Mansa Devi Temple, Haridwar — the hilltop shrine and its ropeway
temple · 937 m away
temple3 min from Haridwar
Maya Devi Temple, Haridwar — the old shrine of the city's goddess
The Maya Devi Temple is an old shrine to Haridwar's patron goddess, dated to the 11th century and counted among the Siddha pithas, 3 minutes from Har Ki Pauri.
What it is
The Maya Devi Temple is an old shrine to Maya, the presiding goddess of Haridwar, a three-headed, four-armed form of Shakti. The city was once known as Mayapuri in her honour. Wikipedia dates the temple to the 11th century and calls it one of the few ancient temples still standing in Haridwar, with the Narayani Shila and Bhairava temples, and one of the three Siddha pithas of the city.
Photos: Ekabhishek (CC BY-SA 3.0) · World8115 (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
About 3 minutes by road from Har Ki Pauri on our routing, east of the ghat. Wikipedia says buses and auto-rickshaws reach it. We have not measured the walk from the ghat, so ask locally for the lane, which the photograph in our gallery shows as narrow.
What you see
The inner shrine holds images of Maya in the centre, Kali on her left and Kamakhya on her right, according to Wikipedia, with two other forms of Shakti. Tradition also counts the temple as a Shakta pitha, said to be where the heart and navel of Sati fell. The outside is brightly painted, with a mural of the goddess over the entrance.
Know before you go
It is a working temple in a pilgrim city. Dress modestly, ask before photographing worshippers or the images, and expect more visitors during Navratri and the Kumbh Mela. We found no published opening times or entry fee, so ask locally.
Around it
Har Ki Pauri is 3 minutes away, and the hill temples of Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi complete the three Siddha pithas. See things to do in Haridwar and the two-day plan.
Plans that include this
All 1 plans that stop here →Nearby places
Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar — the main ghat on the Ganga
monument · 1.1 km away
Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar — the temple on the Neel Parvat
temple · 2.5 km away
Daksheswara Mahadev Temple, Kankhal — where the legend of Sati is placed
temple · 3.5 km away
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Questions people ask
Why is the Maya Devi Temple important?
Maya Devi is the presiding goddess of Haridwar, which was once called Mayapuri after her. Wikipedia says the temple dates to the 11th century and is one of three Siddha pithas in Haridwar, with the Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi temples. It is also reckoned a Shakta pitha, said to mark where Sati's heart and navel fell.
Which images are in the inner shrine?
Wikipedia says Maya is shown at the centre, flanked by Kali and Kamakhya, with two other forms of Shakti beside them. Maya is described as three-headed and four-armed. It is one of only a few ancient temples still standing in Haridwar, with the Narayani Shila and the Bhairava temples.
How far is the Maya Devi Temple from Har Ki Pauri?
About 3 minutes by road on our routing, so it combines easily with the ghat. Wikipedia says the temple lies east of Har Ki Pauri and is reached by buses and auto-rickshaws. We found no published opening times or entry fee, so ask locally, and expect more visitors in Navratri.