Located in the old township of Kangra, the Brijeshwari Temple was once renowned for its immense wealth that drew rulers and plunderers from far and wide. Dedicated to Goddess Vajreshwari, a form of Durga, the temple is revered as one of the 51 shaktipeethas in the country. It is believed to have been constructed over the spot where the breast of Goddess Sati fell. Legend has it that once Goddess Sati's father organised a yajna (a fire ritual) and he failed to invite his son-in-law, Lord Shiva, to the ceremony. Insulted by this, Sati immolated herself in the yajna. Bereaved, Lord Shiva took her lifeless body in his arms and started doing tandava, the dance of cosmic destruction. Afraid that he would annihilate everything in his path, Lord Vishnu shredded Sati's body with his chakra. It is said that wherever her severed body parts fell, a shrine or shaktipeetha was created.

The temple houses a beautiful silver idol of the goddess. A bustling bazaar lined with prasad (devotional food offering) shops leads you to the gorgeous white temple, which lies in close proximity to the Kangra Fort. According to popular legend, the temple was built by the Pandavas of the epic Mahabharata after Goddess Durga appeared in their dream and ordered them to build a shrine at Nagarkot for their safety.