Indian Institute of Advanced Study
viewpoint · 1.1 km away
temple11 min from Shimla
Kamna Devi Temple, Shimla
The Kamna Devi Temple stands on Prospect Hill above Boileauganj in Shimla, built by the Rana of Junga in the 18th century, among deodar, pine and oak.
What it is
The Kamna Devi Temple stands on Prospect Hill, one of the seven hills of Shimla, above the Boileauganj neighbourhood. It was built by the Rana of Junga in the 18th century, and it is counted among the most prominent temples in the town.
Getting there
About 11 minutes by road from central Shimla, roughly 5 km. Buses run to Boileauganj, and a steep road climbs from there to the hilltop. You can walk it or take a taxi or your own vehicle for the last stretch. It is a town temple, so it is easier to reach than the shrines outside the city, such as Tara Devi.
The visit
The shrine sits among deodar, pine, oak and rhododendron, and the setting is quiet for a place inside the town. Its architecture is the local hill style, and not the Kath Kuni or pagoda styles seen elsewhere in the state. The gateway in the photograph is the part most visitors meet first. From the hilltop the view opens south over Shimla, and on a clear day it takes in the Tara Devi temple on its own ridge.
Pilgrims come from across the country to ask the goddess for blessings, usually for trouble in the family or for a marriage. Little else is published about the temple's history, and no exact date for its founding is known, so this guide gives only the century.
When to go
Any month the road is clear, though April to June and September to October give the clearest hills. See when to visit Shimla.
Around it
It pairs with Jakhoo Temple and the Ridge for a day of Shimla's temples and old streets, and with Tara Devi on the two-day plan. Things to do in Shimla has the rest.
Plans that include this
All Shimla itineraries →
Day plan · First visitClassic
One day in Shimla — the Ridge, Christ Church and Jakhoo
A single-day Shimla loop: the Ridge, Christ Church, the former Viceregal Lodge, and Jakhoo Temple's giant Hanuman statue. Free, copyable itinerary.
Best Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
See the plan →
1 night · 2 days · First visitClassic
Two days in Shimla — the Ridge and Kufri
A two-day Shimla plan: the Ridge, Christ Church and Jakhoo Temple on day one, then Kufri and Tara Devi Temple on day two. Free, copyable plan on HimLocal.
Best Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
See the plan →
2 nights · 3 days · First visitClassic
Three days in Shimla — the full circuit
A three-day Shimla plan: the colonial town core on day one, quieter temples and a waterfall on day two, Kufri and Tara Devi Temple on day three.
Best Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
See the plan →Nearby places
Questions people ask
What is the Kamna Devi Temple in Shimla?
A temple to the goddess on top of Prospect Hill, one of Shimla's seven hills, above the Boileauganj neighbourhood. It was built by the Rana of Junga in the 18th century, and is counted among the most prominent temples in the town. Pilgrims come to ask the goddess for blessings.
Who was it built by, and when?
The Rana of Junga built it in the 18th century. The exact date of its founding is not known, and little else about its early history is published, so this guide gives no more than that. Its style is the local hill style, not Kath Kuni or pagoda.
How do you get to the Kamna Devi Temple?
It is about 11 minutes by road from central Shimla, roughly 5 km. Local buses run to Boileauganj, and from there a steep road climbs to the hilltop, which you can walk or cover by taxi or your own vehicle. Allow extra time if you walk, because the road is steep.