Built in 1553, this four-storey wooden Hadimba or Dhungri temple is famous for its exquisitely caved doorway. It is located in the middle of a forest called the “Dhungiri Van Vihar”. This temple built in Pagoda style is dedicated to Goddess Hadimba.

The pagoda type wooden temple of the Goddess is according to Hira Nand Shastri, the antiquarian about 500 years old. No idol is enshrined and only a footprint on a stone is kept within. Hadimba Goddess has been humanized by the people and made their own..

Location:  Dhungri, Himachal Pradesh

Popularity:  
Hadimba became the patron-deity of the Rajas of Kullu. The Tilak ceremony of every Raja of Kullu was performed with the permission of the Goddess. After worshipping the Goddess a buffalo was sacrificed.

Festivities:  
The Dussehra festival is held at Dhalpur Maidan and the idol of Raghunathji is taken there. From his temple the Goddess Hadimba blesses the ceremonial horse. The ceremony is called as 'Ghor Pooja'. On the first of 'Jaith' or 14th of May, another mela is held to celebrate the birthday of the Goddess Hadimba. This Mela is held in the Dhungri forest. It lasts for three days. Thousands of men, women and children participate in the mela. Rice-bear (Lungri) flows among both men and women who make themselves merry in music and dance.

Legend:  
According to Mahabharata, 'Hadimb Rakshash' ruled some of the sub-mountainous tracts of the Himalayas. In their wanderings, the Pandavas, along with their mother Kunti, after escaping from the wax house unhurt came to the territory of Hadimb Rakshash. Bhima fell in love with Hadimba, the sister of Hadimb. Bhima could marry her only after killing her brother. The pair lived in the valley for about a year, after which Bhima left the forest along with his brothers and mother. Hadimba gave birth to a son who was named 'Ghatotkachh'. Till Ghototkachh was a minor, Hadimba looked after her country. When her son took over the country, she retired to the inner hills for meditation. Ghatotkachh was a good administrator. Dhungri was the place where Hadimba had resorted for meditation. A temple of Hadimba was raised and she became “Devi Hadimba”. Hadimba had supernatural powers owing to 'Tapasya' and was kind to her people.