Sheetla Mata Mandir

The Sheetla Mata Mandir is the spiritual anchor of old Gurugram and one of the most visited temples in the National Capital Region. Dedicated to Sheetla Mata — revered here as Mata Masani, a form of the mother goddess — the temple draws a steady stream of devotees through the week and swells to vast crowds during its two great fairs, held over the bright fortnights of Chaitra and Jyeshtha in spring and early summer, when pilgrims arrive from across Haryana, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh.

• The complex sits in the older, lower part of the city, a world away from the glass towers of the Millennium City a few kilometres east.
• Beyond the main sanctum, the grounds take in subsidiary shrines, a sarovar tank, and the permanent bustle of a bazaar of prasad stalls, bangle sellers, and flower vendors.
• Like most large temples in the region it runs on an ethic of vegetarian offering — the prasad and the community langar served here are strictly vegetarian.
• For the traveller, this is the one place in Gurugram that ties the modern corporate city back to its older, agrarian Haryanvi roots.
• It is busiest on Mondays and during the fairs; an early-morning or evening darshan on a weekday is the calmest time to visit.
• Dress modestly and leave footwear at the stands outside the main gate.