Hidden yet beautiful: the Oldest Shani temple in Doon

Diksha Grover

DEHRADUN, 14 October:

The oldest Shani Mandir of Dehradun remains hidden for many localites. The narrow entrance, the shaded lane, and the undetectable board are some reasons why devotees who come here are only a handful in number.

Come Saturday, we all want to rush to the Shani Mandir on the hustle bustle of the clocktower and pray to our lord of Saturn, the son of Sun. For all its natural peace and silence, this temple is almost 8 kms from Clocktower, on the Sahastradhara Road, after the Kalunga Memorial. And as compared to the entire population that visits the Shani temples, this shrine only gets visited by some 10-15 thousand devotees who know about the place.

The serene temple was built by Virendra Mohan Uniyal in the year 1998 and is looked after by Pandit Ramesh Uniyal, who also does the pooja here. Surrounded by deep green hills from all four sides, this land locked temple also sees the gorgeous moon sparkling at the deity on Saturdays.

One of the specialties of this temple is its 700 years old banyan tree. “People have prayed under this tree for more than three hundred years now. I would say this tree is the reason why the Shani Mandir was set-up here,” says Pandit Ramesh. To which he adds, “It is believed that almost 33 crore spirits reside on this tree, who answer prayers if one pleases lord Shani.”

The other reason what makes this temple unique is the pair of snakes that live close to the temple. Though the Pandit-ji has seen the snakes many-a-times, he says it is certain for them to come out on Saturday mornings and be the first ones to wrap themselves around the idol.

“Shani Bhandara,” the priest says, “happens every year in the month of May and June. Many people who get what they had asked for, sponsor the bhandaras here. This place has fulfilled many dreams.” What adds value to his words are the small paper chits tied on the banyan tree which get removed once the lord, fulfills the wish.

However, the only problem Kalpana Tewair seems to have with the pooja-ki-thali seller is everyday’s affair of the fluctuating price rates. She says, “From a bare minimum of Rs. 5 per thali, two years back, they have increased the price of oil, neel and til to Rs. 20. Sometimes due to their monopoly I adhere to the rates but mostly I get the requirements from home.”

For people like Sumit Chawla, Jitinder Rekhi, Ritu Sharma, Manisha, Kalpana Grover etc who come practically every Saturday to this gorgeous shrine--- it’s not just the believe in god that they strengthen, it’s their believe in the temple too.

Published in Hindustan Times, Dehradun