Shringa Rishi temple, Banjar: history, legend and how to visit

Short answer: the Shringa Rishi temple stands in Bagi (Baghi) village, Gram Panchayat Chaihni, in the Banjar valley of Kullu district. Shringa Rishi is the valley's chief deity, and he is identified with Rishyashringa, the sage of the Ramayana who led King Dasharatha's yajna before Ram and his brothers were born. The temple is built in a pagoda-cum-Pahari style with tiered roofs and carved wood, and every May his arrival opens the Banjar Mela.

In Sanskrit he is Rishyashringa; in the Banjar valley locals call him Shringa (or Shringi) Rishi. The old stories describe a boy born with the horns of a deer, raised in the forest by his father. When the kingdom of Anga suffered drought, King Romapada brought him there and the rains came; he married the princess Shanta.

In the Ramayana, King Dasharatha of Ayodhya had no heir. Rishyashringa was the chief priest of the yajna Dasharatha performed for children, and Ram, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna were born soon after. That is why a temple in a Himalayan valley ties itself to the birth of Lord Ram.

The valley has its own story of how the devta came here. On the Government of Himachal Pradesh's Kullu Dussehra site, a farmer named Shartangan finds a statue in a pond; it speaks, says it is Shringa Rishi, and asks to be taken to Sakiran (Skeeran) Jot, a hilltop. Kullu.net tells it as a talking pindi that went up to Skeeran Jot and later came down to Bagi, where the villagers built him a temple. Treat these as living local legend, told with small differences.

The temple is built in a pagoda-cum-Pahari style, with four roofs and very fine woodwork: look up at the carved, painted balconies and the stacked roofs. The gate in front reads जय शृंगा ऋषि (Jai Shringa Rishi). It is a working temple and the seat of the valley's chief devta, so you will often see villagers coming with offerings.

You will see different figures online for the temple's age. We have not found a reliable source for one, so we don't quote it.

The HP government's Kullu Dussehra site lists his yearly fairs as New Sambat, Duala Jach, Vaishakh Deugi, the Banjar Mela and Sankiran Jagra, and he also takes part in Kullu Dussehra (see our Kullu Dussehra 2026 guide).

The biggest local event is the Banjar Mela in May. Before the fair the devta is carried up to Skeeran Jot, and the fair opens with his arrival in Banjar. In 2025 it opened on 15 May and ran for five days to 19 May, Amar Ujala reported. Dates follow the local calendar, so check closer to the time.

• Getting to Banjar: on the Mandi–Kullu highway, don't go into the big Aut tunnel. Take the Banjar road beside it, past Larji, up to Banjar town
• To the temple: beyond Banjar, a gate on the road reads "Shri Shringa Rishiji Maharaj: Baghi Mandir jaane ke liye raastaa". From there it is a steep footpath of about 1.5 km, and there is also a kutcha, winding road that cars can take up to the temple
• Add Chehni Kothi: a forest and orchard footpath of roughly 1–1.5 km from the temple leads up to Chehni Kothi, usually 45–60 minutes one way at an easy pace. Lonely Planet notes that foreigners are not allowed inside its main tower
• Respect the temple: dress modestly, follow the priest's instructions and ask before taking photos inside
• With your dog: dogs are a common sight all around Jibhi and the footpaths are fine for them. Rules for temples vary, so check locally and don't take your dog inside a temple unless you are told it is allowed
• From our cottages in Chhet: WhatsApp us and we will help you plan the day