During the days of Navratri, a unique confluence of faith, devotion, and unwavering belief was witnessed at the world-renowned Shakti Peeths of the ‘Devbhumi’ (Land of Gods). Specifically, at Himachal Pradesh’s globally celebrated Shakti Peeths—Shri Naina Devi, Mata Chintpurni, and Shri Bajreshwari Devi—the Navratri festivities showcased an extraordinary blend of faith, devotion, and steadfast conviction. The latest statistics from these three major temples reveal that they have shattered all previous records this time around. Throughout Navratri, a total of over 650,000 devotees visited the shrine of the Goddess, offering a cash sum of ₹24,823,482 (₹2.48 Crores) at her feet.
The latest figures released by the temple trusts clearly indicate that this year, not only has the number of devotees broken records, but there has also been a substantial increase in the value of offerings compared to previous years. It is noteworthy that, so far, official statistics have been released only for these three major temples; meanwhile, the volume of offerings continues to rise at other prominent temples across the state—including the globally renowned Shakti Peeths of Jwalaji and Mata Chamunda Devi.
Shri Naina Devi Temple: A 20% Increase in Offerings
This year, a distinct fervor of devotion was observed at the world-renowned Shakti Peeth of Shri Naina Devi Temple in Bilaspur. According to information provided by Manish Sareen, the Accounts Officer for the temple trust, approximately 500,000 devotees had visited the Goddess’s shrine by the *Ashtami* (eighth) day of Navratri. The massive influx of devotees had a direct impact on the temple’s revenue, resulting in total cash offerings amounting to ₹12,535,848 (₹1.25 Crores). Compared to the previous year, the total value of donations has witnessed a significant increase of 20 percent this time around. **A Shower of Foreign Currency at Mata Chintpurni Temple**
**Mata Chintpurni Temple**
Between March 19 and March 26, donations totaling ₹8,058,027 were offered at the feet of the Goddess at the Mata Chintpurni Temple in Una district. According to the Finance and Accounts Officer, the donations received on the final day of the fair—the 9th day—have not yet been included in this figure; the official count is scheduled to take place on Saturday. A notable highlight was that, alongside Indian currency, devotees from abroad also demonstrated their unwavering faith here. Currencies such as Euros and Malaysian Ringgit were found in the donation boxes, including 650 Pounds from England, 840 Dollars from Canada, 279 Dollars from the US, 130 Dollars from Australia, and 100 Dirhams from the United Arab Emirates.
**97,000 Devotees Offer Prayers at Shri Bajreshwari Devi Temple**
During the festival of Navratri, an atmosphere of deep devotion was also witnessed at the Mata Shri Bajreshwari Devi Temple in Kangra. Here, a total of 97,000 devotees visited the temple of Mata Rani to offer their prayers and made donations according to their means. According to the temple administration, a total of ₹4,229,607 in cash offerings was received during Chaitra Navratri. Additionally, devotees also offered gold and silver to the Goddess, records of which have been duly entered in the temple’s official registers.
