There are several important temples in Kullu's surrounding hills. Reached by a 3km hike up from Chansari, a 22km drive southeast from Kullu, the hilltop Bijli Mahadev is surmounted by a 20m wooden pole that attracts occasional divine blessings in the form of lightning. The surge of power shatters the stone Shiva lingam inside the temple, which is then glued back together with butter. There are spectacular panoramas over both the Kullu and Parvati Valleys from here.
Bijli Mahadev attracts crowds of pilgrims during the Shaivite Sawan Kamaina festival from mid-July to mid-August. A return taxi from Kullu costs ₹1100, or look for a shared taxi at Ramshila, 2km northeast on the main road, where the road to Bijli Mahadev starts.
