The Jwalamukhi Temple in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is one of the most revered places in the region. It is located around 35 km south of the Kangra Valley in the lap of the Shivalik range and is dedicated to Jwala Devi (the deity of the flaming mouth). The legend of Jwalamukhi Temple relates to Lord Shiva’s wife, Sati. It is believed that Jwalamukhi Temple is the place where the tongue of Sati fell. Here the goddess is personified as tiny flames that burn through the chasms in the age-old rock. At this place, several flames continue burning day and night. According to the devotees, the goddess manifests herself in a blue flame fed by natural gas that shoots out of the rock. It is recognized as one of the 51 seats of Shakthi Peeth. The construction of the temple at the Jwalamukhi is credited to Raja Bhoomi Chand, a great devotee of Goddess Durga. In his dream, he is said to have seen the location of the temple. It also appears that Feroz Shah Tughlaq paid a visit to the temple on his way to Kangra. He was prompted simply by natural curiosity to see the flames of Jwalamukhi. Another story associated with the temple is that Jwalamukhi Temple is that once Mughal emperor Akbar covered the flames with thick metallic plates and yet the flame reappeared through the plates. He visited the temple with his wife Jodha Bai and was impressed at the phenomenon of shooting flames. In the center, there is a hollowed rock over a primary fissure of flames. This one is regarded as the mouth of the Mahakali. Flames emit out from several other points in the pit. They are nine in total and represent the different forms of the goddess Saraswathi, Annapurna Chandi, Hinglaj, Vindhyavasini, Mahalaxmi, Mahakali, Ambika, and Anjana. Many people from across the world come to visit this temple and attend the famous artis of this temple. This temple surely is one of the most revered mysteries of India that continue to intrigue the interests of believers from all over the world.
