JawalaMukhi is a famous temple of Goddess JawalaMukhi - The deity of flaming mouth. The temple is built over natural jets of combustible gas, believed to be the manifestation of goddess. The temple lies in the lap of Shivalik range of Kangra valley called "Kalidhar". This is believed to be the first ever temple built by the Pandavas.

JawalaMukhi is a great heritage centre for not only the people of JawalaMukhi, Kangra or Himachal Pradesh but of the whole nation. This monument of national heritage has assiduously been preserved by all those who looked after the affairs of this place, be they the managers or Pujaries of the temple or be they mendicants who wandered to the place from time to time or be they the people of deity or the pilgrims or be it the State Government.

Preface

A Legend says that Prajapati Daksha, the father of Sati once organized a great Yajna and invited all gods except Shiva. When Sati came to know of this, she importuned Shiva to go to Yajna. Shiva maintained that they should not go uninvited. Sati argued that it was not bad to go to parents or Gurus un-invited. Shiva did not agree for himself but allowed Sati to go. On reaching her father's house, Sati saw that no seat (assan) had been earmarked for Shiva which meant a deliberate attempt to humiliate Shiva. She was so offended that she at once plunged herself into the havankund of Yajna. On hearing this, Shiva rushed to the spot and found Sati half burnt. Distressed Shiva carried the corpse of Sati, gyrating it from summit to summit. Apprehending a great calamity befalling, the gods ran to Lord Vishnu for help who then severed Sati's body into pieces with his Sudershan Chakra. Across the land where the pieces of body are regarded to have fallen, have risen fifty-one Shaktipeeths, the centres where the power of goddess is inhert. The Jwalamukhi temple is the place where Sati's tongue fell. The goddess therefore is manifested as tiny flames here that burn through the fissures in an age old rock. There are nine flames at the temple that have been burning here without any oil or cotton since ages.