total Distance and Duration: 90 km (1 hour approx or more)

By Railways

The nearest railheads to the Surkanda Devi Temple route are Dehradun, Rishikesh and Haridwar.

From Dehradun distance: 80 km

From Rishikesh distance: 90 km

From Haridwar distance: 105 km

After reaching the railway stations you need to hire a rental or a bus to reach Kaddukhal village in Tehri district.

Note: After reaching Kaddukhal, you need to trek to Surkanda Temple

Trekking to the Temple of Surkanda Devi

The trail begins from Kaddukhal village.

From Kaddukhal village to the temple of Surkanda Devi 2.5 km is the trek distance. The estimated duration of this trek is 2 hours to visit the prime destination of Surkanda Devi.

The route is easy but little steep ascents are there in between which can be easily covered.

The significant distances of 8 km from Dhanaulti, 22 km from Chamba and 32 km from Mussoorie to the main location of Surkanda Devi with trek distance.

Expectations from the Trek

The trekkers can enjoy stunning pinnacles of the Himalayas, floras and faunas. The weather during the trek is awesome and you can experience the local rural culture. You can see nearby attractions and enjoy street stalls. The place is photogenic which makes it ideal for photo enthusiasts.

Ropeway to Surkanda Devi Temple 

There is a ropeway installed by the Government of Uttarakhand for the ease of tourists to visit the Surkanda Devi Temple. Elevated at more than 9000 m, the Kaddukhal-Surkanda Devi Ropeway is at some distance from Dhanaulti made for those who face difficulty in trekking. The devotees can book a ropeway for adults and kids at a nominal price.

For kids: Rs.100-200 per child

For adults: Rs.150-200 per person

Timings: 9.00 AM-5.00 PM

To see what surkanda Devi Temple looks like, watch this video.

Accommodations Close to the temple of Surkanda Devi

Hotels, Resorts and Homestays

Hotels near Surkanda devi temple can be found in Dhanaulti and Kanatal.

GMVN- Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Tourist Resthouses are available for Dhanaulti and Kanatal with different room options. Contact the GMVN Official Site for accommodations enquiry.

To book an affordable Surkanda Devi Temple Tour Package with accommodations, site tours, trek arrangements or other services, contact TravelAcharya.

Important Contacts

FAQS

View More Stunning Locations below

• All About Zero Point Binsar
• Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave Temple complete detail
• Rudraprayag Temple complete guide
• Vasuki Tal complete detail
• Dhari Devi Temple and detail
• The Best Time To Visit Auli For Snowfall
• Guptkashi complete detail
• Chopta Uttrakhand travel guide
• Neelkanth Mahadev Temple travel tips
• Ranikhet Hill Station complete guide
• Naina Devi Mandir history
• Gopeshwar Temple complete detail
• Valley Of Flowers tips
• Jewel Of Kumaon travel guide
• 10 TIPS TO PLAN BUDGET CHAR DHAM YATRA IN 2024
• What Is The Best Time To Visit Char Dham tips