Shailaputri Devi Mandir - Baramulla

A documented stop on Adi Shankaracharya's route across India.

Known variously as Devibal, Shailaputri Devi, or Shaila Devi, this revered shrine is situated on the left bank of the Vitastā (Jhelum) along the historic Baramulla–Uri route at Anapur (present-day Khanpur), approximately one kilometre from Baramulla town. Nestled amidst a serene grove, the temple complex is approached by descending a flight of steps from the roadside entrance into a spacious stone-paved precinct spread across nearly seven kanāls. Four majestic Chinar trees, together with walnut and poplar trees within the compound, lend the shrine a distinctive character and preserve the ambience of Kashmir's traditional sacred landscapes.
At the heart of the complex lies a sacred spring, within which stands a marble temple reminiscent of the celebrated Kheer Bhavani shrine at Tulmulla. Enshrined within is a south-facing marble image of Goddess Shailaputri, the first among the Navadurga manifestations. The Goddess is depicted seated upon a bull (Vṛṣabha), holding a Triśūla in one hand and a lotus in the other, while a crescent moon adorns her crown. The shrine occupies a special place in the devotional life of Kashmiri Pandits, who regard it as one of the most important Aṣṭhāpana shrines of the Valley, second only to Kheer Bhavani in prominence and reverence.
Traditional accounts further preserve an association between this kṣetra and Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya. It is believed that the Acharya visited the shrine during his travels through Kashmir and offered worship to the presiding deity. Local recitations maintain that the original vigrahas worshipped during his visit are no longer present at the site today; nevertheless, the memory of his worship continues to form an enduring part of the sacred heritage associated with the temple.