India is full of deities for all kinds of reasons and seasons. You have a deity for every kind of request you have for them. Remember the Visa God of Hyderabad, who grants your wish to get a visa of the desired country. Or, Khatu Shyam in Rajasthan, who is the God of the defeated. We have Karni Mata temple near Bikaner, where rats rule as her clan.

In the same series, come with me to Almora in the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand. A few kilometers from Almora town towards Pithoragarh, there is a small but very important temple. This is the temple of Golu Devta. Golu Devata (Kumaoni: गोलज्यू) is a deity of the Kumaoni community of India.

The Chitai Golu devta temple is the most celebrated temple dedicated to the deity and is about 4 km (2.5 mi) from the main gate of Binsar wildlife sanctuary & about 10 km (6.2 mi) from Almora.

Golu Devta Temple

Golu Devta is considered to be an incarnation of Gaur Bhairav (Shiva), and is worshipped all over the Kumaon and Garhwal regions. He is worshipped as the god of justice and he serves it well. His mantra is the following: "Jai Nyay Devta Goljyu Tumar Jai ho. Sabuk lije dain haije" (Translation: ‘Hail the God of justice: Goljyu! Blessings for everyone’).

Golu Devta is seen in the form of Lord Shiva, while his brother Kalva Devta is in the form of Bhairava and Garh Devi is in the form of Shakti. Golu Devta is also prayed as a key deity (Ista/Kula Devata) in many villages in the Kumaon and Garhwal regions of Uttarakhand. Normally three days of pooja or 9 days of pooja is performed to worship Lord Golu Devta, who is known as Goreel Devta in Chamoli District. Golu Devta is offered ghee, milk, curd, halwa, poori, and pakauri. Golu Devta is offered White clothes, white pagari, and white shaal. Only the male black goat is an offer for Bali.

Golu Dev used to travel far distances on his horse and used to meet people of his kingdom, in a practice called Golu Darbar: Golu Dev used to hear the problems of the people and help them in any way possible. He had a special place for people in his heart and he was always ready to help them. Due to his complete dedication to people, he led a very simple life, following the principles of brahmacharya. Golu dev still meets with his people and in many villages, the practice of Golu darbar is still prevalent, where Golu dev appears in front of people, listens to their problems, and helps people in every way possible. In present times, the most common form of Golu Dev Darbar is Jagar. Golu Dev always had a special place in his heart for his white horse, and it is believed that he still rides his white horse to travel around.

Origin

He is regarded as the dispenser of justice. Historically, he is considered as the brave son of king Jhal Rai and his wife Kalinka. His grandfather was Hal Rai and his great-grandfather was Hal Rai. Historically Champawat is considered as the origin of Golu Devta. His mother Kalinka is believed to be the sister of two other local deities: Harishchandra Devjyun (the divine spirit of Raja Harish of the Chands) and Sem Devjyun. Both deities are also regarded as Lord Golu’s uncles.

Tales about his birth differ from place to place, the most popular story about Golu talks of a local king who, while hunting, sent his servants to look for water. The servants disturbed a woman who was praying. The woman, in a fit of anger, taunted the king that he could not separate two fighting bulls and proceeded to do so herself. The king was very impressed to see this and he married the lady. When this queen gave birth to a son, the other queens, who were jealous of her, replaced the boy with a stone only to put him in a cage and cast him into the river. The child was brought up by a fisherman. Later when the boy realized his true identity he decided to seek out the injustice done to his mother. He goes to the lake with a wooden horse and tries to make the horse drink water from the lake, seeing this the king asked the boy how can he make the wooden horse drink water at which the kid asked the king if a woman can give birth to a stone then the horse can also drink water. The king realized his mistake and accepted him as his son. He then treated these subjects with care and concern and became popular for his justice and was regarded as Gwalla devta.

According to another story, he was the general in the army of Chand king Baz Bahadur. Gwala Devta also known as “Gwala” which means a herder of Cows. There is also a well-known saying about Golu Devta, that if you tie up a bell in the neck of a sacred cow, the ringing equals to 1000 bells in a holy temple. He believed that all 33 crores of gods and Goddesses are present in a single temple.

About Golu Devta Temples

There are many temples of Golu Devata in Kumaun, and the most popular is at Chitai, Champawat, Ghorakhal (located near Bhowali, next to the Sainik School), Chamarkhan (Tehsil Tarikhet, District Almora). It is a popular belief that Golu Devta dispenses quick justice to the devotee. The Chitai Golu devta temple is the most celebrated temple dedicated to the deity and is about 4 km from the main gate of Binsar wildlife sanctuary & about 10 km from Almora.

Many devotees file a lot of written petitions daily, which are received by the temple. Goljyu is the most respected god of Uttarakhand as he is like lord Ganesh of Uttarakhand. In every puja or any religious activity, the goljyu is invited.

Chitai Golu Devta Temple, Almora

The famous Temple of Chitai Almora is the Golu Devta Chitai temple, dedicated to Gollu or Goljyu Devta, an Avatar (incarnation) of Lord Shiva in the form of Gaur Bhairav. Although there are many temples of Golu Devta in Almora, the Chitai Golu Devta Temple is the most sacred one. It is reputed to make every wish come true, provided the worshipper asks for it with a clear conscience. The temple is situated 9 km from Almora.

A wide-covered passage leading to the temple was full of brass bells of all sizes. They were hung by a red Chunri or a small red cloth with a golden border. Here and there I could see some handwritten notes also hanging. There was a huge bell hanging from an arch that was also full of bells.

Inside the sanctum, the Lord sits on his white horse holding a bow and arrow in his hands. It is a small Murti that reinforces the iconography of the deity. People bow to him, tell him their problems, ask him to fulfill their wishes or thank him for doing all that.

All the bells in the temple are actually fulfilled wishes. Every time a wish is fulfilled, people come and tie a new bell for their deity.

History of the Chitai Golu Devta Temple

According to the belief, a commander of the Chand dynasty got the temple built in the 12th century. There are many stories about Golu Devta, the god of justice. The most famous of them is that the rulers of the Katyuri dynasty ruled here from the 7th to the 12th century. Golu Maharaj was a prince or general of the Katyuri dynasty. It is not clear.

How to Reach Chitai Golu Devta Temple in Almora, Uttarakhand

Golu Devta Chitai Temple is located 9 km from Almora on Jageshwar Dham Road. It is well connected with the road and one can reach it easily by sharing a taxi, bus, etc. The nearest rail connectivity is at Kathgodam railway station (94 km). Pantnagar  Airport (124 km) and IGI International Airport (352 km) are the nearest airports to reach Almora.

Best Time to Visit Chitai Golu Devta Temple

Almora experiences moderate rainfalls in August, September, and October. The rains bring freshness and rejuvenating greenery to the place. November marks the beginning of the winter season in Almora and it lasts till February. Winters are extremely cool here with the temperature diving down to a chilling -3°C. The place looks just ethereal in November after being freshly washed with the waters from the heavens. Summers are moderately hot in Almora and generally last between April to July. The temperature ranges between a comfortable 12°C – 28°C in these months and a relaxing cool breeze lifts the spirits in the evenings.

The best season to visit Almora is the summer and the onset of winter. The favorable months to visit the place are between April to June and September to November. The climate remains pleasant during these months offering tourists and pilgrims the best holiday experience.

Nanda Devi Festival: It is the most popular festival of Almora and is celebrated in September. This festival has been celebrated since the time of the Chand Dynasty probably as early as the 13th century AD.

Uttraini Festival Bageshwer: It is one of the largest fairs of Kumaon in January for one week. It is generally celebrated by Almora traders.

Dussehra Festival: It is the famous festival of Hindus and is celebrated in October commemorating the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana. This is uniquely celebrated in Almora with a gathering of around five to six thousand people.

Best Places to Visit near Golu Devta Almora

1. Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Kasar Devi Temple Almora
3. Chauli ki Jali
4. Mukteshwar Dham Temple
5. Nanda Devi Mandir

Golu Devta Temple, Ghorakhal (Near Bhowali)

The beautiful, peaceful, and religious place “Ghorakhal” is situated at a distance of about five kilometers from Bhowali in the Nainital district. Ghorakhal is famous for the temple of Nyay Golu Devta. The literal meaning of “Ghorakhal” is “a pond of water for horses”.

Ghorakhal is a small village in a beautiful hilly area, which is mainly known for the temple of Lord Golu worshipped by the hill people. Which is an attractive and religious area situated at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level. It is also known as the “Temple of Bells”.

The bells hanging all around and the vows written on the papers of the devotees can be inferred that Golu Devta is worshipped as a just deity in the land of God. Thousands of bells tied on each side of the temple symbolize the faith of Golu Devta among the people.

Ghorakhal Temple Features and Values

According to the local people, the credit for establishing “Golju Devta” in the Ghorakhal temple is believed to be a woman from Maharagaon. This woman was harassed years ago by her family members. He went to his maternal home in Champawat and prayed to God Golju to accompany him for justice. That’s why the God of Golju will sit with that woman in the Ghorakhal temple.

There is such a belief that If a newly married couple comes to this temple for darshan. So their relationship lasts for seven births. The wishes are fulfilled only by sending a letter to the Golu Devta temple located in Ghorakhal temple in Almora and Nainital district of Uttarakhand. Not only this, but Golu Devta is also famous for providing instant justice to the people. The temple is beautifully situated on the top of Ghorakhal hill overlooking the Bhimtal lake. The Ghorakhal Golu Devta Temple has idols of many other goddess goddesses and is decorated with thousands or millions of bells. The size of the bell is proportional to the prayer answered.

Best Time To Visit

There is a crowd of devotees throughout the year. There is a lot of crowd of pilgrims and tourists in the temple during Navratri and Shravan months.

Location of Golu Devta Temple, Ghorakhal  

Golu Devta Temple is located in Bhowali ( in Ghorakhal on Nainital – Mukteshwar route) which is near Nainital. Nainital is at a distance of 23.3 km from Kathgodam and 30.7 km from Haldwani, with Kathgodam lying en route to Nainital from Haldwani.  After disembarking at Kathgodam, one can opt for local or state-run buses to Nainital. Taxis are also available on a personal and shared basis from Haldwani and Kathgodam.
The nearest Airport to Bhimtal is Pant Nagar Airport situated 63 km from Bhowali and it is well connected by motorable roads. Taxis to Bhowali are easily available from Pant Nagar Airport. The distance from Pant Nagar Airport to Bhowali can be easily covered within one hour. Two trains run daily between Delhi to Kathgodam and vice-versa. Trains are frequent to Kathgodam as it is the gateway of the Kumaon region. Buses and Taxis are available from Kathgodam and Haldwani to Bhowali.

Best Places To Visit Near Ghorakhal

• Kainchi Dham
• Naina Devi Mandir (Nainital)
• Bhimtal
• Sainik School, Ghorakhal
• Mukteshwar

Champawat Golu Devta

Historically Champawat is considered as the origin of Golu Devta. In Champawat’s Golu Devta temple, people also offer bells. After the fulfillment of their vows, people here also hang them by writing argiya to ask for any wish or vow. The priest reads the written petition and narrates it to Goljeu. Then this application is hung in the temple. Many people write their applications on government stamp paper. Golu Devta is the god of justice. He also applies Chetak to those who make many mistakes. In awakening, Golu Devta also comes into someone’s body. When the vow is fulfilled, people tie bells in the temple. And also sacrifice goats. People of all castes also conduct marriages in the temple.

Location/How to Reach

Gwal Devta or Golu Devta Temple is located near Champawat town in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand. It is readily accessible via motorable roads and is well-connected with the majority of northern Indian cities including Delhi.  Several shared cabs and buses are available from Haldwani, Almora, and Bageshwar. It is situated at a distance of 75 km, Tanakpur Railway station in the valley is the nearest railhead. Visitors can book a taxi directly from Tanakpur to Champawat. Pant Nagar airport is the nearest airport located 183 km from Gwal Devta temple in Champawat. It is well connected to Delhi with daily flights and taxis to Champawat easily available from here.

Temples To Visit in Champawat

• Kranteshwar Mahadev Temple
• Patal Rudreshwar
• Baleshwar Temple
• Nagnath Temple
• Maneshwar Temple
• Ghatotkach Temple Champawat

Chamarkhan Golu Devta Temple

In the Almora district of Uttarakhand, about 25 km from Ranikhet on the road, there is a small town named Chamarkhan. There is a very old temple of Gwel Devta here. There are tall pine trees here which make this temple and the town delightful. The history of the rocks in the temple of Chamadkhan Golu Devta dates back to the 11th century. When the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled, they come here and offer a bell to Golu Devta. Thousands of bells installed here are a sign of how much people have faith in the temple and how many wishes have been fulfilled. The idol of Golu Devta riding on a white horse is adorned inside the temple. Fairs are also organized every year in this temple of Golu Devta in the Navratras and Baisakh of Chaitra and Ashwin months. During this, a large number of devotees reach here.

What is the Story of the Golu Temple of Chamarkhan

It is believed that Golu Devta lived in Champawat and once he went out for an excursion, he held his court of justice for a week in Chitai, Tarikhet, and Chamdarkhan. It is said that when people expressed their intention to stay here, they left their footpads here. The temple of Golu Devta of Chamadkhan is the only temple where the feet of Golu Devta is worshipped.

The special thing here is that within a radius of about 500 meters of the temple complex, there is not a single new pine tree to the boundary of Chamarkhan town. The trees here are very old. Local people believe that these trees have been here since that time.

Location/How to Reach

This temple is very near the Binsar Mahadev Temple. The nearest villages near this temple are Pipalkoti and Naiti. If you visit Uttarakhand, you must visit there for Golu devta darshan. This temple was re-constructed and new statues of Golu devta were put up. Chamadkhan is near Binsar, You can go by motorway to Chamdar Khan. It is situated at a distance of just 25 km from its nearest city Ranikhet. There is also the famous Binsar temple between Ranikhet and Chamadkhan. If you want to come here, you can also visit Binsar. People coming from Haldwani, Nainital can use this route.

Best Time To Visit

It is very cold in the winter in the leather shed. Here even in summer, there is a need to wear sweaters as soon as the weather turns or in the morning and evening. If you are going from Corbett or Delhi to Chamdar Khan, then you can reach here from Bhatraunj Khan via Sauni and then Binsar.

Nearby Temples To Visit

1. Maa Aad Bhawani Temple
2. Binsar Mahadev Mandir
3. Namala Gwal Devta Mandir
4. Kalika Temple
5. Garjiya Devi Mandir
6. Harjyu Ka Mandir
7. Lamgadeshwar Mahadev Temple
8. Jhula Devi Temple
9. Shri Neelkanth Mahadev

Why is Golu Devta Temple famous

1. It is famous for its Pleasant Environment, Spiritual atmosphere
2. especially for the justice which is done by the Golu Devata
3. If you ask with a clear conscience, he fulfills every wish.
4. He is the Isht Devta of the region and also the Kul Devta of many people here
5. complaint against stamps; many devotees ask for justice by writing their problems and wishes on stamp paper. Countless bells and letter stamps will be found hanging throughout the temple. With this, people’s immense reverence and unwavering faith in Golu Devta can be easily guessed.
6. The Ghorakhal temple is beautifully situated on the top of Ghorakhal hill overlooking the Bhimtal lake. This temple has idols of many other goddess goddesses and is decorated with thousands or millions of bells.

Tourists Can Visit This Temple During Their Char Dham Yatra

Among the countless religious sites and circuits that devotees visit in Uttarakhand, one of the most prominent is the Char Dham Yatra. This Yatra or pilgrimage is a tour of four holy sites – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath – nestled high up in the Himalayas. The Yamunotri temple, lodged in a narrow gorge close to the source of River Yamuna (the second-most sacred Indian river after River Ganga) in Uttarkashi district, is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna. The district of Uttarkashi is also home to Gangotri dedicated to Goddess Ganga, the most sacred of all Indian rivers. Located in the Rudraprayag district lies Kedarnath, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Badrinath, home to the sacred Badrinarayan Temple, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

You can also visit the Golu Devta Temples during your yatra. These temples have a lot of significance as it is one of the famous temples of Kumaon, the Golu Devta temples are located all around Kumaon and Garhwal region. These temples also have a very rich history and legends that are very important from the past. Different travel routes are accessible from Almora to reach Kedarnath Temple by road. It is very close to all the destinations of the Char Dham Yatra.

Therefore, it is very much advisable to visit these temples during your Char Dham Yatra.

References:

sacredyatra.com