Mansa Devi Temple

Mansa Devi Temple on Bilwa Parvat hill in Haridwar is one of the Panch Tirthas (five sacred sites) of Haridwar and a major Shakti shrine dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi, who is believed to fulfil the wishes of devotees. The goddess is depicted with either two or five arms and is associated with the serpent deity tradition. The temple can be reached by a short cable car ride (udan khatola) offering aerial views of Haridwar and the Ganga, or by a steep footpath climb. The complex contains two main idols of the goddess, one with two arms and one with five. Devotees traditionally tie a thread to the trees in the temple complex when making a wish, and return to untie it when the wish is fulfilled, a practice that gives the surrounding trees a distinctive appearance. The temple sees its heaviest footfall during Navratri and the Kumbh Mela, when Haridwar receives millions of pilgrims.