Garjiya Devi Temple
गर्जिया देवी मन्दिर
Devi (Garjiya Devi) temple · Garjiya, near Ramnagar, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
Garjiya Devi Temple, also written Garjia, is a shrine to the goddess on top of a large rock that rises out of the bed of the Kosi river near Ramnagar in Nainital district, Uttarakhand (Nainital District Administration). The Nainital district administration describes it as a temple of Durga Devi known as Garjia Devi, while Outlook Traveller describes the goddess here as Parvati (Nainital District Administration; Outlook Traveller).
The temple lies on the road from Ramnagar to Dhikala in the Corbett area, and the district administration lists it among the places near Corbett Tiger Reserve (Nainital District Administration).
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Garjiya Devi Temple
The shrine is the focus of the Garjia fair, and the district administration notes that the area is full of festivity on Kartik Purnima in November (Nainital District Administration). Worship also peaks during Navratri: The Tribune reported special worship at the temple on Ashtami in 2009, and in 2024 hawkers in the temple complex were preparing for the Navratri crowds (The Tribune).
Devotees also come on other special days; Amar Ujala reported that on New Year's Day 2026 worshippers began reaching the temple early in the morning for darshan of the goddess (Amar Ujala).
Heritage
History of Garjiya Devi Temple
The sources consulted give no founding date for the temple, and no date is offered here. Newspaper reports from the past two decades record its recent history.
In September 2009 The Tribune reported that local boats were being used to take devotees to the temple because the main bridge linking it to the town had been destroyed some time earlier (The Tribune).
In March 2024 the Uttarakhand government gave financial approval for work to protect the main mound on which the Garjiya Devi temple stands, in Ramnagar block of Nainital district (News On Air). On 8 April 2024, the day before Navratri began, a fire that started in a shop selling prasad spread to about 35 thatched shops in the temple complex and destroyed them; police reported no loss of life (The Tribune; Outlook).
Architecture and sacred features
The temple stands on the pinnacle of a huge rock in the Kosi riverbed, and visitors climb a long flight of narrow steps to reach it (Nainital District Administration). The top of the rock gives a view over the Kosi (Nainital District Administration).
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Reaching the shrine means climbing many narrow steps, and the district administration notes the riverside as a place for bathing and worship on the way to Corbett (Nainital District Administration). The temple complex becomes crowded at Navratri and on Kartik Purnima (The Tribune; Nainital District Administration). Confirm current arrangements with the Nainital district administration or the temple before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with the temple administration before travelling. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Garjiya Devi Temple
Kartik Purnima
The district administration notes that Garjia is full of festivity on Kartik Purnima day in November (Nainital District Administration).
Navratri
The Tribune reported special worship at the temple on Ashtami in 2009, and in April 2024 hawkers in the temple complex were preparing for the Navratri crowds (The Tribune).
Location
How to Reach Garjiya Devi Temple
The temple is on the Ramnagar to Dhikala road, which the Nainital district administration puts at about 10 km from Ramnagar; other accounts give a somewhat longer distance (Nainital District Administration). The nearest railhead is Ramnagar, the end of the Delhi-Moradabad-Ramnagar broad-gauge branch line, and the nearest airport is Pantnagar, about 80 km from Ramnagar (Nainital District Administration).
In the past the temple has had to be reached by boat when its bridge was out of use (The Tribune). Check current access with local authorities before travelling, especially when the river is high.
Location: Garjiya, near Ramnagar, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
Nearest airport: Pantnagar
Nearest railway station: Ramnagar
More in Hindu temples in Uttarakhand · Devi (Garjiya Devi) temples
Questions
Garjiya Devi Temple: Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Garjiya Devi Temple?
It stands on a large rock in the bed of the Kosi river on the Ramnagar to Dhikala road in Nainital district, Uttarakhand, near Corbett Tiger Reserve (Nainital District Administration).
Which goddess is worshipped at Garjiya?
The Nainital district administration describes the shrine as a temple of Durga Devi known as Garjia Devi (Nainital District Administration). Outlook Traveller describes the temple as dedicated to Parvati (Outlook Traveller).
How do you get up to the temple?
Visitors climb a long flight of narrow steps to the shrine at the top of the rock (Nainital District Administration). In 2009, when the main bridge was out of use, local boats took devotees across (The Tribune).
When is the main festival at Garjiya Devi Temple?
The biggest occasion is Kartik Purnima in November (Nainital District Administration). Navratri also draws crowds of worshippers (The Tribune).
What is the nearest railway station and airport?
The nearest railhead is Ramnagar, the end of the Delhi-Moradabad-Ramnagar broad-gauge branch, and the nearest airport is Pantnagar, about 80 km from Ramnagar (Nainital District Administration).
Is the rock under the temple being protected?
In March 2024 the Uttarakhand government gave financial approval for work to protect the main mound of the Garjiya Devi temple (News On Air).
What happened in the 2024 fire at the temple complex?
On 8 April 2024 a fire that began in a shop selling prasad spread to about 35 thatched shops in the complex and destroyed them; police reported no loss of life (The Tribune; Outlook).
Sources and attribution
- © OpenStreetMap contributors — location data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Wikidata Q2721642 — structured data (CC0)
- Wikipedia — Garjiya Devi Temple — text facts from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nainital District Administration (Government of Uttarakhand) — Corbett Tiger Reserve (Garzia Temple section; how to reach)
- Nainital District Administration (Government of Uttarakhand) — Culture & Heritage (Fairs & Festivals)
- News On Air (Akashvani, Prasar Bharati) — Government approves funds for Garjiya Devi temple in Nainital district (Hindi, 15 March 2024)
- Amar Ujala — Devotees arrived at Garjiya Devi temple for darshan on New Year's Day (1 January 2026)
- The Tribune — 3 dozen shops gutted as fire breaks out in Garjiya temple complex in Uttarakhand's Ramnagar (PTI, April 2024)
- The Tribune — The Tribune, Dehradun Edition, 27 September 2009 (Garjia Temple Ashtami report)
- Outlook — Fire Breaks Out In Garjiya Devi Temple; No Casualties Reported
- Outlook Traveller — At This Corbett Resort, The Forest Extends Beyond The Tiger Trail
- Outlook Traveller — The Ultimate 3-Day Itinerary To Jim Corbett National Park
Further reading: Garjiya Devi Temple on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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