TempleFree entry

Chandi Devi Temple

#5of 7 places to visit in HaridwarHaridwar, Uttarakhand

Also known as Neel Parvat Temple

Quick answer

Opening hours: Temple: 06:00 AM – 08:00 PM daily. Entry is free. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 07:00 – 09:00 AM.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: World8115 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Opening hours: Temple: 06:00 AM – 08:00 PM daily; With a midday darshan gap. Ropeway: approximately 07:00/08:30 AM – 06:00 PM (start time varies by source; confirm at the base counter on the day).
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: 07:00 – 09:00 AM
Best months: Oct – Mar
Address: Neel Parvat, Shivalik Hills, east bank of the Ganga, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249401

About Chandi Devi Temple

Chandi Devi Temple stands at 884 metres on Neel Parvat, across the Ganga from central Haridwar, and its present structure was built in 1929 by King Suchat Singh of Kashmir over a shrine whose original idol is locally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya's 8th-century installation. The goddess here is Chandika, the form of Durga who, according to the Devi Mahatmya, was invoked to destroy the demon generals Chanda and Munda — the temple's name is a direct reference to that episode. The climb, by ropeway or on foot, gives one of the widest views over Haridwar's braided Ganga channels available from any point in the city. A second cable system, the Chandi Devi Udankhatola, spans 740 metres horizontally and rises 208 metres vertically from the base station near the Ganga's east bank, making it the longer and steeper of Haridwar's two temple ropeways.

Best time of day: 07:00 – 09:00 AM. Before the ropeway queue builds and while the Neel Parvat summit air is still clear of the day's dust haze rising off the plains.

Chandi Devi Temple timings

Opening hours: Temple: 06:00 AM – 08:00 PM daily; With a midday darshan gap. Ropeway: approximately 07:00/08:30 AM – 06:00 PM (start time varies by source; confirm at the base counter on the day).
Closed on: Open every day

Good to know: Ropeway service is occasionally suspended in high wind, more common in the pre-monsoon months of May–June.

Opening hours compiled from uttarakhandtourism.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Chandi Devi Temple ticket price

Entry fees for Chandi Devi Temple
Ticket	Price
Indian visitors	Free
Foreign visitors	Free
Children	Free
Camera	Free

Temple darshan is free. Chandi Devi Udankhatola ropeway (round trip): approximately ₹220 adult / ₹165 child as of 2026, verify at the counter — some operators quote ₹163 one-way / ₹349 round trip. A combined Mansa Devi–Chandi Devi ticket costs roughly ₹290–₹340.

Prices compiled from uttarakhandtourism.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Chandi Devi Temple

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

06:00 – 08:00
Early DarshanBest time to go
First ropeway cars and the small group of trekkers who started before dawn; unobstructed summit views and short queues.
Quiet
08:00 – 12:00
Morning Peak
Ropeway queue lengthens as day-trippers combine Chandi Devi with Mansa Devi; waits of 40–60 minutes are common on weekends.
Busy
12:00 – 15:00
Midday Lull
Heat thins the crowd on the exposed hilltop; ropeway queue drops to 15–20 minutes.
Moderate
15:00 – 18:00
Late Afternoon
A second, smaller wave arrives for cooler evening views before the ropeway's last descent around 6 PM.
Moderate

History of Chandi Devi Temple

Adi Shankaracharya is credited by temple tradition with installing the original idol at this site in the 8th century CE, placing Chandi Devi within the same wave of consolidation that organised Haridwar's Panch Tirth pilgrimage circuit. The temple stood as a modest hill shrine for over a millennium before King Suchat Singh of Kashmir funded the current stone structure in 1929, the building most visitors see today.

Until 2015, the temple maintained an animal sacrifice tradition reported to be roughly 800 years old; the practice was formally discontinued that year following state intervention, and the temple now conducts only vegetarian offerings.

Rules & etiquette at Chandi Devi Temple

Leather articles, non-vegetarian food, and alcohol are explicitly prohibited within the temple premises and are checked informally by temple staff at the upper platform. Footwear comes off at the ropeway base station counter, where a free rack is provided alongside paid stalls.

The ropeway queue at Chandi Devi runs longer than at Mansa Devi on weekends because the base station has a smaller holding area; arrive before 9 AM to avoid the worst of it. The steep stepped trail — a genuine trek of roughly 3.5 km and 90 minutes each way — is used mainly by pilgrims undertaking it as a vow (mannat) rather than casual visitors, and it has minimal shade past the first kilometre.

Tips for visiting Chandi Devi Temple

1
Cross the Ganga via the Neel Dhara bridge to reach the ropeway base station; a direct auto-rickshaw from Har Ki Pauri takes 15–20 minutes and is far faster than trying to walk the riverside route in midday heat. Visit Chandi Devi before Mansa Devi if doing both in one day — Chandi Devi's ropeway queue grows faster through the morning, while Mansa Devi's base station has more shaded waiting area for a later visit.
2
The Neel Parvat summit is one of the few spots in Haridwar with a genuinely unobstructed 360-degree view, including the Rajaji forest ridge to the north — worth the extra 10 minutes at the top railing rather than heading straight back to the ropeway queue. Combined ropeway tickets covering both temples are sold at either base station and are the more economical option for a same-day two-temple visit.

How to reach Chandi Devi Temple

The red star is Chandi Devi Temple; the numbered pins are the 5 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Neel Parvat, Shivalik Hills, east bank of the Ganga, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249401Directions in Google Maps

From Har Ki Pauri
₹100–130
4 km · 15–20 min
Auto-rickshaw
From Haridwar Junction Railway Station
₹120–150
5 km · 15–20 min
Auto-rickshaw
From Mansa Devi Temple ropeway base
₹80–100
3.5 km · 12–15 min
Auto-rickshaw

Nearest airport

From Jolly Grant Airport (DED), Dehradun

approximately 42 km, 70–85 minutes by road.

Nearest railway station

From Haridwar Junction (HW)

approximately 5 km to the ropeway base station, 15–20 minutes by auto-rickshaw crossing the Ganga.

Chandi Devi Temple FAQs

How old is Chandi Devi Temple?

The original idol is locally attributed to an 8th-century installation by Adi Shankaracharya, while the current stone temple structure dates to 1929, built by King Suchat Singh of Kashmir.

What is the Chandi Devi ropeway fare in 2026?

Approximately ₹220 per adult round trip as of 2026, though some operators list ₹163 one-way and ₹349 round trip — verify the posted price at the base station counter, since figures vary slightly by source.

Can I trek to Chandi Devi Temple instead of taking the ropeway?

Yes. A stepped trail of roughly 3.5 km climbs Neel Parvat in about 90 minutes each way and is free, though it has little shade and is steeper than the equivalent Mansa Devi trail.

Is animal sacrifice still practised at Chandi Devi Temple?

No. An animal sacrifice tradition reported to be around 800 years old was formally discontinued in 2015 following state intervention; the temple now conducts vegetarian offerings only.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places