Purnagiri Temple
Tanakpur, Uttarakhand · Goddess Purnagiri · Shakti Temple
Major Kumaon Shakti yatra atop Purnagiri hill near Tanakpur on the Nepal border foothills.
Purnagiri Temple crowns a hill above the Sharda river plain near Tanakpur, listed on Uttarakhand Tourism as one of Kumaon’s principal Shakti pilgrimages with a steep final climb.
History
The Champawat district administration places Purnagiri, also called Punyagiri, at about 3,000 feet, 20 km from Tanakpur, 92 km from Champawat and 171 km from Pithoragarh. Devotees from all over the country come through the year, in the largest numbers during Chaitra Navratri in March–April, when the valleys echo with chanting from pilgrims climbing to the shrine.
Below Purnagiri the river Kali comes down into the plains, where it is known as the Sharda. Vehicles go as far as Thuligad; from there pilgrims climb past Bans ki Chadhai and Awalakhan (now called Hanuman Chatti), from where the south-western face of the Punya Parvat comes into view, then on to Tanki and Tunyas, where temporary shops and huts line the path.
From the temple at the top of the hill pilgrims look out over the Kali and its islands, the town of Tanakpur and a few Nepali villages. The old Buram Deo Mandi is close by, and treks lead from Tanakpur or Purnagiri to Tamli and on to Jhulaghat along the Kali.
Stories
Where the Kali Becomes the Sharda
The Champawat district administration notes that Purnagiri, also called Punyagiri, stands at about 3,000 feet above sea level, around 20 km from Tanakpur. From this hill the river Kali descends into the plains, where it is known as the Sharda.
From the temple at the top, pilgrims can see the Kali and its islands, the town of Tanakpur and a few villages of Nepal. The old Buram Deo Mandi lies close by.
The Climb During Chaitra Navratri
Devotees visit Purnagiri throughout the year, in largest numbers during Chaitra Navratri, around March to April, when the valleys echo with chanting from pilgrims climbing to the shrine. Vehicles go as far as Thuligad, after which pilgrims climb on foot via Bans ki Chadhai and Hanuman Chatti, formerly Awalakhan, to Tanki and Tunyas, where temporary shops and huts line the path.
Good to know
Shakti shrine at about 3,000 ft above Tanakpur
Where the Kali enters the plains as the Sharda
Largest crowds in Chaitra Navratri (March–April)
Getting there
Nearest railhead: Tanakpur. Road to trek base then on foot/pony to summit shrine.
Best time to visit: Mar – Jun, Sep – Nov