SACRED SHRINE OF SARTHAL DEVI

With the dawn of civilization, man's quest has ever long been bewildering and enchanting in seeking solace from the great grace of divine Shakties whose manifestations have mostly been confined to mountainous region of greater Himalayas. In our state, these divine Shakties are presiding over every nook and corner and are being revered with utmost devotion and veneration.

- ■G.L. KHAJURIA

The Devi Mata is one having a wide varied personification and is all pervading Shakti. She is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. She has been worshiped over the millennia past as per our religious script, The Vedas, Puranas and Upnishadas. She has also been worshiped as Aditi, The mother of Gods and is supreme, greater good of knowledge, fortune and ultimate bliss. She is the creator, preserver and destroyer. She is Perceiver of the unperceived knower of unknown and over flowing with love for her delighted devotees. She is benign enough to forgive all even to errings and saviours us from all miseries and afflictions when we revere her devotedly with true mind, body and soul.

Nestling amidst lush green vibrant and salubrious pines and other broad leaved forests exists the sanctum sanctorum of Sarthal Devi. This barely lies 53 kms ahead of Thatri lying on National highway -1B and some 105kms from Batote. Sarthal Devi Shrine echelons a height of 7000ft from mean sea level (M.S.L) and is akin to the sanctity and Shakti of Shri. Mata Vaishno Devi though of course there is no such rush of devotees because of lack of communication and allied facilities.

The sacred temple of Mata Sarthal Devi is having a single piece of idol the Goddess with eighteen arms. It is a mystical piece having power shakti onthe beholder where devotees come for holy darshan, pay obeisance and obtain blessing. It is believed that this idol from Kashmir valley.