Bhalei Mata Temple

Bhalei Mata Temple, dedicated to the goddess Bhadra, or Bhadar Kali, stands on a spur about 3,800 feet high at Bhalei, a sub-tehsil headquarters roughly 40 km from Chamba and 30 km from Dalhousie. The goddess, a black stone image two feet tall, is enshrined in the sanctum and draws pilgrims from far afield, and a large havan is held during the Navratras of Ashwin and Chait.

Legend says the goddess appeared to Raja Pratap Singh in a dream and told him she lay hidden at Bhran, some 3 km away. He found the image and set off to install it in Chamba, but after a rest at Bhalei the bearers could not lift the palanquin; a Brahman from Kilod explained that she wished to stay. Another account says local people asked the Raja to build here. The temple was later renovated by Raja Sri Singh. The image was stolen in 1973 and recovered at Chohra, and since then it is believed to appear to perspire.