Kalimath

Kalimath (6000 ft) is in a narrow valley on the Saraswati Ganga just north of Gupt Kashi. The site is mythically associated with Kali, a powerful form of the Mother Goddess who came into being to destroy evil. Kalimath is famous as a Siddha Peeth ("seat of attainment"); these are sites at which the sacred energy is so powerful that religious seekers quickly attain their goals. The town is quite small, and built around three Goddess temples: Mahakali (destroying evil), Mahalakshmi (embodying wealth and prosperity), and Mahasarasvati (wisdom, learning, and culture). The Kali temple's is architecturally unusual--it is round in shape and has no solid walls, but only iron grillwork set in masonry pillars. The interior has no visible deity image , and the most sacred spot in the center is covered with a brass plate inscribed with an inverted triangle (the Goddess's symbol).

As with many other Himalayan sites, Kalimath village has suffered because of climate change. Several photos show the massive retaining wall built after devastating flash floods in June 2013. The pre-2013 photo shows the Mahalakshmi temple's yellow roof at left behind some buildings; these buildings collapsed into the river (along with the bridge in the picture) when the flooding undercut the riverbanks. The Mahalakshmi temple was seriously damaged in these floods, but was able to be repaired.