Gangolihat is a small hill station in Pithoragarh District of Uttarakhand state with at an elevation of 1760 meters above the sea level. It is famous for Shakti peeth dedicated to Goddess kali. The town is surrounded by two main Rivers Saryu and Ramganga.
Goddess Kali is included in Ten Mahavidyas and she is known as the supreme power of the universe. From the early evidence of mythology, it is believed that she is the Goddess of time, creation and destruction. It is said that in the early time of Chand reign, Goddess Kali shifted her abode from West Bengal to Gangolihat.
According to popular belief, during ancient time after being defeated from Shumbh the deities came to Shail parvat they eulogized the goddesss to get rid of the vices of the demons. Being pleased by the devotion Goddess Durga took the form of Mahakali and killed the demon “Shumbh”. The deities worshipped this furious form of Mahakali at this place, since then this place is famous as the Mahakali Shakti peeth.
When Sri Adi Shankaracharya was travelling from Pashupatinath to Kedarnath, he came to this Shakti peeth and worshipped ‘Mahakali’. A perpetual holy fire burns at the temple site since time immemorial which is considered to be the power of the goddess. In modern times, Saint Jangam Baba offered prayers at the temple site for years and one day the goddess appeared in his dream and asked hime to construct a temple here. Therefore, the present temple owes the credit of its formation to Jangam Baba.
The famous Haat Kalika Mela (fair) is organised at this place, visitors come from far flung places to offer prayers to ‘Mahakali’. Devotees visit the shrine during this time with drums and flags to pay homage to Goddess Kalika.
Apart from Haat kalika temple, Gangolihat is also famous for chamunda temple, AND Vaishnavi mandir. Chamunda temple is just 2 kms from Gangolihat’s main market on the Chamunda road, Vaishnavi mandir is famous because one can witness the clear view of Himalayas from this mandir.
There are many beautiful; underground caves in Gangolihat. Patal Bhuvneshwar, Shailashwer gufa and Mukteshwar gufa are most notable one. A new underground cave has been also found recently and that is called Bholeshwar gufa.
Source:
http://www.tourtravelstory.com/haat-kalika-temple-gangolihat-pithoragarh-uttarakhand/
https://www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/gangolihat.php
