These Temples On India's Borders Are Quietly Guarding Us

India's borders are often spoken of in terms of fences and fortresses. But located in these precious hills, valleys and deserts are temples that are guardians of India’s faith, and the belief of a billion people. These temples—small, grand, ancient and humble—have long watched over the country’s furthest edges and continue to provide solace, especially at a time like now.

Baba Harbhajan Singh Temple, Nathula, Sikkim

Perched at 13,000 feet near the Indo-China border, this shrine doesn’t worship a god, but a soldier called Captain Harbhajan Singh, whose spirit, it is said, still patrols the terrain. Legend has it that he died while guarding the Nathu La border, and appeared to his colleagues in dreams, which inspired his compatriots to build a memorial for him. Hence, Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial was inaugurated in 1983, near the Changu Lake (Tsomgo Lake) in Gangtok. Soldiers here leave a clean bed and crisp uniform for him every day and acknowledge his presence as a guardian of this region and its people.

Tanot Mata Temple, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

One of India's most revered Hindu pilgrimages, Tanot Mata Temple is located on the India-Pakistan border in the Thar Desert. It was built in 828 AD by the Bhati Rajput king Tanu Rao. It is also a very popular tourist destination in Jaisalmer and also attracts pilgrims from all over the country. But what has given this temple cult status is an important piece of history that goes back to the 1965 Indo-Pak war. Pakistan dropped over 3,000 bombs near the temple but none exploded. Soldiers attribute their survival to the goddess. Today, the Border Security Force (BSF) maintains the temple.

Mangala Mata Temple, Nowshera, Jammu

Mangla Mata Temple is located about 4 km from Jhangar village, along the Nowshera–Jhangar Road in Rajouri district. This holy place was built in 1945. As per local stories, Goddess Mangla appeared in the dreams of several priests and showed them where the temple should be built. Since 1947, even though there have been many mortar shellings from across the border, the temple has never been harmed. The temple is located inside a 9 meter long cave, where you can see natural rock formations called ‘pindies’, believed to be the form of Goddess Mangla herself.

Plateau Nath Baba Mandir, Kargil, Ladakh

In Kargil, where danger is always near, soldiers turn to faith for strength. Legend speaks of a baba who once meditated here, always accompanied by his loyal dogs. During wartime, bombs rained down near the plateau, but none harmed the area where he sat. Surrounded by unexploded shells, the baba is said to have simply thrown them into the Suru River, where they safely detonated. After his mysterious disappearance, a temple was built in his honour, where Lord Shiva is now worshipped by the Indian Army.

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