Anusuya Devi: Temple & Atri Muni Ashram
The Anusuya Devi Temple is one of the most popular pilgrimage spots in Chamoli and is dedicated to the goddess Sati. According to legend, she was the wife of Atri Muni, a great sage and one of the Saptarishis (seven sages). It is said that Devi Anusuya was totally devoted to her husband. The temple is located 30 km away from Chopta, in the lap of the Himalayas – a truly beautiful setting that attracts pilgrims from all over.
Every year on Dattatreya Jayanti in December, a big fair is held that’s attended by a lot of devotees and tourists. All night, they sing bhajans and worship Goddess Sati with lamps in their hands.
Anusuya Devi Temple
The Anusuya Devi temple is set in a beautiful, thick forest and is situated 12km away from Gopewshwar town (a 5km trek from Mandal village). A massive waterfall en route Atrimuni Ashram trek is definitely a sight to see!
Legends
Once upon a time, the goddesses Parvati, Lakshmi, and Saraswati sent their husbands Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh on a mission to test the strength of Devi Anusuya. When they arrived at her ashram, Devi Anusuya offered them food. But they refused to accept the food unless she served them while wearing no clothes.
After hearing this, Devi Anusuya became tensed and thought to herself, “How could I do that?” At last, Devi closed her eyes and thought about her husband. Suddenly, she got an intuition that these sages were gods and they were testing her strength. After that, she put a condition that she agreed to do that but only if they took the form of her sons. The gods agreed to it, and then she served food to them.
Three gods began living with Devi Anusuya later on as her sons. When the gods didn’t return to Parlok, the goddesses Parvati, Lakshmiji, and Saraswati apologized to Devi and requested she bring their husbands back. After that, she agreed, and since then this place has been known as Ma Sati’s name.
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Atri Muni Ashram
The Atri Muni Ashram, the husband of Anusuya Devi, is located in a cave 2 kilometers from the temple. This is the only holy place in the world where devotees circumambulate around a river to show reverence.
Location
Temple & Atri Muni Ashram is located in In Gopeshwar, set amidst a thick forest. The temple is situated 12km far from Gopewshwar town, with a 5km trek from Mandal village. en route to Atri Muni Ashram, there is a massive waterfall which is a sight to behold.
How to reach
The Temple is located 17 kilometers from Gopeshwar. To reach the temple, one first has to reach Mandal (14 kilometers from Gopeshwar) and then trek for 5 kilometers. The nearest railhead is Rishikesh, which is 234 kilometers away, and the nearest airport, Jolly Grant, is at Dehradun, which is 255 kilometers away.
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