Surkanda Devi Temple

Surkanda Devi Temple is a revered Hindu Shaktipeeth shrine sitting high on a soaring mountain peak at an altitude of 2,756 meters (9,042 feet) near Kaddukhal village, roughly 8 kilometers from Dhanaulti in Uttarakhand. According to ancient Puranic legend, this high summit is where the head (shir) of Goddess Sati fell while Lord Shiva carried her mortal remains in cosmic sorrow, giving the temple its original name Sirkhanda (later Surkanda).

The temple complex commands unobstructed 360 degree panoramas of the snow covered Garhwal Himalayas, including majestic views of Bandarpoonch, Chaukhamba, and Trishul to the north, alongside the rolling Doon valley and Rishikesh plains to the south. Visitors can either ascend via a scenic 2.5 kilometer paved uphill walking trek or take the modern passenger ropeway cable car, which ascends to the summit in just 5 minutes. The annual Ganga Dussehra festival draws thousands of colorful pilgrims for folk rituals.

Truth is, gliding over misty pine ridges on the cable car while temple bells echo in the thin mountain air is exhilarating. It represents the highest spiritual landmark in Uttarakhand's Tehri range.