Santala Devi Temple- A Legendary Temple in Dehradun
Where is Santala Devi Mandir?
Santala Devi Temple is an ancient and popular temple located 15 Km away from Dehradun, the capital of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, on the Santaur Garh Hill, overlooking the Nun River.
The Santala Devi temple can only be reached on foot, a trek of about 2 km from the Punjabiwala village, which is well-connected with motorable roads. This temple can be visited between 6 AM and 7 PM.
The Santala Devi temple is surrounded by lush green forests, and it is also close to several waterfalls and natural pools.
Constructed in the 18th century, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Santala Devi. The temple has intricate architecture with beautiful paintings and statues of deities. The highlight of the visit is undoubtedly the view atop the hillock where one can see the doon valley in all its glory.
Hundreds of devotees visit the Santala Devi Temple to seek blessings. Saturday is known as the day of Goddess Santala Devi; therefore, devotees visit this place in large numbers on this day.
Santala Devi Dehradun History
According to legend, a Mughal king became fascinated with the daughter of a king of Nepal (Santala) and tried to force her to marry him. To escape this, Princess Santala Devi reached Dehradun and started living with her brother.
The Mughals also came to Dehradun in search of Princess Santola Devi. The Mughals attacked Santola Devi and her brother Santaur Singh. The two siblings faced the Mughals with bravery.
However, when Santala Devi and her brother realized that they were not capable of fighting the Mughals, Santala Devi surrendered her arms and started praying to God to save them.
Suddenly, a bright light shone, and Santala Devi, along with her brother, turned into stone idols. It is also believed that the same light blinded the Mughal soldiers. Later, a temple was built on the site. The temple has since become one of the most famous in Dehradun.
It is said that in the 16th century, many soldiers used to come here for daily pooja. At that time, an English officer had no children, which made him upset.
One day, he came to know about the Santala Devi temple and her magical powers through his soldiers. He worshiped there and had a child within a year. This has since become an ongoing tradition for those who wish to be blessed by a child.
How to Reach the Santala Devi Temple?
One can reach the Santala Devi temple by taking the Garhi Cantt-Jaitunwala-Punjabiwala road, passing the Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple.
This temple is located about 15kms away from Dehradun city. You can travel by bus, taxi or personal vehicle easily.
To reach Santala Devi Dehradun, take a public bus from Dehradun city to Jaitunwala, and take a rickshaw from there to Punjabiwala village. Finally, a 2 km easy to moderate trek will lead you to the temple.
Nearest Airport
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, which is about 41 km away. From there, you can hire a cab or take a local bus to Dehradun.
Nearest Railway Station
The nearest railway station to Santala Devi is Dehradun Railway Station, 13 kilometers away.
Nearest Bus Station
ISBT Dehradun is 17.3 km away from the Santala Devi temple. You can take a local bus, shared taxi, or Vikram to make your way to the temple from here.
Best Time to Visit the Santala Devi Temple
You can visit the Santala Devi Temple all year round, with the exception of the monsoons, when it is closed for one month during the rainy season, usually between July and August.
Santala Devi Trek
The small hike to the top, where the temple of Ma Santala Devi is, takes about 45 minutes. From March to June, it’s best to go early in the morning, between 6 and 8 a.m., when the weather is cool.
From the bottom of the hill to the temple, there are practically no sheds, few shops, or other buildings. So, it might be hard to climb when the sun is high. There are some benches in the middle where you can take a short break. Just go up slowly and enjoy the view.
On top of the hill, it’s very quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. There are not too many people there, so you can have darshan in peace. Don’t take anything from below, like Prasad, because there are plenty of shops near the temple. There are also these places to eat. This temple is open daily and is crowded more on Saturday and Sunday.
Places to Visit Near Santala Devi Temple
| Locations | Distance from Santala devi mandir |
| FRI | 10.5 KM |
| Tapkeshwar Mahadev | 7.5 KM |
| Sahastradhara | 15.9 KM |
| Robber’s Cave | 11.2 KM |
| Mussoorie | 35.4 KM |
| Malsi Deer Park | 13.3 KM |
| Maldevta | 28.4 KM |
| Prakasheshwar Mahadev Temple | 16.7 KM |
