“Touching the Skies of Faith: The Sacred Peak of Jakhu Temple”
With an incredible elevation of 8,054 ft, Jakhu Hill in Shimla is not only the highest hill there but also one of the most picturesque. It is located approximately 2.5 km east of the Ridge and is home to the old temple of the Hindu god Lord Hanuman, who is omnipresent.
The temple dates back to the time of Shri Ram when Lord Hanuman sought Sajivni Booti to revive Lakshmana, Sri Rama’s younger brother, who had fainted. When Meghanad, the son of Ravana, injured himself during the Shri Ram-Ravana conflict in Sri Lanka, Yaksha Rishi, who was at the Jakhu Hill in intense meditation, came down to ask for help.
Due to the intense air pressure caused by his breathtaking speed, the hill collapsed into the earth as he approached, losing half of its original height. Lord Hanuman descended to the hill and asked the Rishi for knowledge about SnajivaniBooti. After searching, he made the Rishi a promise to revisit him while traveling back to Sri Lanka with SanjiviniBooti, and then he left for Drona Hill.
But because he needed to get back to Shri Lanka quickly, he chose a different route, leaving the Rishi to wait for him. The Rishi became concerned about his location and the outcome of the mission he was undertaking when he failed to return.
He was calmed and his fear subsided when Lord Hanuman came in front of him and explained the reason why he had left him behind to return to Sri Lanka with SanjivniBooti. After explaining the situation and reminding him of his fear upon leaving, a tiny idol of Lord Hanuman spontaneously materialized in front of the Yaksha Rishi. The Rishi built a temple there and installed the idol after being struck by the idol’s aura and wanting to keep it devout.
This temple has been around since those golden days, and thousands of worshippers still gather here every day to do homage to Lord Hanuman. Since the temple was located on Jakhu Hill, it gained notoriety through time as Jakhu Temple, which is today one of the top tourist attractions in Shimla. Visitors and tourists frequently go there to ask for blessings and fulfill their heart’s desires whenever they visit.
Additionally, when Lord Hanuman set his foot down on Drona Hill to gather the SanjivniBooti, his footprint was so strong that it was traced and is still visible hundreds of years later.
Thousands of people frequent it frequently to ask for his blessings. Now, locals have built a temple around this footprint to protect it for future generations so that worshippers can go there and receive blessings from their deity.
A large festival is held here every Dussehra, the Hindu holiday, and thousands of people come from all over the world to attend.
A large festival is held here every Dussehra, the Hindu holiday, and thousands of people come from all over the world to attend.
Back in 2010, a massive 108-foot-tall idol of Lord Hanuman that cost 1.5 crores was also unveiled, enhancing the excitement and awe of the Jakhu temple. This statue is so enormous that it dwarfs the Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which was roughly 98 feet high. It is the highest statue of Lord Hanuman and stands at a height that would surprise you.
When Should we visit?
Since it is frequently frequented by tourists and other travelers throughout the year, anyone can come here at any time. One might capture the benevolent scenic beauty of the nearby Shivalik Hills after spending some time in Lord Hanuman’s enduring heavenly atmosphere.
However, summer is the finest time to visit since during the summer, the area is more vivacious and joyous and comes to life with vigor and excitement, leaving visitors spellbound.
How to visit?
The temple is conveniently reachable by taxis, trains, and buses because it is only a few kilometers from Shimla’s cultural center, the Ridge.
Any adjacent location in Shimla can easily be reached by taxi or cab from the temple. Visitors can also get here on foot, horseback, or pony, which are easily accessible in the area.
As of 2017, a ropeway known as the Jakhu Ropeway is also accessible for a direct aerial lift from a significant location in Shimla to the temple, cutting the visitation time down to 30 minutes for both the outbound and inbound journeys.
Since it is just 2 km away, one can descend to Kalka Railway Station and take a cab, which will only take ten to fifteen minutes to arrive here.