Tara Devi Temple

Tara Devi sits on a wooded hill on the Shimla–Kalka side of town. The shrine to Tara, one of the Mahavidya goddesses, is said to have been established by the Sen rulers of Keonthal, who are linked to Tara worship carried from Bengal. The present temple was built in the 19th century and rebuilt later. A motorable road climbs most of the way, then a short walk through the trees reaches the top, where the temple shares the ridge with an army transit camp. The forest and the quiet make it a common half-day trip from Shimla.

1. Tara Devi has its own small station on the Kalka–Shimla railway, at the foot of the hill.
2. By road, turn off the Shimla–Kalka highway near Tara Devi; a narrow road climbs most of the way up.
3. From the road head it is a short uphill walk through forest to the temple.

March to June and September to November. Navratri sees large crowds; winter can bring snow on the approach road.

• The last stretch of road is narrow and can be busy on weekends and festival days.
• Part of the hilltop is an army area — stay on the temple side and follow signs.
• Carry a layer; the top is cooler and windier than Shimla.

Individual pages for these are added as they are reviewed.