The Tanot Mata Temple situated in the Tanot village of district Jaisalmer, is a major attraction for those visiting the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. It is enveloped within numerous legends that are sure to instil awe and curiosity towards its sacred power and purity. The heritage site is preserved and maintained by the Border Security Force (BSF) of India since the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971.
Localities have immense faith on the temple’s austerity and pay regular visit to the Tanot Mata. She is believed to be an apparition of the Hinglaj Mata Goddess. Tanot is in close proximity with Longewala, a critical India-Pakistan border that forbids access to any individual without permission of Indian Government authorities. Due to its topography, it can harness large quantities of wind energy, thus visitors can see the rows of windmill energy power plants established here. There is a museum built adjacent to the temple that displays certain historic artefacts collected from the war period. This is a must visit place for those who wish to pay their homage to the Indian Army and the temple that is considered holy by the Indian heroes of defence and harmony.
History of Tanot Mata Temple
This highly revered temple was established in 847 AD. The idol of the deity was installed in the same time period as well. The construction of this temple started after Bhati Rajput King Tanu Rao made Tanot as the capital of his kingdom.
Later, it was maintained by RAC before BSF took over the temple’s responsibility, in 1965. There are a lot of unique stories related to this temple. However, the most talked-about legend of the temple is the occurring of a miraculous event during the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965.
According to this anecdote, Pakistan dropped more than 3,000 bombs on the temple to destroy it, along with the Indian Army. While the Pakistani Army was at it, none of the 3,000 bombs could touch the temple or the Indian soldiers!
The same happened in the War of 1971 when only one coy of BSF repulsed the sudden attack from Pakistan Army.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Tanot Mata Temple is between November and April. During these months, the weather is pleasant and the temperature is not likely to be high. The months of May and June should be especially avoided since the scorching heat of Rajasthan can make you very uncomfortable and might get you sick.
Also, during the months of April and September, the Navratri festival is celebrated in Tanot, where free lunger is served by BSF. The temple is decorated with beautiful flowers, which make it look glorious. The temple is flooded by devotees from all parts of India during Navratri.
How To Reach
The best way to reach Tanot Mata Temple from Jaisalmer is via road. It takes about 2 hours to reach the temple from Jaisalmer. There are numerous taxis available from the city to the temple. The route to the temple is quite spectacular as well.
From yellow sand dunes of the Thar Desert to blue vistas of the sky, your trip to the Tanot Mata Temple will be quite memorable.
Even though hiring a taxi is the safest and quickest way to reach Tanot Mata Temple, a few people also hire a bike to cover the distance.
The road connecting the two places is embellished with windmills and flock of animals, such as camels and deer, truly turning your trip into an adventure!
