Kali Bari Temple, Shimla

Kali Bari Temple, Shimla tickets and tours: which one to book

Kali Bari is a neighbourhood temple in the middle of Shimla and entry is free; there is no ticket and nothing to book. You leave your shoes at the stand by the door, buy flowers or sweets for an offering from the stalls outside if you wish, and join the line of worshippers. The product listed on this page is a short excursion that takes visitors from their hotel to the temple by car and back, sometimes with brief stops at nearby viewpoints. It can be useful if you are staying outside the centre or have limited mobility, since Shimla's streets are steep and cars cannot use the pedestrian Mall.

Expect the price to cover the vehicle and driver only; there is nothing to pay at the temple itself. For most travellers, though, the temple is an easy walk. From Scandal Point or the General Post Office at the western end of the Mall, a lane climbs Bantony Hill for about ten minutes to the temple gate. City sightseeing tours of Shimla, which usually include the Mall, Christ Church and Jakhu Temple, sometimes add Kali Bari on the way. The temple trust also runs simple guest rooms for pilgrims, which can be booked directly with the temple office.

Visiting Kali Bari Temple, Shimla: what to see and how to behave

Kali Bari stands on Bantony Hill, a spur just above the western end of the Mall, and is dedicated to Kali in her form as Shyamala, the dark goddess from whom, according to one tradition, the city of Shimla takes its name. The temple was founded in 1823 by Bengali families who came from Calcutta when the British began turning the hill station into their summer capital. A trust has managed it since 1902, and it remains a focus for Shimla's Bengali community. The building is modest compared with the great temples of the plains: a compact hall with a bell-hung porch, painted walls and a small sanctum. The image of the goddess, black and adorned with a garland and a red tongue, stands at the far end and is the object of constant worship.

Smaller shrines to other deities stand in the complex. The location is part of the appeal. From the terrace there are fine views over the town, taking in the old bus stand, the colonial Railway Board building, Annadale's open ground below and the Jakhu ridge with its giant Hanuman statue on the skyline. Remove your shoes before entering the shrine, dress modestly, and do not photograph the image of the goddess; pictures of the exterior and the views are fine. Visitors may watch the aarti, the offering of lamps, from the back of the hall. Leather items are best left outside. The temple is reached on foot from the Mall; taxis can reach the lower lane.

Kali Bari Temple, Shimla: opening hours, ceremonies and the best time to go

The temple opens early in the morning and closes in the evening after the final aarti, with a midday lull rather than a fixed closure. Morning and evening worship, with bells and chanting, are the most atmospheric moments to visit. Shimla's main seasons are March to June, when the plains are hot and the hill station is busy, and September to November, when the air is clear and the views of the Himalaya are sharpest. Winter brings cold and sometimes snow, which makes the steep lanes slippery but gives the town a quiet charm.

The monsoon from July to August brings fog and landslides. Durga Puja and Kali Puja in October or November are the high points of the temple's year, celebrated in Bengali style with elaborate images, music and food, and Navratri also draws crowds. Allow 30 minutes for the visit, and combine it with a walk along the Mall to Christ Church and the Ridge, the climb to Jakhu Temple, or a ride on the toy train of the Kalka to Shimla railway.