Temples in Ambala
The temples in Ambala are numerous, given the ancient origin of the city and its presence in many empires of ancient India. Ambala is a city in the state of Haryana and it is strategically located on the Grand Trunk road which connects the major cities of Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla and others. The strategic location of the Ambala city and Ambala cantonment has been responsible for most of its history whereby it has seen many religious races and creed come and leave its influence in this region.
Amongst the temples in Ambala, the most famous temple is the Bhawani Amba temple. It is widely believed that the Goddess Amba or Bhawani Devi who is worshipped in this temple, the city was named in honor of this Goddess. This ancient temple, which saw the birth of the city, still stands in all its glory today.
The city of Ambala not only houses places of worship for the Hindus, but that of the Sikhs, Muslims and even Christians, reflecting the secular influence that history had left over this region.
For instance, besides the Bhawani Amba temple, there are other historic places of worship of the Hindus such as Kali Mata Mandir, Sanatam Dharam Mandir , Hanuman Mandir, Bhagwati Mandir which are all located in the Ambala cantonment area. The other places of worship of the Sikhs include numerous Gurudwaras spread across the city such as the Sangat Sahib Gurdwara, Sis Ganj Gurd-wara, the Badshahi Bag Gurdwara and the Manji Sahib Gurdwara.
Before the partition, Muslims were very much a part of the population in Punjab. Though the partition saw most of the Muslims leave the Indian side of Punjab, there are still many Muslim families who reside in this region and there are many historic religious places in Ambala for the Muslims. The Taqwal Shah, Lakhi Shah are places of worship and bear a rich history for the Muslims.
Of course, Ambala cantonment area as well as Ambala city were built during the reign of the British and their cultural influences can be seen in several parts of this district. The various wars which were fought around this region bear symbols of the British lives which were intertwined with the Indian struggle for Independence. The British Christian cemetery is a must visit for existing relatives of those who are buried here. The Saint Paul’s Church is another important historic landmark in this city.
Thus, the temples in Ambala are several as well as places of worship for other religions with a rich history behind each historic place of worship.
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