Mansa Devi Temple Haridwar: Timings, Ropeway, Steps

Facts checked November 2026.

Ask anyone in Haridwar to point out Mansa Devi and they will point up at the hill rising behind Har Ki Pauri. For most families, a Haridwar yatra feels incomplete without climbing (or riding) up to the Mother’s door and tying a thread for a wish. This guide covers timings, the ropeway, the walking route, crowds and how to fit it into one day with Chandi Devi.

This page is part of our 10 Famous Temples in Haridwar guide. Planning the yatra? See our North India yatra packages.

Where is Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar?

The temple sits on top of Bilwa Parvat, a hill of the Shivalik range, the southernmost range of the Himalaya. Incredible India (Government of India) describes it as standing at over 500 feet in the Shivalik hills. The hill is also known as Bilwa Tirth, one of Haridwar’s Panch Tirth (five sacred spots).

The ropeway’s lower station is on the road at the foot of the hill, in the busy market area close to Har Ki Pauri. The operator gives its address as Railway Road, Mansadevi, Haridwar. The pedestrian route falls under Rajaji National Park, according to the park warden quoted by PTI in July 2025.

Why is Mansa Devi so important?

“Mansa” means wish or desire of the mind, and Maa Mansa Devi is worshipped as the goddess who fulfils sincere wishes. In popular belief she is described as born from the mind of Rishi Kashyap, and Incredible India calls her the goddess of snakes who grants wishes. Inside the sanctum, devotees see two forms of the goddess: one with eight arms, and one with three faces and five arms.

Mansa Devi is one of Haridwar’s three Siddh Peeths. Together with Chandi Devi on Neel Parvat across the Ganga and Maya Devi in the old town, she forms the triangle of goddess shrines that many families visit on the same day. Maya Devi is also widely regarded as a Shakti Peeth.

Who built the temple?

We could not find a reliable official record of who built the present Haridwar temple or when. Be careful with websites that say it was built by Maharaja Gopal Singh of Manimajra in the early 1800s: that history belongs to the Mata Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula, Haryana, a different shrine.

The wish-thread tradition

In the temple complex there is an old tree whose branches are covered with sacred threads. Devotees tie a thread (often a mauli) while making a wish. When the wish comes true, families return to untie a thread and offer thanks. Thread, chunari, coconut, flowers and prasad are sold at stalls on the way up.

What are Mansa Devi Temple timings?

There is no single official timetable published online, and the sources we checked do not agree. Most give an early-morning opening around 5 am, a short midday closure, and closing at about 9 pm. Incredible India lists longer summer hours and a bhog offering at 11 am. Timings also shift in winter, during Navratri, in Shravan and on Kumbh snan days.

Our advice: plan to be at the ropeway or the foot of the hill by 7 am. Queues are shortest early, and you avoid the afternoon heat on the walking path.

How does the Mansa Devi ropeway work?

The Mansa Devi ropeway is run under the Udan Khatola brand, and the operator says it has been running since 1981. It was the brand’s first ropeway project. According to the operator’s page:

• Ride length: 576 metres, with a vertical rise of 171 metres
• Ride time: about 2 minutes
• Cabins: 4 persons each
• Hours: 6 am to 7 pm

The waiting time, not the ride, is what takes long. On Sundays, Navratri and Shravan the ropeway queue can run into hours. Operations can pause in strong wind, storms or heavy rain. The ropeway also shuts for a few days for half-yearly maintenance; in 2026 local news reported the Mansa Devi ropeway closed from 8 to 11 July, ahead of the Kanwar Mela.

Ropeway ticket and the combined Chandi Devi ticket

In November 2026 the operator’s booking page lists a combined Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi ropeway ticket at ₹460 per adult and ₹235 per child (including GST), with a separate transport (bus) charge of ₹95. Fares change, so check at the counter or on the operator’s site what the bus covers before paying, and keep your tickets until the end of the day. Tickets can be booked online on the Udan Khatola website.

Can you walk up to Mansa Devi? How long does it take?

Yes. There are two foot routes:

• The old stairway: the oldest pedestrian route, with about 700 steps climbing more than 500 feet (as reported by PTI in July 2025). It is steep and narrow at points.
• The longer path (bridle path): a gentler, winding route. The operator describes the walk without the ropeway as about 3 km.

Sources give walking distances between 1.5 km and 3 km depending on the route taken, so treat these as rough. Older family members, small children and anyone with knee or heart trouble should take the ropeway. Carry water, and leave footwear at a trusted stall at the bottom only if you plan to come back the same way.

The July 2025 stampede and route changes

On Sunday 27 July 2025, during the Shravan rush, a crush broke out on the stairway route after a rumour of an electric current spread among devotees. All India Radio reported eight deaths and 30 injured; first PTI reports gave six dead and 28 injured. The state ordered a magisterial probe by the Additional District Magistrate. Local news the next day reported that the steep stairway was closed for climbing and kept for descent only, while the bridle path and ropeway stayed open. PTI later reported that officials were working on a safety audit and considering limited entry, one-way movement, zig-zag queues on festival days, checks of electrical connections and an anti-encroachment drive. We could not find a later official notice saying whether climbing by the stairway has resumed, so ask locally and follow police and temple staff instructions about which route is open.

How do you reach Mansa Devi Temple?

Parking near the ropeway is very limited on busy days. Leave the vehicle at a town parking and walk or take an e-rickshaw, especially during Kanwar and Kumbh, when traffic diversions apply.

When is the best time to visit Mansa Devi?

• Best for a calm darshan: early mornings on weekdays from October to March, outside festival days.
• Navratri (Chaitra and Sharad): the two big melas of the year. Very large crowds; expect long queues and possible one-way routes.
• Shravan and Kanwar Yatra (July to August): the busiest period, especially Sundays and Mondays. This is when the 2025 stampede happened.
• Haridwar Kumbh 2027: the mela runs from 14 January to 20 April 2027. Avoid snan days for Mansa Devi; see our Haridwar Kumbh 2027 guide for dates.
• Monsoon: the ropeway may stop in heavy rain, and the steps get slippery.

What should you wear and carry?

• Wear modest, comfortable clothes that cover shoulders and knees, and shoes that are easy to remove.
• Footwear is left outside the sanctum; stalls offer shoe-keeping.
• Carry little: a small bag, water and cash for offerings. Large bags slow you down in the queue.
• Follow the signs and staff instructions on photography and phone use near the sanctum.
• Watch out for monkeys on the hill. Keep prasad and phones out of sight.
• Keep children’s hands held in queues, and agree a meeting point in case you get separated.

Can you visit Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi on the same day?

Yes, and most families do. A simple plan:

1. Start at Mansa Devi early in the morning by ropeway.
2. Come down and take the shuttle or a vehicle across the Ganga to the Chandi Devi ropeway base on Najibabad Road.
3. Ride up to Chandi Devi on Neel Parvat (the operator lists that ride as 767 metres, about 5 minutes).
4. Return to town for lunch and Maya Devi darshan, then rest.
5. End the day at the evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri (see our Haridwar Ganga Aarti guide).

Allow at least half a day for both hilltop temples on a normal day, and more on weekends and festivals.

Which temples are near Mansa Devi?

• Har Ki Pauri, the main ghat, at the foot of the hill
• Maya Devi Temple, the third Siddh Peeth, in the old town
• Chandi Devi Temple, on Neel Parvat across the Ganga
• Daksha Mahadev Temple, Kankhal

For a full list with timings, see our guide to temples in Haridwar. Many families continue to Rishikesh and Neelkanth Mahadev the next day.

How Yatra To Temples can help

Our Haridwar Rishikesh Ganga Darshan Yatra includes Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi by ropeway on Day 1, the Har Ki Pauri Ganga Aarti, a private AC vehicle for the listed temple visits, hotel stays in Haridwar and Rishikesh, and help with darshan timings from our team. Ropeway tickets are not included and are paid at the counter. If you cannot travel, the Durga Saptashati Path for Chandi Devi, Haridwar is done in your family’s name, with video sent on WhatsApp and prasad couriered within India. For a custom Haridwar plan, ask us through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entry fee for Mansa Devi Temple?

We found no official darshan fee. You pay only for the ropeway if you use it, and for any offerings you choose to buy. Confirm locally, as arrangements can change on festival days.

How many steps are there to Mansa Devi Temple?

The old stairway has about 700 steps, as reported by PTI in July 2025. A longer, gentler path also goes up; the operator puts the walk at about 3 km.

What is the Mansa Devi ropeway timing?

The operator lists 6 am to 7 pm for the Mansa Devi ropeway. It can stop in strong wind, storms or heavy rain, and queues are longest on weekends and festivals.

Is the Mansa Devi ropeway safe for elderly people?

The ride is short, about 2 minutes, in enclosed 4-person cabins, and it is the easier option for older pilgrims. The bigger challenge is standing in the queue, so go early and carry water.

Who is Mansa Devi?

She is the goddess who fulfils wishes of the mind, also worshipped for protection from snakes. In Haridwar she is honoured as one of the three Siddh Peeths with Chandi Devi and Maya Devi.

Can we do Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi in one day?

Yes. Start early at Mansa Devi, then cross the Ganga to the Chandi Devi ropeway on Najibabad Road. The operator sells a combined ropeway ticket for both temples.

How much time is needed for Mansa Devi darshan?

Travel sites suggest about two hours from the ropeway base and back on a quiet day. On Sundays, Navratri and in Shravan, plan for much longer.

Where should I tie the thread at Mansa Devi?

Threads are tied on the old sacred tree inside the temple complex. Make your wish while tying it, and come back to untie one when the wish is fulfilled.