BJP MP Anurag Thakur visited the ancient temples of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, June 14, 2026, offering prayers at three revered shrines and invoking Sanskrit verses to underline the state's identity as Devbhoomi (Land of the Gods).

Context

Thakur shared a Sanskrit shloka on X: 'यावद्गङ्गा च यमुना तावद्गङ्गा च नर्मदा। यावद् गिरिवरः शैलस्तावद् रमते हिमाचलः।।' — roughly translated as 'As long as the Ganga, Yamuna, and Narmada flow, and as long as the mountains stand, so shall Himachal endure.' The verse frames the visit as an affirmation of the state's eternal spiritual and geographical identity.

He then described seeking blessings at Maa Bajreshwari Devi of Nagarkot, Maa Chamunda Devi, and Bhagwan Nandikeshwar — all located in Kangra — praying for the welfare of all. He concluded with an invocation: 'May Lord Shiva and Maa Jagat Janani bless everyone.'

Policy Backdrop

Himachal Pradesh is widely referred to as Devbhoomi, a designation that reflects its dense concentration of ancient temples and pilgrimage circuits. Kangra district alone hosts several high-footfall shrines, including the Bajreshwari Devi Temple at Nagarkot — one of the 51 Shakti Peethas — and the Chamunda Devi Temple, both of which draw lakhs of devotees annually.

The state government and central bodies have periodically taken up infrastructure development around these temple corridors, linking pilgrimage promotion to the broader tourism economy of the hill state. BJP representatives from Himachal have consistently used such visits to highlight the cultural and religious heritage of the region.

Stakeholders and Impact

For Hindu devotees and pilgrims across the country, Kangra's temples hold deep religious significance, particularly the Bajreshwari Devi shrine which is tied to the Shakti Peetha tradition. Visibility given to these sites by sitting MPs can amplify awareness and footfall, with downstream effects on the local pilgrimage economy.

As a Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur — a constituency neighbouring Kangra — Thakur's temple visits also carry constituency-level resonance, reinforcing his connect with the religious and cultural sentiments of voters in the Himalayan state.

What's Next

Observers will watch whether Thakur follows up the visit with legislative or administrative advocacy — such as statements during the monsoon session of Parliament — relating to temple infrastructure, heritage tourism, or pilgrimage development in Kangra and the wider Himachal belt. The state's pilgrimage economy and its integration into national tourism frameworks remain active policy conversations.