Attraction · Jim Corbett
Garjia Devi Temple
A temple on an isolated rock standing in the middle of the Kosi river, reached by a flight of steps from the bank — when the river is low enough to let you across.
Time needed45 minutes
WhereOn the Kosi, near Garjia
AccessSteps, when the river allows
DeityGarjia Devi, a form of Parvati
BusiestKartik Purnima
FootwearRemoved at the steps
About
Garjia Devi
A short drive from the Ramnagar gate of the Corbett reserve, the Kosi river runs wide and shallow over a stony bed, and out of the middle of it stands a single large rock with a temple on top. Garjia Devi is a form of Parvati and the temple is a working local shrine rather than a monument — busy at weekends, extremely busy at Kartik Purnima, and quiet on an ordinary weekday afternoon. It is reached by a flight of steps up the rock from the riverbank, and whether you can get to the bank at all depends on the water: in the monsoon and for some time after, the Kosi runs high and the approach is restricted. The setting is the whole thing. A temple on a rock in a river with forested hills behind it is a striking object, and the packages that come here schedule it for that rather than for the shrine.
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What to See
What to see
A rock, a river, a temple on top and a flight of steps. Forty-five minutes.
The temple
- The shrine at the top of the rock, small, painted and active, with a resident priest.
- The bells left by worshippers, which cover a good deal of the structure.
- The view from the top, up and down the Kosi and across to the forest on the far bank.
The setting
- The rock itself, isolated in the riverbed, which is the reason the site exists and the reason to come.
- The Kosi running wide and shallow over stones, with the Himalayan foothills behind.
- The forest on both banks, which is continuous with the reserve.
On the bank
- The small market of stalls selling offerings, bangles and prasad, which is the usual apparatus of a working shrine.
- The riverbed itself, which people walk on when the water is low.
- The bridge, from which the whole composition is best seen.
Getting There
Getting there
A short drive from Ramnagar, and then steps — river permitting.
From the reserve
- A short drive from the Ramnagar side, and typically combined with Corbett Falls as one afternoon.
- The lodge vehicle or a taxi; there is no useful public transport.
- Parking is at the roadside near the bridge.
The climb
- A flight of steps runs up the rock from the riverbank to the shrine — steep, and with a handrail.
- Whether the bank is reachable depends on the river level, which is highest in and after the monsoon.
- Footwear comes off before the steps and is left at the bottom.
Timing
- Forty-five minutes covers it, including the climb and time at the top.
- It is busiest at weekends and at Kartik Purnima, when the crowd is very large indeed.
- Afternoon is the standard slot in every itinerary that includes it.
Best Time
When to visit
Outside the monsoon, on a weekday, in the afternoon.
Time of year
- October to June, when the Kosi is low enough for straightforward access.
- The monsoon raises the river and access is restricted or closed; this is the one window to check before going.
- Winter is quiet, cold and clear, and the setting is at its best.
Time of day
- Afternoon, which is when the reserve itineraries reach it and when the light is on the rock.
- Morning is quieter but is usually spoken for by the safari.
- It is a daylight visit; the steps are not lit.
Crowds
- Weekdays outside festival periods are quiet.
- Weekends bring a substantial local crowd.
- Kartik Purnima, in November, brings a very large one and the queue for the steps can be long.
Visitor Intelligence
Visitor intelligence
A working shrine on a rock in a river, and the river has the final say.
The river
- Access depends on the Kosi. In and after the monsoon the water is high and the approach can be closed outright.
- Do not attempt to cross the riverbed when the water is up. The Kosi rises fast and people are lost to it.
- Check locally on the day rather than assuming the visit will happen.
The temple
- Footwear off at the bottom of the steps; there is somewhere to leave it.
- Shoulders and knees covered, and photography inside the shrine only if you have asked.
- It is a local shrine with a steady flow of worshippers rather than a monument with visitors.
The steps
- Steep, with a handrail, and hot underfoot in the middle of the day since footwear is removed.
- The queue at festival times forms on the steps themselves, which is worth knowing before joining it.
- Monkeys are present around the base and take food and loose items.
Access
- The climb is the barrier: a steep flight of steps with no alternative route to the shrine.
- The composition is best seen from the bridge on the road, which needs no climbing at all.
- Anyone unable to manage the steps still gets most of the visual reward from the bank.
Nearby
Nearby
The other half of the Corbett afternoon, and the reserve itself.
Corbett Falls
The standard pairing — a 25 m fall reached by a short forest walk.
Jim Corbett
The reserve, and the safari zones the mornings belong to.
Nainital
Three hours up into Kumaon, and where most Corbett itineraries come from or go to.
The Kosi river
The river the temple stands in, running down out of the Kumaon hills.
Good to Know
Frequently asked
No, and this is the single most important thing to know about it. The temple stands on an isolated rock in the middle of the Kosi, and access to the bank and the steps depends entirely on the river level. In the monsoon and for some time afterwards the Kosi runs high and the approach is restricted or closed outright. Check locally on the day rather than assuming the visit will happen, and never attempt to cross the riverbed when the water is up.
A steep flight of steps up the rock from the riverbank, with a handrail, and there is no alternative route to the shrine. It is short but genuinely steep, and because footwear is removed at the bottom the steps are hot underfoot in the middle of the day. At festival times the queue forms on the steps themselves. Anyone unable to manage them still gets most of the visual reward from the bridge on the road.
Garjia Devi, a form of Parvati, and it is a working local shrine rather than a monument — a small painted structure at the top of the rock with a resident priest and a steady flow of worshippers. A great many bells left by people whose prayers were answered cover much of the building. It is quiet on an ordinary weekday, busy at weekends and extremely busy at Kartik Purnima in November.
Forty-five minutes covers it comfortably, including the climb, time at the top and a look from the bank. It is almost always paired with Corbett Falls as a single afternoon, which is how every package that includes it arranges the day: a jeep safari at first light, then the falls and the temple after lunch. Both are short and neither asks much of a day that started before dawn.
The setting rather than the shrine, and the itineraries are honest about that. A single large rock standing in the middle of a wide shallow river, with a small painted temple on top of it and forested Himalayan foothills behind, is a genuinely striking object — and it is best seen from the road bridge, which is where most photographs are taken from. The shrine itself is modest and local, which is part of its appeal.
Kartik Purnima in November, by a wide margin — the crowd is very large and the queue for the steps can be long. Weekends through the year bring a substantial local crowd. Weekdays outside festival periods are quiet, which is when most reserve itineraries arrive. Winter generally is quiet, cold and clear, and the setting is at its best when the air is at its cleanest.
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