Alopi Devi Mandir, Allahabad Overview

Located at Alopibagh, near the holy Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati) in Allahabad, Alopi Devi Mandir is an unconventional temple revered by Hindu faith.

The Alopi Devi Mandir does not have any presiding deity but a wooden chariot called a doliê which is mostly worshipped by the devotees of Lord Shiva.

Housing the last of Goddess Sati's body parts, the Alopi Devi Mandir counts among the Shakti Peethas of the country. Tuesdays are a busy day at this temple. This holy site attracts vast crowds of devotees during the Hindu festival of Navratri.

Legend of the Alopi Devi Mandir

There are two famous stories and myths strung behind the existence of the Alopi Devi Mandir. It is believed that Alopi Devi Mandir houses the last part of Sati's body that was shattered into pieces by Vishnu's Chakra. This occurred when her grieving husband, Shiva, was carrying across his wife's corpse across the skies. Thus, each part of the earth that houses a part of this goddess's body is revered as a Shakti Peetha, and so is this one.

The other story is that of a vanishing bride. It is said that a bunch of thieves/dacoits attacked a wedding procession that was passing through the woods here. After robbing all the people here and killing most of them, the thieves came to the bride's chariot to take her away, only to see that she was missing. This mystery is still unsolved, and the place was thus signified as the 'Virgin Goddess Who Disappeared'. Therefore, translating into Alopi Devi, with a temple built here.