Sharika Devi Temple stands on Hari Parbat hill in Srinagar and is dedicated to Jagadamba Sharika Bhagwati, the eighteen-armed form of Shakti. It is the principal Kashmiri Pandit shrine in the city. Worship lapsed through the 1990s when most of the community left the valley, and families have restored regular aartis in the years since.
Duke Kashmir Travels, a Srinagar agency registered as JKTA00003978 with the Department of Tourism since 2011, covers Hari Parbat on its old-city mornings. Kashmir packages begin around ₹6,350 per person, twin sharing.
By Duke Kashmir Travels Team · Reviewed by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, Founder · Published · Updated
Key takeaways
- On the summit ridge of Hari Parbat, above the old city.
- Dedicated to Sharika Bhagwati, worshipped here in an eighteen-armed form.
- Maintained by the Kashmiri Pandit community; aartis are held regularly.
- Worship stopped through the 1990s and was revived in the 2000s.
- The Mughal fort wall rings the same hilltop.
- Makhdoom Sahib stands lower on the southern slope.
What is worshipped at the temple?
Sharika Bhagwati, also called Jagadamba, a form of Shakti shown with eighteen arms, worshipped at a self-manifested rock rather than a carved image.
The hill itself is sacred in the Kashmiri Pandit tradition, and the temple has drawn pilgrims from across the valley for centuries. Navratri and the goddess's own festival days fill the terrace.
What is the recent history?
Regular worship broke off in the 1990s when most Kashmiri Pandit families left the valley, and it has been re-established in stages since.
Families returning for pilgrimages and the community still resident in Srinagar keep the aartis going. A visit today is quiet on ordinary days and crowded on festival days.
How do you reach it?
By road up Hari Parbat to the summit area, then a short walk. The gate hours and access to the fort wall can change, so it is worth checking on the day.
The hill carries a Sufi shrine, a Hindu temple and a gurdwara within a few hundred metres of each other. Makhdoom Sahib and Badamwari are both on the way. The Srinagar page has the rest.
Booking this with us
The agency behind this guide, Duke Kashmir Travels, was registered with the J&K Department of Tourism in March 2011 (JKTA00003978) and joined IATO in 2016. More on the paperwork is on our About Us page.
Tell us when you are travelling and how many of you there are, and a costed itinerary follows. Reach us on +91 9018 44 0000, at info@dukekashmirtravels.com, or through the contact page.
About the founder
The agency was started in Srinagar in 2011 by Rayies Ahmad Zargar, who owns it to this day, helped found the JK Tourism Council, and reads every destination guide before it goes up. His LinkedIn profile is here.