Tanot Mata Temple

Tanot Mata is worshipped as a fierce protective goddess whose grace is believed to have shielded the temple and the soldiers during war. The temple embodies the deep bond between faith and the armed forces guarding India's borders. It has become a place of pilgrimage for soldiers and civilians alike, especially those who cherish stories of divine protection. The 1965 miracle inspired scenes in popular Indian cinema.

Standing in the remote Thar desert close to the frontier, the Tanot Mata temple is dedicated to a form of the goddess Hinglaj/Aavad Mata. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war — and again in 1971 — a large number of enemy bombs are said to have fallen in and around the temple without a single one exploding, an event revered as a divine miracle. Since then the Border Security Force (BSF) has maintained the temple and its small museum, where some of the unexploded shells are displayed. The nearby Vijay Stambh commemorates the Battle of Longewala, and the temple has become a symbol of faith and national valour.