Shirgul Devta: Faith, History and Culture of Churdhar

High in the mountains of Churdhar, where clouds touch the peaks, stands the ancient temple of Shirgul Devta. People believe that he watches over the hills and protects everyone who comes to him with faith. His history is filled with courage, justice, and devotion. For centuries, people from Shimla, Sirmaur and nearby areas have worshipped him as a protector and guide.

My grandfather used to tell me many stories about Shirgul Devta. One of the stories he often narrated was that Shirgul Devta, who was originally born as a devotee of Lord Shiva in a place called Shaya near Rajgarh and later moved to Churdhar and established his kingdom there. During the Mughal period (around the 16th century), when Shirgul Devta went to Delhi, he saw a Mughal slaughtering a cow. This made him angry, and he hit the man. As a result, he was imprisoned by the Mughal and tied with a rope made from calf skin. Bhagaini Mata, who at that time worked in Delhi as a cleaner, was sweeping the place. When Shirgul Devta asked her for help, he promised her to make her his god sister if she freed him.

Even in harsh conditions, Shirgul Devta stayed calm and unharmed, which strengthened people's belief in his divine power. Bhagaini Mata went to Gugga Chauhan, who was the strong ruler of Bagad, Rajasthan. Gugga Chauhan freed Shirgul Devta by cutting the rope with his mouth. Since the rope was made from calf skin, it was believed that he had committed a sin. Due to this, Shirgul Devta took both Gugga Chauhan and Bhagaini Mata back with him. During their return, they got to know that a demon in the form of a snake had taken over Churdhar. So, on their way back, Shirgul Devta asked his brother, Chandreshwar Maharaj, whose seat is in Paonta, for help. Together, they defeated the demon and again established peace in the region.

Shirgul Devta established Bhagaini Mata at Haripurdhar and instructed her to face Sirmaur, instead of the Churdhar peak. Shirgul Devta entrusted the responsibility of worshiping Gugga Chauhan to the Harijan community and declared that whenever there is any festival related to him, Gugga Chauhan will also always be included and honored.

This story reflects not only the divine power of Shirgul Devta but also the deep cultural and spiritual connection he shares with the people of Himachal Pradesh.