In Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, it’s the land of Hindu temples. Here I’m talking about my experiences of the temples of Chiati Golu Devta, Jageshwar temple, Kasar Devi, and Bagnath temple.
First was Chitai Golu Devta. It is a temple full of bells and is sacred because it is said that the lord is a judge and chooses what is right and wrong. Many people write their wishes on paper and put them on a bell. Then the god decides if it should be fulfilled. This was one of my favorites. Then you have a small pooja and aarti. There was a whole family of monkeys who kept breaking and smashing the bells. A man with a stick tried to beat them up. .·´¯`(>▂<)´¯`·.
Next was Jageshwar Temple. There were 12 parts in it, each having its mini poojas. We came in the morning for the personal pooja, and the floor was wet and cold, I was wearing socks, so I got 2.5-degree frostbite (painful). There was also a night aarti full of traditional songs and I knew a few of them.
Then we went to my top 1 favorite, the Kasar Devi. It was intensely small, but felt magical and spiritual. It was on the top of a mountain, and I experienced a breathtaking view. The most magic part about is was that it is aligned on the Van Allen Belt which is a zone with energetically-charged particles stuck in the Earth’s magnetic field. So a lot of people believe that it has magical healing and purifying effects! Other sites with the Van Allen Belt are the Stonehenge and Machu Pichu. It also had a monkey family!
Finally was the Bagnath Temple. It is located on the beachside and has a very big Shiva statue. Like all temples, small poojas are held. But what really makes this temple special is that this was the place where Markhandeya worshiped Lord Shiva. Markhandeya was a Chiranjeebis, which is someone who is immortal through each yoog. He was born to live 16 years, but he worked hard and Shiva blessed him.
These temples are very spiritual, magical, and historical. They age back farther than the AD! These are must-visits, and I hope you will also share your experience!