Shri Girija Devi Temple, Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, India

Goddess Girija is one among the numerous names of Goddess Parvati. She is known as Girija as she is the daughter of the king of Mountains Himavan, who is also known as Himavat or Giri or Parvata Raja. Legend has it that Giri, the king of the mountains, once performed intense austerities to fulfill the desire that Mother Goddess should be born as his daughter. He performed the tapas for several yea

rs and one day went to take bath in the Padmateertha (Lake) in the Himalayas. Middle of the lotus was a new born who was happily playing. King Giri went into the lake and took up the new born. It was a girl child with a divine aura. Giri showed the child to his wife Mena Devi who was ecstatic. They adopted the child and named the baby Parvati. Giri means hill or mountain and the daughter of King Giri came to be known as Girija. Girija Devi Temple is located in the Garjiya village near Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, India, on the outskirts of the Corbett National Park.It is a sacred Shakti shrine where Girija Devi is the presiding deity. The temple is situated over a large rock in the Kosi River and is one of the most famous temples of the Nainital district, visited by thousands of devotees during Kartik Poornima, a Hindu holy day celebrated on the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik (November – December) The first priest was Pt. Ramkrishna Pandey who began worship of Devi Girija. There is also a statue of LakshmiNarayan of 9th century, made from black granite. Many people go there every day to worship in the temple. Many people bathe in the Kosi river near Garjiya temple. The first priest was Pt. Ramkrishna Pandey who addressed the form of mother as Shri Girija Devi and the local residents affectionately call her by the name of Garjiya Devi and Girjiya Devi ji. But the ancient name is Girija Devi.