Chintpurni is a pilgrimage town first and a destination second. It sits in Una district at roughly 940 to 980 metres on the Sola Singhi range, a few kilometres from the Punjab border, and almost everything in it points at one shrine: the temple of Mata Chintpurni, the form of the goddess Chhinnamasta, the one without a head. Tradition counts it among the 51 Shakti Peeths, and the temple trust describes it as a seat of Maa Chhinnamastika guarded by Shiva temples on all four sides.
The shrine's own story is gentle. The trust's history says the place was once called Chhabroh, and that Pandit Mai Das, a devotee of the goddess, was relieved of his worries by her darshan, which is how the name Chintpurni, the one who removes worry, took hold. His descendants are still the temple's hereditary priests, and the pindi he is said to have been told to worship under a banyan tree is still the focus of darshan.
Three things shape a visit. The first is the calendar: the trust lists ten-day fairs at Chaitra Navratri, Sawan Ashtami and Asuj Navratri, a New Year fair from 28 December to 2 January, and a monthly Sankranti, and during these periods the town can be a different place. The second is the queue system: you need a darshan parchi from the temple's security staff, and since 2023 there has been a paid Sugam Darshan route plus a nominal-fee priority pass for senior citizens, disabled and sick visitors. The third is the walk: the approach from the old bus stand is a busy bazaar street, and the temple precinct has steps and crowds.
For most families Chintpurni is a half-day or one-night stop. It also anchors a short Shakti Peeth circuit: Jwalamukhi is about 35 km north-east and Kangra's Vajreshwari temple about 50 km north, both listed by the trust as nearby shrines. If you are travelling with parents, aim for a weekday outside fair periods, arrive early, and treat the afternoon as rest.
Before you plan
Chintpurni at a glance
- Best months
- February to March and October to…February to March and October to November are the most comfortable; December and January are cold at night. May to June is hot and July to September is the monsoon. Fair periods are crowded.
- Ideal trip length
- One long morning for darshanOne long morning for darshan; one night if you want to avoid a rushed return. Two days if you add Jwalamukhi or Kangra.
- Airport
- KangraKangra (Gaggal) Airport, DHM, about 60-70 km by road; Chandigarh (IXC) is about 170 km, roughly 3.5 hours, and Amritsar (ATQ) is another long option
- Railway station
- Amb AndauraAmb Andaura (AADR), about 19-20 km away, is the closest; Una Himachal (UHL) and Hoshiarpur are the other usual railheads, about 40 km or more
- Getting around
- Buses and taxis run from Una, Amb…Buses and taxis run from Una, Amb and Hoshiarpur to Bharwain and Chintpurni; on the ground it is walking, with electric golf carts for eligible pilgrims from Baba Mai Das Sadan to the temple
- Daily budget
- Low by Indian pilgrimage standards:…Low by Indian pilgrimage standards: the trust runs a free langar, and the main spend is your room and transport. Check current room tariffs and the Sugam Darshan fee before you go
- Senior comfort
- Workable with planning: use the…Workable with planning: use the senior-citizen priority pass and golf carts, avoid fair days, and expect steps, crowds and heat in the plains months
- Language
- Hindi, Punjabi and PahariHindi, Punjabi and Pahari (Kangri); English is understood at the HPTDC hotel and by some shopkeepers but not widely
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Chintpurni: February, March, October, November. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Chintpurni itinerary
One good day
1 day in Chintpurni
Reach Bharwain or the old bus stand early and collect your darshan parchi from the temple's security staff before joining the line; if you are with a senior or disabled relative, ask at Baba Mai Das Sadan about the priority pass and golf cart. Allow a couple of hours for darshan on an ordinary weekday and much longer near a fair. Eat in the trust's langar or at a bazaar eatery and rest for an hour. In the afternoon, drive the 3 km to Thanik Pura for the valley view and the fruit chaat the trust mentions, then head back before dusk.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Chintpurni
Arrive by midday, check in at Bharwain or near the temple and rest. Go for the evening snan and aarti, which the trust schedules from about 6.30 pm, and walk the bazaar afterwards to buy a coconut and the other offerings. Eat at the langar or your hotel.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Chintpurni
Arrive, rest, take the evening aarti and eat at the langar. Keep the day short; the point is a calm first darshan without a queue crush.
Day-by-day plan →
