If there is anything you can notice from the Ridge, anything that is fascinating, it is the sky-touching statue of the Hindu deity, Hanuman. The statue is easily visible half covered by the deodar trees. One of the most iconic places to visit in Shimla, Jakhoo Temple is a religious site and attracts not only devotees but tourists from all over the country as well as from outside. I have had seen lots of posts on Instagram of Jakhu Temple and I made my way to visit this place on my Shimla trip last year in December.
I must have spent more than two hours enjoying, playing in the snow at Kufri Zoo. From there, I straight away headed to Jakhoo Temple which was located on the top of a hill, making it easily noticeable from several places of the city. You will lots of monkeys and dogs there and thus it is advisable to be slightly careful, though the people say that these animals don’t attack anyone. I remember my visit to Monkey Temple in Jaipur and saw how the monkeys got furious and scared people, but they were friendly too since I offered them food on my palm.
Legends behind Jakhoo Temple Shimla
Every year on the occasion of Dussehra, a festival is organized here in which people from nearby places come to celebrate and pray in the temple. The festival used to be organized at Annadale before 1972. There are two legends behind Jakhoo Temple. According to one legend, it is believed that Hanuman stopped here for a while and took rest while he was going to fetch the sanjivani herb which was needed to cure Laxman. Another legend says that while Hanuman was passing through here, flying in the sky, his khadau (sandal) fell at this place and that’s why a temple was built in his devotion. Whatever the stories are, this place is among the most spectacular places to visit in Shimla.
This ancient Hindu temple is located on Jakhoo Hill which is the highest peak of Shimla. Perched on this hill at a height of 8,054ft (2,455m) above the sea level, this gigantic 108 feet high idol is even higher than Chris de Redeemer which is only 98 feet. During the evening, the idol is lit by lights and it looks eye-catching. The temple overlooks the city’s sister town, Sanjauli. Jakhoo Temple enjoys an enchanting setting of being surrounded by dense deodar trees.
History & Inauguration – Who built Hanuman idol at Jakhu Temple?
This giant idol of Hanuman at Jakhoo Temple is something you shouldn’t miss when you visit Shimla. They say if you missed a visit to Jakhoo Temple, your Shimla trip is incomplete. The idol was unveiled by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan on 4 November 2010. Total constructed cost is estimated at around Rs 1.5 crores.
How to Reach the Jakhoo Temple?
Since the temple is constructed on the hilltop which gives spectacular views of Shivalik Range, it is a little bit challenging to reach here, especially for those who aren’t used to climbing mountains. However one can reach Jakhoo Temple by taxi, horse, or even by the ropeway. There is a ropeway that connects Jakhoo Temple to a center point of Shimla. The ropeway was made accessible for public use in 2017, developed by Jagson International Limited. If you are brave enough or you like trekking mountains, you can even take a walk to reach the top.
There is another temple near Jakhoo Temple known as Baba Balak Nath.
Entry Ticket of Jakhoo Temple
There is no entry ticket to enter Jakhu Temple. It is free for everyone. People do buy prasad and other prayer stuff from outside at the entrance gate of the temple to offer to the deity.
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Timing of Jakhu Temple
I am not sure about the exacting time of Jakhoo Temple. While I was searching it online, at some places I found that the timing of Jakhu Temple is from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Though at some website, I also found a different timing which mentioned from 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
