Chitkul Mathi Devi Temple

Chitkul Mathi Devi Temple

500 year old Mathi Devi temple who is the Goddess of Kinnaur, is worshipped from centuries. It is at Chitkul, a village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh the ‘Land of Gods’. Chitkul is the first village of the Baspa Valley. It is also the last village on the Hindustan-Tibet trade route and the last point in India.

The unusual wooden construction of Chitkul Mathi Temple is well-known. Devi Chhitkul Mata, commonly known as Shiromani Mata Devi, is the primary deity.
This temple is built in traditional Kathuni style and is in the precise centre of the village. The temple houses an ark which is made of walnut wood and is covered with clothes and a tuft of yak tail. Two poles are inserted into this ark to carry it with.

Legend

Lord Badrinath’s wife Mathi is said to have travelled from Brindavan to Tibet through Mathura and Badrinath, according to mythology. Later, she travelled to Garhwal, and then on to Sarhan in Bushahr through Sirmour. For her final goal, Barua Khad, she was determined.

She discovered that the area was separated into seven sections as she travelled beyond Barua Khad. Shuang Village’s deity was her nephew, Narenas. As a result, she gave him the job of village watchman. After that, she made her way to the village of Chasu. Chasu Village’s deity was Narenas as well. So she put them in charge of Chasu, too.

Later, she went to see Badri Nath at Kamru Fort, where he was guarding Bushahr’s throne. Finally, the goddess reached Chitkul and settled down in Mathi Temple, where she protected all seven districts of the valley.All of a sudden after her arrival to Chitkul, the village started prospering making people thriving with success and prosperity with abundant crops, flora and fauna.

All this made the villagers worship her with high reverence, and till date, the belief keep getting firm day after day making the Mathi Devi Temple a prominent place for the locals to come and seek her blessings to overcome their miseries and shortcomings.