CM Dhami Invites Devotees to Shri Haru Sam Temple, Pithoragarh
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has spotlighted the Shri Haru Sam Temple in Pithoragarh's Bankot area on Navratri, urging devotees visiting the district to seek the deity's blessings — part of his broader push to grow religious tourism beyond the Char Dham circuit.
Key Takeaways
Shri Haru Sam Temple is situated in the Bankot area of Pithoragarh district , northern Uttarakhand.
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami personally invited pilgrims to visit the temple, especially during Navratri .
Special prayers and rituals ( puja-archana ) are held at the temple during the Navratri season.
Pithoragarh borders Nepal and hosts numerous Kumaoni folk shrines alongside mainstream pilgrimage sites.
Dhami has consistently used social media to amplify district-level temples, supporting Uttarakhand's religious tourism strategy beyond the Char Dham circuit.
Nestled in the Bankot area of Pithoragarh district, the Shri Haru Sam Temple draws scores of faithful every year — and this Navratri, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is personally calling on pilgrims to make the journey.
In a post shared on Thursday, 29 October 2026, CM Dhami wrote in Hindi: 'जनपद पिथौरागढ़ के बनकोट क्षेत्र में स्थित श्री हरु सैम मंदिर अनेक श्रद्धालुओं की आस्था का केंद्र है।' — 'The Shri Haru Sam Temple, located in the Bankot area of Pithoragarh district, is a centre of faith for countless devotees.' He added that special prayers and rituals are conducted here during the auspicious occasion of Navratri, and urged anyone visiting Pithoragarh to seek the blessings of the deity Shri Haru Sam.
Pithoragarh's temple trail beyond Char Dham
Pithoragarh sits at Uttarakhand's northern edge, sharing a border with Nepal, and is home to a constellation of local shrines that rarely feature in mainstream pilgrimage itineraries. District-level temples like Shri Haru Sam are living centres of Kumaoni folk religion, drawing devotees from surrounding villages and the broader Kumaon hills. Navratri — observed across nine nights of worship — is among the most intense pilgrimage seasons in the region.
Dhami's push for religious tourism across Uttarakhand
Highlighting a local temple during a high-traffic religious season is a deliberate play for Uttarakhand's religious tourism economy. Since taking office in 2021, CM Dhami has consistently amplified pilgrimage destinations beyond the headline Char Dham circuit — Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri — to spread footfall and infrastructure investment to lesser-known districts. Social-media spotlighting of temples like Shri Haru Sam fits that pattern: it costs nothing and can redirect a meaningful share of Navratri pilgrims toward Bankot.
For devotees already planning a trip to Pithoragarh, the Chief Minister's personal endorsement doubles as a travel advisory. The call is simple and direct: 'अपने पिथौरागढ़ आगमन पर श्री हरु सैम देवता के दर्शन अवश्य करें' — 'Do visit Shri Haru Sam deity whenever you come to Pithoragarh.'
Whether this sparks a formal infrastructure push for the Bankot temple — better access roads, pilgrimage facilities, or state-sponsored event logistics — will be the next signal to watch from Dhami's Navratri communications.
Point of View
Sanitation, and event management at Bankot — or remains a seasonal content gesture.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Shri Haru Sam Temple located?
Shri Haru Sam Temple is located in the Bankot area of Pithoragarh district in northern Uttarakhand, near the Nepal border.
What is special about Shri Haru Sam Temple during Navratri?
Special prayers and rituals are conducted at the temple during Navratri, making it a major draw for devotees from the Kumaon hills region.
Why did CM Dhami promote Shri Haru Sam Temple on social media?
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami shared the post to invite pilgrims visiting Pithoragarh to seek the deity's blessings, in line with his broader push to grow religious tourism beyond Uttarakhand's main Char Dham circuit.
How do I reach Pithoragarh for temple visits?
Pithoragarh is accessible by road from Haldwani and Almora in Kumaon; the nearest airport is Naini Saini Airport in Pithoragarh town. From there, Bankot area temples are reachable by local transport.
What is Haru Sam deity in Kumaoni tradition?
Haru Sam is a folk deity venerated in the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand, associated with local protective and justice-giving traditions in the region's indigenous religious culture.
