Purnagiri Temple
Purnagiri Temple is located about 20 kilometres from Tanakpur, in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand (The Northern Himalayan state of India), at an elevation of 3000 meters above sea level.
According to Hindu mythology, Dakha Prajapati's daughter Parvati (Sati) went against him to marry Shiva, one of the biggest deities in Hinduism. Dakha Prajapati then wanted to get even with Shiva, as he felt that Shiva had taken away his daughter against his wishes. Hence, Dakha Prajapati held a Vrihaspati Yagna and invited everyone except Shiva and Sati. Even though Sati was aware she and her husband had not been invited, she nonetheless begged Shiva to let her take part in the Yagna.
Shiva tried to keep her away from the Yagna, but she was too dense to comprehend his efforts. Where, as an unwelcome outsider, she was treated with contempt. It was especially painful for Sati since her father mocked her husband, Shiva. Sati eventually plunged into the Yagna, after she learned that her husband would be publicly humiliated as her father wanted.
When Shiva saw his wife's burning body, he put an end to Dakha Prajapati's Yagna. Deeply saddened, Shiva danced destruction throughout the cosmos while carrying the remnants of Sati's body. After the tragic incident, Shakti Peeths were identified at the spots where Sati's body parts had fallen. Her bhabhi (naval) segment fell on the site of the current Purnagiri Temple. Large crowds of people visit this site year-round to pay homage to the Devi.
During springtime, between March and April), millions of people travel to the holy site of Purnagiri Temple, during Chaitra Navratri. Those who travel to the temple also believe that paying a visit to the Siddha Baba Temple is obligatory after they have worshipped Mata Purnagiri. They believe that Yatra (journey) will fail if they do not do it.
Tanakpur has excellent rail and road connections to several major Indian cities. From Delhi, you may use any number of public buses, private buses, and other small vehicles to go to Tanakpur, thus the road network is rather reliable. Travelling 330 kilometres (8-9 hours) from Delhi by car.
The government of Uttarakhand has announced plans to transform the Tanakpur train station into a major hub. However, Tanakpur isn't the only city with easy access to trains; the Kathgodam railway station is only 95 kilometres distant.
From Tanakpur, you may drive to Thulligad, where simple upsteps lead to the Sacred Purnagiri Temple, which is further 3 kilometres away. Awalakhan, now known as Hanuman Chatti, follows the climb of Bans ki Charhai. From here, one can view the southwestern side of Punya Parvat.
This sacred building goes by the name Punyagiri. Among the many well-known temples in Uttarakhand, the Purnagiri Temple is among the most revered. It is one of India's 108 holy sites for Siddhas. Sharda River is the name given to the section of the Kali River that flows into the plains at Tanakpur.