Mahasu Temple

JAI ho Mahasu Devta 🙏
In the heart of the lush green valleys of Uttarakhand, Mahasu Devta stands as the revered protector of the mountains. This divine deity, belonging to the Jaunsar-Bawar region, holds a special place among the folk deities of Uttarakhand, alongside Nagaraja, Ghandiyal, Narasimha, Bhumiyal, Bhairav, and Bhadraj.

The main temple dedicated to Mahasu Devta is located in Hanol, Chakrata, with a history that intertwines myth and spirituality. According to the stories, Mahasu Devta is the god of justice and has four deity brothers – Botha Mahasu, Pabasik Mahasu, Basik Mahasu, and Chalda Mahasu. These brothers collectively known as Mahasu, played a pivotal role in saving the region from the tyranny of demons.

The tale begins in the early period of Kali Yuga when the demon Kirmir terrorized Uttarakhand, causing misery and fear. Huna Bhatt, a Brahmin, and his wife Kritika sought refuge in the mountains of Kashmir, praying to Lord Shiva for protection. Upon receiving the deity's blessings, they returned to their land and, following Goddess Hatakeshwari's instructions, began performing rituals to summon Mahasu Devta.

The unique ritual involved plowing a part of the land with a pure silver plow and gold shoes every Sunday, using bulls that had never plowed before. The culmination of these rituals brought forth the appearance of Mahasu Devta and his army, liberating the entire region from the demonic forces.

The Mahasu Devta Temple, built in the 9th century, is an ancient site of cultural and religious significance. The temple's architecture, known as 'Kath-Koni' or 'Kothi Banal,' is a blend of stone and wooden structures, showcasing a unique style. The Jagara of Mahasu Devta, celebrated in the month of Bhadon, marks the deity's arrival to protect the villagers from demons.

A fascinating aspect of the temple is the presence of two spherical rocks, believed to be lifted only by those with pious hearts. Another intriguing feature is the trophies hanging on the temple walls, awarded to the champions who win matches between gods, adding a touch of folklore to the sacred surroundings.

The Mahasu Devta fair, a prominent religious event, unites local tribes, especially the Jaunsari community, fostering cultural harmony among various villages. As tales of Mahasu Devta echo through the hills of Uttarakhand, the temple remains a beacon of spirituality and a living testament to the triumph of good over evil.

Beautiful temple and beautiful village .. Jaise swarg se uatara ho.. Film ka set lagne wala village.. Pahado se ghira, Rivar ke kinare pe... Just woww ,
Villagers are so upgraded that every tuesday all cleans their village together... Everybody should take inspiration from them.

A beautiful Shiv Temple, which is situated on the left bank of river Tons. Lord Mahasu is the chief deity of this region. This temple is at the distance of 15km from Tuini. It's a peaceful and sacred place. ✨ You have to visit once in your life to feel the peacefulness of that area.

Mahasu temple is situated in hanol , the last village in dehradun district. The place is so beautiful and this temple makes it even more mesmerising. Mahasu devta is located beside tons river.
The drive from dehradun take almost 5.30 hours and is very beautiful drive.
Temple has evening aarti. There is no morning aarti.
One can easily get good room costing rupees 600 for a night. People are kind and services are also very good. Staying beside temple is totally new experience you get to hear morning bells which soothes the soul.

There is dharamshala also where they serve good food and is free of cost.

Do interact with locals to know about this temple as it has interesting story behind it.

Lastly do visit it is said your wishes come true once you have darshan at mahasu devta.

And please maintain the area protect Indian heritage and let's not spoil it.

Revered deity of Jaunsari tribe. Historical place, which dates back to 9th century. This temple is dedicated to Mahasu Devta.

Mahasu Devta Temple (महासू देवता मंदिर), is located on the Tuini-Mori road at Hanol, Dehradun district, Uttarakhand,India and was built in the 9th century. The temple is dedicated to Mahasu Devta. Lord Mahasu is the chief deity of this area and is worshipped in Mahasu Devta Temple by the people of Hanol and nearby villages of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh state of India. The temple was constructed in Kath-Kuni or Koti-Banal style of architecture and is included in the Archaeological Survey of India's list of the ancient temple in the Dehradun circle, Uttarakhand. Mahasu Devta Temple is on the eastern bank of Tons River (Tamas) at Hanol village, near Chakrata, about 190 km from Dehradun, 156 km from Mussoorie and about 140 km from Shimla. The name of the village according to the legend was kept after the name of Huna Bhatt, a Brahmin. It can also be derived from 'hanul' meaning fire. Before mahasu arrived, this place was used for torturing offenders with the heat of fire by putting them in the hollow of a big drum, placed horizontally and heated from below. Earlier the place was known as Chakrapur, and it is said to be the place to which the pandavas escaped from laksha graha or the Lakhmandal on River Yamuna. The village is at an altitude of 1,050 m above M.S.L. on the left bank of River Tons earlier known as River Tamas (meaning short-tempered). No water can be drawn from it for irrigation purposes, because of its precipitous banks and deep gorges. It is for this reason the river is called Karam Nashini. According to another tradition, the water of River Tons are the tears from the eyes of Bhubruvanan.
The temple village of Hanol is a sort of pilgrimage place for people living in vast areas in the mountainous parts of Uttarakhand, west of Yamuna River, The trans giri area of Sirmaur district and a major part of Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh.
Hanol is approachable from Tiuni, a well-known trijunction of roads on the Pabbar River after covering a distance of 15 km on an all-weather motorable road that meanders smoothly through the pine clad mountain slopes. Although the terrain through which the road passes is very narrow and by another side of the road one can see the river tons. Besides his ancient and principal temple at Hanol, Mahasu Devta has number of temples scattered in his deitydom. Besides Hanol temples situated at villages namely Thaina, Basoi and Gabela are regarded as Thans (Abode) of Mahasu. Also the temples dedicated to Mahasu Devta birs (His two deputies) Kaulo and Shedkulia have exclusive temples for them in Tiuni and Raaigi.
There are many Mahasu Devta Temples in the whole Jaunsar-Bawar region, some famous of them are located at village Bisoi, Buraswa, Kotua, Laksiyar are in Uttarakhand and Nagheta in Sirmour HP. The number of temples of Mahasu and his brothers are situated at various places of Devghar, Jaunsar-Bawar and Sirmour areas.
In the deitydom, Mahasu Devta is not only the sole arbiter over the mortals, he also reigns supreme over the innumerable indigenous gods and goddesses. He exercises his authority over the religious dispensation of people and secular matters. Disputes among the people are settled through a unique LotaPani adjuration. For this purpose water is ritually filled in a metallic goblet in the name of Mahasu Devta by a neutral person, then the disputants are asked to drink that water in the name of Mahasu Devta. The party who has given the false statement suffers on drinking the water. The age-old theocratic governance of Mahasu Devta, although acceptable to people and local rulers, was not taken kindly by the British authority. One of their officers, Major Young, found the authority of Mahasu Devta 'a great nuisance'. During land settlement of the territory under the British control in AD 1827 he felt that the traditional twelve-year sojourning of Mahasu (the Chalda Mahasu) with his large entourage to deitydom was extremely burdensome and exploitative to common people.

Mahasu Devta temple is situated on the eastern bank of the Tons river in Hanol village near Chakrata in the Dehradun, capital of Uttarakhand. Built in the 9th century, this temple preserves the architecture of mixed style which is worth seeing. People also come here from all over the world to see the beauty of the temple. 'Mahasu Devta' is the collective name of not one but four gods. The names of the four Mahasu brothers are 'Bashik Mahasu', 'Pavasi Mahasu', 'Bautha Mahasu' and 'Chalda Mahasu', which are forms of Lord Shiva. Four small old temples of these four deities are also situated in Jaunsar Bawar. According to the mythoogy, a Brahmin named Hunabhatta worshipped Lord Shiva and Shakti in order to get rid of the people of the area from the terror of the demon Kirmik.

With the blessings of Lord Shiva-Shakti, four brothers were born in Hanol and Mahasu Devta killed the Kirmik monster to liberate the regional people from the terror of this monster, since then people considered Mahasu Devta as their totem and started worshipping, it is claimed. Since then Mahasu Devta is the presiding deity of Jaunsar Bawar, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Mahasu Devta is worshiped in Uttarkashi, in the entire Jaunsar-Bawar region and Rawai division of Uttarakhand as well as Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla, Bishahar and Jubbal of Himachal Pradesh.

It is also believed that Mahasu Devta had won this temple on some condition. People also take its palanquin from one place to another for worship at regular intervals. The devotees are not allowed to go to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, only the priest can enter there at the time of worship.

It is still a mystery how a flame is always burning in this temple. A stream of water also comes out from the sanctum sanctorum of the Mahasu Devta temple, but where it goes and where it comes from, till date no one has been able to find out. This water is given to the devotees as prasad.

There are four doors for the entry into the sanctum sanctorum of Mahasu temple. Artifacts resemblinig planets including Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars, etc have been made on the roof of the temple. Sculptures of various deities have been carved on the first and the second gates of the temple in a manner to give it a shape of garland. The drummers help people worship the god by playing the instruments. Local people, devotees and tourists bow their heads at the third gate.

It is believed that the Pandavas had built the Hanol temple with the help of the god Vishwakarma by transporting stones from Ghata Pahar (Shivalik mountain range). The 32 corners of this temple, from the foundation to the dome, rest on cut stones placed on one anotther. At the top of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, Bhima Chhatri i.e. a giant stone brought from the Ghata mountain of Bhimsen has been installed. The unique carvings add to the grandeur of the temple.

It is said that in the Dwapar era, the Pandavas came to this place safely after coming out of the Lakshagriha (house of wax). That is why the temple of Hanol is no less than a place of pilgrimage for the devotees. It is also said that the village where Mahasu Devta temple is built on Tuni-Mori road is named after Huna Bhatt Brahmin. Earlier, this place was known as Chakarpur.

Mahasu Devta temple is famous all over the world for its beliefs, but a special thing about it is that every year salt is brought from the Rashtrapati Bhavan as offering.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Mahasu Devta Temple in Hanol and I must say, it was an experience I will never forget. From the moment I stepped foot into the temple premises, I was greeted with a sense of peace and tranquility.

The temple itself is a beautiful architectural marvel, with intricate carvings and vibrant colors adorning its walls. The lush green surroundings and the sound of the nearby river only added to the serene atmosphere.

But what truly stood out to me was the devotion and faith of the people who come to this temple. The priests were welcoming and kind, and they took the time to explain the history and significance of the temple and its deity, Mahasu Devta.

I was fortunate enough to witness one of the daily rituals at the temple, and it was a truly mesmerizing experience. The chants and prayers filled the air, creating a sense of spirituality that is hard to put into words.

Apart from the religious aspect, the temple also serves as a community center for the locals. It was heartwarming to see people of all ages coming together to offer their prayers and seek blessings from Mahasu Devta.

Overall, my visit to Mahasu Devta Temple was a deeply enriching and positive experience. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a peaceful and spiritual retreat. The beauty, serenity, and devotion of this temple will leave you in awe.

Amazing place. Great positivity at the Mahasu Devta temple. The view is mesmerizing

The temple is dedicated to Mahasu Devta. Lord Mahasu is the chief deity of this area and is worshipped in Mahasu Devta Temple by the people from various parts of India, especially from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Mahasu Devta appears in quadruple form as the four brothers. The legend tells when Krishna disappeared at the end of Dvapara Yuga, the Pandavas followed him. They cross the River Tons. Yudhishtra was fascinated by the beauty of place and asked Vishwakarma to build a temple here and stay with Draupadi for nine days. The place subsequently came to known as Hanol, after the name of Huna Bhatt. It is the beautiful place to visit and should be in visiting buckets whenever visiting to Uttarakhand.

Good environment situated at river side good temple manegement

God of Uttarakhand people, they were 4 brothers and each one’s temple is at a different place. Hanol is very beautiful and it’s about 80 km from lakha mandal if u go through Nogao-Mori route. U get many selfie place in the route to click lots of pic.

Temple is located on the banks of tons river, one of the most beautiful temple i ever visited culture is so unique. Temple have its on resting rooms for the devoties where they can stay during night. We stayed there for 2 days and attended evening pooja there totally amazing experience. They have 2 metal balls which are almost impossible to life if one dont have devotion for the dity.

Awesome place, full of positive energy jai Mahsu devta

Beautiful Place 😇
And Butterflies just😍 awsome.

Since the ages, this sacred temple dedicated to Lord Mahasu of Jaunsar Bawar instills pride and faith in the hearts of fun loving and joyful people of Jaunsar-Bawar region. As a Jaunsari myself, felt real proud and connected to the supreme power while having the darshan of Mahasu Devta. The temple is situated in a village named Hanol, which is around a little more than a 100 kilometers from Chakrata. The location is cool, calm, serene and is surrounded by tall mountains on the side of Tons river. The scene itself is mesmerizing and to top it, we had the darshan at around 6 am in the cold misty morning of the April month. We tried to pick up the heavy dense balls of stone and were able to pick and hold it up for few seconds. Those stones are very heavy and dense, are sacred and revered here in this temple. After the darshan, we had tea and home made parathas in a nearby shop. Those were just delicious and the tea was refreshing.

Mahasu Devta Temple is on the eastern bank of Tons River (Tamas) at Hanol village, near Chakrata, about 190 km from Dehradun, 156 km from Mussoorie and about 140 km from Shimla. Temple was built in the 9th century. The temple is dedicated to Mahasu Devta. Lord Mahasu is the chief deity of this area and is worshipped in Mahasu Devta Temple by the people of Hanol and nearby villages of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh state of India. The temple was constructed in Kath-Kuni or Koti-Banal style of architecture and is included in the Archaeological Survey of India's list of the ancient temple in the Dehradun circle,

This place is not for people who want to picnic in Mountains. This place is for devotees. Mahasu Devta (4 brothers) are know as न्याय के देवता। This place give you positive vibes,very ancient and beautiful temple lies here and also you will get very large parking here.Also you will find hotels and food nearby.

Famous Temple dedicated to Mahasu devta. Temple is good example of seventh century Wooden architecture and carving . Campus is quite big. Parking and washrooms facilities is there.

Beautiful Temple to visit in Hanol.. around 200km from Dehradun.