Set in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, Mansa Devi Temple is a shrine to Goddess Mansa Devi (a form of Shakti / Parvati); the inner sanctum houses a three-faced, five-armed idol and a separate eight-armed idol. It is also known as Bilwa Tirth, Mansa Devi Mandir.
A famous Siddh Peeth believed to fulfil devotees' wishes ('Mansa' means wish), and one of the Panch Tirth of Haridwar. Devotees tie a red-and-yellow thread on the sacred tree while making a wish and return to untie it once fulfilled. Together with Chandi Devi and Maya Devi it forms Haridwar's shaktipeeth circuit. Mansa Devi sits atop Bilwa Parvat and is known as Bilwa Tirth.
Uttarakhand carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Dev Bhoomi, the Land of the Gods, home to the Char Dham Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and the Shakti temples of Haridwar.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Evening | 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM |
A 2026 guide gives 8:00 AM-8:00 PM daily with a midday bhog closure 12:00-2:00 PM, morning aarti at opening and evening aarti at 6:00 PM (5:30 PM in winter). Some earlier sources list 5:00 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00-9:00 PM; timings vary, so confirm locally. The ropeway operates roughly 7:00 AM-7:00 PM.
Poojas and daily rituals
Morning aarti at opening and evening aarti (around 6:00 PM); the wish-tying thread ritual on the sacred tree
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Navratri | March-April and September-October | The most spiritually significant time, with very long queues |
| Kumbh Mela / Ardh Kumbh | Every 12 years (Ardh Kumbh every 6) | Haridwar hosts one of the world's largest religious gatherings |
History and architecture
Architecture
A hilltop shrine on Bilwa Parvat, about 178 m above Haridwar, housing three idols of the Goddess
History
Mansa Devi sits atop Bilwa Parvat and is known as Bilwa Tirth. By tradition Goddess Mansa emerged from the mind of Sage Kashyap, is regarded as the sister of the Nagas (serpents) and a daughter of Shiva. One legend tells of a cow that offered milk daily to three shilas on the Shivalik hill, which people began to worship, leading to a temple; it is also linked to a spot where a part of Devi Sati is said to have fallen.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Reached by a 5-minute Udan Khatola ropeway or a 1.5-3 km uphill trek, both starting near Har Ki Pauri. Haridwar railway station is about 3 km away; Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun is about 37 km; buses run from ISBT Kashmere Gate, New Delhi.
Mansa Devi Temple in photographs
2 freely-licensed photographs of this temple, from Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its photographer.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Darshan timings differ between sources (8 AM-8 PM vs 5 AM-9 PM)