Dhosi Hill - An Extinct Volcano near Delhi

Trekking of over 1000 steps make photography from the top so irresistible. There are no worries or fear when you sit atop a cliff with your camera to click wonderful pictures, my way -

One fine morning, the skies were clear, and weather was also looking pleasant, it was a perfect moment to hit the highways for trekking an offbeat spot near Delhi. This was the view for which I had trekked all the way to the top of Dhosi Hill. The temples devoted to Maharishi Chyawan, Lord Vishnu and water pond create a spectacular panorama to utmost delight to the spirit of a photographer or an offbeat travel blogger.

Dhosi Hil is an extinct Volcano, situated at Haryana-Rajasthan border. We started early from Delhi to have hot Paranthas at one of the highways’ Dhaba and reached the entry point of the Dhosi Hill trek at around 11:30 AM, as we lost one hour in traffic jam before Rewari. 

At places ascend is quite steep and the extra high size of the steps ensure, but every step here is worth the sweat. 

It took around 1.5 hours for physically fit guys like us to reach the top. There are number of temples on the way and some water ponds inside the mountain’s structures.

Dhosi Hill is an extinct volcano, but the signs of lava which must have flowed millions of years back from here are clearly visible on the rocks. Likewise:

Dhosi Hill is also an important Vedic Site, it is the place where Maharishi Chyawan had meditated and formulated the ayurvedic tonic, known as Chyawanprash. There is a temple dedicated to Maharishi Chyawan and other temples on the first hill top.

Many revered saints and devotees reside in the sacred temple premises, and it was an experience interacting with them and seeing the world affairs from an altogether different perspective.

An old well is located nearby which is full of water that flows from the adjoining reservoirs. Though we had carried water bottles, but our water bottles had got exhausted earlier than our estimation. So, we were literally trekking with our spirits, till got water at maharishi Chyawan temples premises. Water offered by the saints from the well was so refreshing, nothing less than the divine nectar and from the first drop all the endured hardships disappear in a sudden.

 

From this point we were seeing a temple on the hilltop. The temple saints talked about the Mansa Devi temple on the summit of the hill and in another 30 minutes of trek we were at the top of the Dhosi Hill. After praying to Mansa Devi Mandir at top, got blessed by Swami Ramanand Das Ji. 

Totally indifferent to worldly matters, Swamiji is a revered saint who daily practices meditation and look after the temple premises here. Swamiji told about the significance of Mansa Devi Mandir and how Goddess Mansa Devi looks after the nearby regions. Co-incidentally the day we trekked to Mansa Devi Temple was the 7th day of the sacred Navratras day. Probably one reason to believe that our trip was arranged by Gods. 

The hike to the top of the volcano is very fulfilling once you reach the top and see downhill.

Legend about Mansa Devi - Long back, it had not rained for 3 years in this region. So, the king of nearby state, Khetri arrived at Dhosi Hill to seek blessings from Swami Kaushalanand on pleasing the Rain Gods. Swamiji with his divine powers, blessed the King and forecasted of rains the very next day. However, King did not believe the words of Swamiji and decided to stay at Dhosi Hill till next day to himself witness the rains and told his soldiers to hang Swamiji if it does not rain.

Seeing the king and his soldiers, Swamiji got scared for a while, however then Mansa Devi appeared out from one of the stone and blessed/ assured Swamiji of raining tomorrow. It rained continuously for next 3 days and guilty ridden king sought forgiveness from Swamiji. King along with all his soldiers and public worshipped Mansa Devi. The cut in the rock from where Deviji appeared, is still visible and is the site of Mansa Devi temple and is worshipped by devotees. Check the stone bisected from the centre, in 2 parts -

While returning, we took time to check the Fort on the hill or better remaining portions of the Fort, built by Samrat Hemchandra Vikramaditya around 500 years ago. Though mostly in ruins, the fort still has some portions in good condition to remind of the aura of bygone era.

Along the trek I captured some breath-taking views of the nearby landscapes. Likewise, this puzzle block of nearby agricultural fields:

Every part of our country is full of such wonders, only we need to preserve them to ensure the rich heritage passes to next generation in full grandeur.

Dhosi Hill is an offbeat and underrated trekking and religious site. Keep exploring Folks…