Munish Sood
MANDI:
The revered Bijli Mahadev Temple in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district has entered its annual winter phase, with the shrine now closed to devotees for the next three months. The temple doors were ceremonially shut as per age-old religious traditions and regular darshan will resume only in mid-March.
According to the temple administration, the shrine will officially reopen on March 15, though devotees will be allowed to offer prayers for two days during the festival of Mahashivratri, a rare exception during the closure period.
Bijli Mahadev, regarded as the principal deity of the Kullu Valley, follows a long-standing custom observed every year during the winter months. From mid-December to mid-March, the temple remains closed as the valley’s deities are believed to withdraw into a period of spiritual retreat.
Bijli Mahadev Temple Committee treasurer Fateh Singh Rana said the closure coincides with Paush Sankranti, marking the beginning of a sacred phase when local deities symbolically leave for a divine sojourn. While some deities return during Magh Sankranti and Phalgun Sankranti, Bijli Mahadev is believed to return only on Chaitra Sankranti, which is traditionally celebrated with a religious fair.
Period of tapasya and sacred silence
The temple is considered the spiritual seat of 18 Kardoo deities, all of whom are believed to enter a phase of intense meditation during this period. To preserve the sanctity of this spiritual observance, strict silence is maintained in and around the temple premises.
As part of this tradition, all forms of public worship are suspended. No priests stay at the shrine, no daily rituals are performed and only a caretaker remains on duty to safeguard the temple. Activities causing disturbance in the surrounding area are strictly prohibited during the closure.
Temple authorities have urged devotees and tourists to refrain from visiting the shrine until it reopens, except during Mahashivratri, when limited darshan will be permitted.
Longer wait for devotees this year
While the winter closure is an annual practice, devotees faced an unusually long disruption this year. The temple had also remained closed during the holy month of Shravan in 2025 due to confidential religious works, depriving pilgrims of darshan during one of the most significant periods in the Shaivite calendar.
With the winter shutdown now in place, regular visits to the shrine will resume only after the reopening next year, making this one of the longest gaps for devotees in recent times.
Perched atop a scenic hill and known for the mystical lightning ritual that periodically shatters the Shivling, Bijli Mahadev remains a symbol of deep faith for thousands. As the temple enters its silent winter phase, devotees across the region now await the return of Mahadev in spring.
