The stone image (vigraha) of Goddess Chamunda is housed in one of the exterior wall niches (rathikas) of the ancient Shree Shiv Baijnath Temple in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
The ancient Baijnath Temple in Kangra is dedicated to Shiva as Vaidyanath, and its richly carved stone walls preserve remarkable sculptural depictions of Hindu deities.
Among them is a striking relief of Goddess Chamunda Devi, depicted in a dynamic, fierce form with multiple arms and surrounded by attendant figures. The detailed carving reflects the powerful Shakta tradition and the medieval temple-art tradition of the Kangra region.
Chamunda, a fierce manifestation of Devi, is associated with the destruction of negative forces and is traditionally understood as the slayer of Chanda and Munda.
