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Almora is one of
the most beautiful places in Kumaon region. The glamour and glitter
which is seen in Ranikhet and Nainital is totally absent in Almora. In
this point of view Almora is very virgin hill-station and is full of
scenic beauty. It appears that mother nature has spread and blessed this
place with her pure love. Nestled in the lap of nature this region has
small houses built on the slopes and splendour of this place are added
colourful attire of the natives. Just besides city flows the Koshi (Kaushaki)
and Suyal (Salmali) rivers.
In the 9th century Almora was ruled by Katyur dynasty. By 16th century
this place was ruled by rulers from Chandravansh. This town was
established by King Balo Kalyan Chand in 1563. This place was then
capital city of Kumaon region. The forts, monuments and palaces built by
the rulers of Chandravansh and Katyur dynasty are even today evidence of
the splendour this place had in the past. In 1790 Almora passed in the
hands of Nepali Gorkhas. The Britishers gained control of this place
from Gorkhas in 1815.
Almora is situated on a hillock which is in Horse shoe shape and
is surrounded by dense forests of fur and pine trees. In the backdrop
are the lovely snow-capped peaks of Himalayas. Almora has been able to
retain the tradition and ancient culture even when other places are
being influenced by modern trends. The absence of any town planning and
inclusion of tiles and stones on the pavements and houses prove that
this place has not yet adopted the modern technology in a big way. Right
in the middle of the town is the Nanda devi temple and Narsingh temple
are evidence of the great faith of people in their God. Culturally also
this place is very rich and all round the year Almora celebrates many
festivals and cultural events.
Prime
Attractions of Almorah (Almora)
Kasar-Devi Mela
The picturesque old part of the town of Almora is the venue for a fair
held twice a year during the summer and winter months.
Shravan Mela
Jageshwar lying
in the beautiful Jatganga Valley in Almora, housing one of the 12
jyotirlingas of India, is a complex of 12 temples in all.
Chetai Temple The local people
have much faith on this temple. The Chetai temple is located eight kms
from Almora. This temple is surrounded by dense fur and pine tree
forest. If you are a nature lover then you will certainly enjoy this
place.
Deer Park Deer park is
located some three kms from Almora. An evening stroll in Deer park has
its own pleasure.
Gananath Mela Situated at an
elevation of 2116 mts. above sea level, Gananath is 47 km. from Almora
and is known for its natural landscape.
Nanda Devi
Temple This ancient
temple is one of the main attractions of Almora town. This temple is
hundreds of year old and carries deep faith of many people from this
area. The images and statues on walls of this temple are intricately and
delicately carved. They are very attractive and almost true to life
depiction has been done. Every year a fair, Nanda Devi Fair, is
organized here. People from all over the place come and participate in
this fair. Groups of young men & women dance on the pulsating music
of the mountains.
Somnath Fair
The Somnath Fair
held on Vishuwat Sankranti day is celebrated in the Shiva Temple at Masi,
Almora. It is a famous fair of Pali Pachhaun.
Excursions
from Almorah (Almora)
Bageshwar (90Km.)
Filled with the religious aura and peace of the soul and mind after the
visit to Baijnath, the visitor, inevitably becomes a pilgrim and his
steps lead him to the confluence of the sacred Gomti and Saryu, at
Bageshwar.
Binsar (30Km.)
Binsar, once the summer capital of the Chand Rajas (7th to 8th
centuries) is located at a distance of 34 kms from Almora.
Baijnath (70Km.)
 From
Kausani, the road descends to Garur & Baijnath (70 km Almora, 26 km
from Bageshwar and 19 km from Kausani) on the bank of Gomti river in a
flat valley. Perched at an altitude of 1126 m. below Kausani is the
famous temple complex of Baijnath in the Garur valley of Katyur. A group
of ancient temples dating back to the 12th & 13th century line the
banks of the river, presenting a beautiful sight. The temples are
remarked upon, for its carving stone work & heritage. Built by
Katyuri Ruler, these have over the time become synonymous with India's
rich mythology. The mail 10th century temple houses a beautiful idol of
Goddess Parvati chiseled in black stone. Shiva & Parvati are
believed to have married at the confluence of the Gomati & Garur
Ganga. Innumerable tales of Lord Shiva & Parvati make these temples
a fascinating experience. The Katyur Dynasty is believed to take their
name from Kartikeya the mythical son of Shiva & Parvati.
Bright &
Corner (2Km.)
Two kms from Almora is situated Bright and Corner. This place became
famous for excellent sight of sunset and sunrise. From Bright and Corner
a different kind of view is obtained of dawn and dusk. The unusual calm
and peacefulness during this time is rarely felt on any other hill
station offering a similar view. Serene and calm circuit house very
close to this point is an added attraction. Nearby is the Vivekanand
library in Ramkrishna Kutir. In this library one can find many books
relating to philosophy and spiritual thinking. There is also a place
dedicated to Swami Vivekanand. It was at this place Vivekanand spend few
days while his stay in Himalayas.
Gannath (47Km.)
Gannath is known for natural caves and ancient Shiva temples. This place
is 47 kms from Almora. It is good place for nature lovers and ideal for
spending your day with surpassing beauty. Every year on Kartik Purnima
day a fair is organized here.
Jageshwar (34Km.)
Jageshwar is located 34 kms from Almora. There is an ancient Shiva
temple at Jageshwar. This temple is surrounded by huge fur trees. In
fact, this temple is in the series of ancient temples which were built
in Kumaon region many centuries ago. The Jageshwar Shiva temple carries
archaeological importance too. the architecture of this temple is worth
giving a close examination.
Kalimath (5Km.)
From Kalimath one gets a good view of Almora town and the adjoining
area. The sight of the nearby hills is amazing. This place is 4.5 kms
from Almora. Close to Kalimath is Kasar Devi. There is temple dedicated
to Kasar devi. This temple dates back to second century. One can go on
foot from Kalimath to Kasardevi which is hardly one kms.
Katarmal (17Km.)
After the Sun temple at Konark, Orissa, Katarmal has the second
important sun temple in the country. This temple is almost 800 years
old. But this temple has not received the amount of attention it must
have received. Due to neglect, the sun temple at Katarmal is in very bad
shape. One feels very sad that a monument of such historical importance
has been left to decay like this. This temple has some unique
architectural style and the images carved on the walls are very
intricately done. All this is bound to attract attention of the visitor.
This place is 17 kms from Almora.
Koshi (12Km.)
Natural beauty of this place surpasses any other place. Koshi is 12 kms
from Almora. The Govind Vallabh Pant Environment Research Institute is
located here. There is guest house which provides good and comfortable
stay at Koshi.
Martola (10Km.)
This lovely place with gardens and forests is located 10 kms from Almora.
Martola is so scenic and picturesque that many forgeiners decided to
settle here. This place is a good picnic spot.
Simtola (3Km.)
This is a picnic spot about three kms from Almora town. The whole place
is covered with pine and fur trees. The calmness and peaceful
environment has fun of its own kind.
Fairs
& Festivals - Almora
Kasar Devi Mela
The picturesque old part of the town of Almora is the venue for the fair
held twice a year.
Shravan Mela
Jageshwar lying in the beautiful Jatganga Valley, housing one of the 12
jyotirlingas of India, is a complex of 12 temples in all.
Somnath Mela
The Somnath Fair held on Vishuwat Sankranti day is celebrated in the
Shiva Temple at Masi.
Devidhura Mela:
The Devidhura Fair is held on the day of Raksha Bandhan in August, at
the Varahi Devi Temple.
Ram Lila:
The festival of Dussehra is celebrated with great pomp and show all over
Kumaon.
Leisure
- Almora
Shopping
When one comes to Almora one does not forget to taste the sweets here
which are quite famous. Particularly Singora and Bal Mithaiare liked by
one and all. Apart from sweets, Almora is famous for Rabbit wool cloths.
A special breed of Rabbit, Angora produces wool which is very soft, fine
and very warm. Warm clothes made from this wool is famous all over the
world. In Almora one can get good bargains at comparatively low prices.
Then there are decorative items, brass items and other kind of metal
utensils which are quite popular among the visitors. One can purchase
woollen garments at reasonable rates from the Garud woollens. This shop
is part of the Kumaon Schedule Tribe Development Corporation at Shikhar
Hotel compound. For Bronze and Brass wares & decorative items one
can have a look in shops at Lal Bazaar and Chowk Bazaar.
How
To Get There - Almora
The best way to
access Almora is by bus. The winding and spiralling roads take you
though deep valleys and dense forests. One enjoys the journey to Almora
by bus as the speed is slow, scenic beauty of the region are clearly
visible. There are bus services to Almora from almost any where in Uttar
Pradesh and some of the services operate from outside the state too. The
conducted tours by private travel agents and tour operators are always
there. The nearest airport is that of Pantnagar. The nearest broad gauge
railway head is Kathgodam. Kathgodam is 91 kms from Almora and is
connected by trains from cities all over the nation. The small gauge
line terminates at Lalkuan which is 112 kms from Almora.
Climate
- Almora
April to June and
September to November are the best seasons to visit Almora. In fact
except the rainy seasons, Almora can be visited any time of the year.
During summers the temperature of this place is comparatively more than
any other hill stations. Even then evening and morning temperatures are
low enough to wear light warm cloths. The fun of walking among hills in
warm sunlight can not be described in words. During winters festival of
Dussehra has its own added attraction.
General
Information - Almora
Location Kumaon (Uttar
Pradesh).
Main Attraction Nanda Devi
Temple.
Best Time April to June And
September to November.
Languages Hindi, English, Kumaoni.
Population About 54,000
people resides in this city
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