Naina Devi Temple — one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of India, on the north shore of Naini Lake at 2,084m altitude. The eyes of Goddess Sati are believed to have fallen here. Open 6 AM – 10 PM daily, free entry. Built in 1883. Plan your Nainital darshan tour with Tour Venture India — WhatsApp +91-8057146497.
Naina Devi Temple Nainital — locally known as Naina Devi Mandir — is the most sacred religious site in Nainital. It is a three-storey temple standing on the north shore of Naini Lake with the emerald waters of the lake right at its feet. The temple complex houses three main shrines: Maa Naina Devi (the presiding goddess), Lord Ganesh, and Lord Hanuman. A large Peepal tree near the entrance is considered sacred by devotees. According to the Nainital Devasthanam Board, the temple is one of the most visited shrines in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand.
The temple is visited by lakhs of pilgrims every year, particularly during the two Navratri periods (March–April and September–October). On ordinary days, it draws hundreds of local devotees who come for morning and evening aarti. The temple is also the starting point of the evening Mall Road walk — many visitors combine both in one trip.
The view from the temple premises — with Naini Lake spread below and the surrounding Sapt-Shring hills rising on all sides — is one of the most peaceful spots in Nainital. Early morning (6–8 AM) when the lake is still and mist hangs over the hills is the best time to visit for both spiritual experience and photography.
The main sanctum houses the idol of Maa Naina Devi — depicted as a two-eyed goddess with a trident and lotus. On entering, devotees first pass the Peepal tree enclosure, which is draped in red and orange thread offerings from thousands of pilgrims. The tree is believed to be several hundred years old and is considered especially sacred on Tuesdays.
The morning aarti (6:30 AM) and evening aarti (7:00 PM) are the two peak moments of the day. During aarti, the sanctum fills with camphor smoke, bell sounds, and the chanting of Durga Saptashati — a 15-minute experience that most visitors remember as the emotional high-point of their Nainital trip.
On the left side of the main temple is the Lord Hanuman shrine, and on the right is the Lord Ganesh shrine. Prasad (usually misri and dry fruits) is distributed after aarti. Photography is allowed in the outer courtyard and by the lake side — not inside the sanctum itself.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Temple Type | Shakti Peetha — one of 51 in India |
| Main Deity | Maa Naina Devi (Goddess Sati's eyes) |
| Location | North shore of Naini Lake, Nainital, Uttarakhand |
| Altitude | 2,084 m (6,837 ft) above sea level |
| Built | 1883 (original destroyed in 1880 landslide) |
| Timings | 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM daily (Navratri: 5 AM – 11 PM) |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Nearest Railway | Kathgodam (NKW) — 23 km |
| Managed By | Nainital Devasthanam Board, Uttarakhand |
| Annual Visitors | 5–7 lakh devotees/year (1.5–2 lakh during Navratri) |
According to the Puranas, Goddess Sati immolated herself after her father Daksha insulted Lord Shiva. Shiva, grief-stricken, carried her body across the universe. Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshana Chakra to cut the body into 51 pieces. The eyes (naina) of Sati fell at this spot — making it one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.
The original shrine was destroyed in the great landslide of September 18, 1880, which killed over 150 people. The current three-storey temple was rebuilt in 1883 under the supervision of local devotees led by merchant Motilal Shah, with support from the British administration.
The word Naini comes from Sanskrit Nayana meaning "eye". The lake is called Naini Lake because the eyes of Sati fell here. The pear shape of the lake resembles an eye. The town — Nainital — means "the lake (tal) of the eye (naini)".
The recorded history of a temple at this exact spot on Naini Lake's north shore goes back to at least the 15th century. The Kumaoni saint-poet Laxman Singh mentions "Nain Sarovar" (the Lake of the Eyes) in a devotional composition of the early 1400s — indicating that the Shakti Peetha site was already an established place of worship long before the British arrived in the region in 1839. According to the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, Naina Devi Mandir is classified as a Grade-A heritage religious site in the state. The Archaeological Survey of India records reference the 1880 landslide destruction and 1883 rebuilding of the temple in its Kumaon district survey reports.
A temple to Maa Naina Devi existed on the north shore of the lake before British settlement. Kumaoni folk records reference the site as "Nain Sarovar" — the lake where the eyes of Sati fell. Local Thakuri rulers offered regular worship and maintained the shrine.
When P. Barron, a sugar trader from Shahjahanpur, became the first Englishman to document Nainital in 1839, the Naina Devi temple was already standing. As Nainital grew into a hill station, the temple became a landmark for both Indian pilgrims and British residents curious about local worship traditions.
The catastrophic landslide of September 18, 1880 — triggered by heavy monsoon rains — buried the north shore of Naini Lake under millions of tonnes of debris. Over 150 people were killed, including 43 British soldiers attending an entertainment event at the local Victoria Hotel. The original Naina Devi temple was completely destroyed. The debris altered the shoreline permanently — the flat area near the current temple complex still sits on landslide fill from 1880.
Three years after the landslide, local devotees led by Motilal Shah — a prominent merchant of Nainital — funded and supervised the construction of the current three-storey temple. The British administration assisted with land clearance and engineering support. The new structure was built slightly back from the original position to reduce landslide risk, but maintained the same north-shore lake-facing orientation.
A second significant landslide struck Nainital in 1897, again affecting the north shore. Unlike 1880, the temple structure survived with minor damage and was quickly repaired. This incident led to the first systematic slope-stabilisation works on the hills above the temple — stone retaining walls that are still visible today.
The most recent major renovation of the temple complex was carried out in the early 2000s — the marble flooring, the brass idol casing in the main sanctum, the Peepal tree enclosure, and the side shrines of Lord Ganesh and Lord Hanuman were all refurbished during this period. The renovation was funded by the Nainital Devasthanam Board and local devotee trusts.
The temple receives an estimated 5–7 lakh devotees annually, spiking to 1.5–2 lakh during the nine days of Sharad Navratri alone. It remains the most visited religious site in Uttarakhand's Kumaon division. The Devasthanam Board of Uttarakhand manages daily operations, aarti scheduling, and festival events.
| Day / Occasion | Opening Time | Closing Time | Aarti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Days | 6:00 AM | 10:00 PM | Morning & Evening |
| Navratri (9 days) | 5:00 AM | 11:00 PM | Multiple aartis daily |
| Tuesday & Friday | 6:00 AM | 10:00 PM | Special puja — more crowded |
| Entry Fee | FREE — No entry charge | ||
March–April. Nine days of prayers, bhajans and special pujas. Lakhs of devotees visit. The temple is decorated with flowers and lights throughout.
September–October. The main festival. Massive crowds, continuous aarti for 9 days. The most auspicious time to visit Naina Devi Temple Nainital.
August. Celebrated as Nanda Devi's birthday. A grand procession starts from the temple around Naini Lake — one of Nainital's most visually spectacular events.
Weekly special puja days. Extra offerings and special aarti. More crowded than other days — arrive early for darshan without long wait.
The temple is on the north shore of Naini Lake — a 2-minute walk from Mallital bus stand and 5 minutes from the Nainital boat jetty. Once in Nainital, no transport needed.
Delhi → Nainital: ~320 km, 7–8 hrs via NH-9. From Kathgodam: 23 km (~1 hr). Tour Venture India provides door-to-door cab from Delhi, Noida & Gurgaon.
Nearest station: Kathgodam (NKW) — 23 km. Trains from Delhi: Ranikhet Express, Uttaranchal Express. Cab from Kathgodam: 1 hr mountain ride.
Nearest airport: Pantnagar (PGH) — 65 km (~2 hrs). Flights from Delhi. Airport transfer included in all our Nainital tour packages.
Naina Devi Temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of India, located on the north shore of Naini Lake, Nainital at 2,084m altitude. The goddess Sati's eyes (naina) are believed to have fallen here. Temple timings: 6 AM–10 PM daily. Entry is free. Built in 1883 after the 1880 landslide destroyed the original.