Many travellers pass through Udaipur in Lahaul without stopping. It is a small town on the road to Keylong, beside the Chandra-Bhaga river. But just off the road stands a modest wooden temple whose carvings are among the finest in the Himalaya.
This is the Markula Devi Temple, also written Mrikula Devi.
What you see
- A carved doorway. The doorway and pillars are covered with detailed carvings of gods, animals and scenes from the epics.
- A wooden temple. Much of the temple is timber, from the roof to the interior panels, set on a stone base.
- A blend of styles. Writers describe the carving as a mix of Chamba and Kashmiri traditions.
- A shared shrine. Both Hindus and Buddhists worship here, and the iconography reflects centuries of both.
How old is it?
Dates vary. One account says the temple was built in the 11th or 12th century, while another dates the oldest part, the doorway, to about the 10th century. Other writers date the detailed carvings from the 11th to the 16th century. The honest answer is that the temple was built and added to over a long time.
Some writers note that the carving is similar to the work at Hadimba Temple in Manali, and suggest they may be linked to the same period or craftsmen, but this is a theory.
The legends
- The Pandavas. Local belief says the temple was made from a single block of wood by the Pandavas of the Mahabharata.
- Vishwakarma. Another story says the divine craftsman Vishwakarma himself carved the details.
Condition and care
Reports say the temple has suffered from age and earthquakes, with parts of its wall leaning. Please do not touch or climb the carvings, and follow local guidance. Fragile wood is easy to damage.
Getting there
Udaipur is on the road between Manali and Keylong, beyond the Atal Tunnel and Tandi. It is an easy stop on the way to Lahaul and Spiti. Road and weather change fast, so see Rohtang vs Atal Tunnel for the route and ask locally for current conditions.
Add Lahaul to your trip
Our Spiti and Lahaul routes include temple and village stops.