The beautiful and quaint town of Almora is famous for its many popular tourist attractions. One of them is the Kasar Devi shrine situated at an altitude of 2116 meters above sea level. The temple is at a distance of 5 km downhill from Tarai Nagri overlooking the beautiful toy town of Almora.
Kasar Devi Temple is one of the Shaktipeeths that are spread all across India. The temple structure is said to date back to around the 2nd Century CE. According to the legends, when Goddess Sati sacrificed herself in the fire, Lord Shiva lost his calm and took her dead body with him. All the gods feared for the balance of the world and went to Lord Vishnu for a solution. Lord Vishnu upon hearing all this, took his Sudarshan Chakra and Sati’s body was dissected into many pieces. It is believed that Shakti peeths were formed where the body parts of Sati fell.
The temple consists of two compounds. One devoted to the presiding deity, Kasar Devi, and the other to Lord Shiva and Bhairava. Akhand Jyoti is present in the main temple which has been burning unceasingly through the years.
Kasar Devi Almora temple offers a magnificent view of the Hawabagh valley and Almora from atop. The 360-degree view of the Himalayas is a sight to behold indeed. A temple hidden in the dense forests of pine and deodar was brought into the limelight by Swami Vivekananda in the 1890s when he visited her for meditation.
In the early 1930s, Danish mystic Sunyata Baba came here and lived here for over three decades. Many others such as Ernest Hoffman, Li Goutami led to the rise of Westerners visiting here in search of spiritual peace. Kasar Devi became a part of the Hippie Trial as well.
The area around Kasar Devi temple became a solace for many Bohemian artists, writers, and Tibetan Buddhists. One can reach Kasar Devi by bus or cabs very conveniently, but for adventure lovers, the option of trekking is always available. In the month of November-December, the temple hosts the annual Kasar Devi Fair on Kartik Poornima. One must surely visit Kasar Devi for a spiritual and rejuvenating experience.