Places Visit In Nainital

Naini Lake,Nainital

Nainital Lake, a natural freshwater body, situated amidst the township of Nainital in Uttarakhand State of India, tectonic in origin, is kidney shaped or crescent shaped and has an outfall at the southeastern end.

Overview

Nainital Lake, a natural freshwater body, situated amidst the township of Nainital in Uttarakhand State of India, tectonic in origin, is kidney shaped or crescent shaped and has an outfall at the southeastern end.Nainital is most popular hill station of Kumaon district. It is famous for its Naini Lake located at the centre of the town and several other lakes of nearby areas.

Nainital Lake, in the Nainital district called the Lake District of India, is one of the four Lakes of Kumaon hills; the other three lakes are the Sattal Lake, the Bhimtal Lake and the Naukuchiyatal Lake.

History

Historical records confirm that in 1839, Mr. P. Barron, who is supposed to be the first one who visited Nainital, from Rosa, an English business man in sugar trade, on a hunting expedition accidentally coming across the lake at Nainital was so captivated that he decided to build a European Colony on shores of the lake. The news magazine, the Englishman Calcutta, reported in 1841 discovery of this lake near Almora.It is believed that two Indian sages visited there, wandering, it is a belief of people that they blessed the lake with divine power, one can acquire divinement by taking bathe in it, and the same as in the Mansarovar lake.

This natural freshwater lake beauty is charming and many world's prominent writers explained its beauty in words of their poems. Inspiring Naini Lake has also attracted many writers and creative personalities towards it.

The lake is bounded by the high and steep Naina peak on the North West side, by the Tiffin Top to the south west side and snow view peaks on the north. Coniferous forest trees cover these hill ranges. The annual rainfall in the basin area of the lake is reported to be 1294.5 mm (43.15 inches). Tropical monsoon climate with maximum temperature 24.6 °C and minimum of 0.5 °C are recorded. The water is reported to be alkaline in nature (ph value of 8.4–9.3).

Naina Peak,Nainital

Naina Peak is highest hill top and one of the the famous tourist spots in Nainital. This peak is also called as China Peak and Cheena Peak by locals in Naintal. Due to high altitude and lush green forest path, Naina Peak is favourite place in Nainital for trekking among travellers.

Overview

At a distance of 10 km from Tallital Bus Stand, Naina Peak, also known as China Peak, is the highest peak and a famous attraction in the town of Nainital. A trek to Naina Peak is one of the top things to do in Nainital and it's also a nice place for short trekking in Nainital. Naina Peak is situated at an altitude of 2615 m. The peak was renamed from China peak to Naina peak after the 1962 war with China. Due to high altitude and lush green forest path, Naina Peak is also a favorite place in Nainital for trekking. This highest point of this mountain is widely known for its amazing natural surroundings and the snow covered mountains all around. Naina Peak is a quiet place from where the Nanda Devi peak and the mountains on the Tibet border can be viewed.

The peak offers breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks. The trek to Naina Peak is little challenging, covering a distance of 6 km from Mallital. One can reach here by taking a horse ride or traversing the hilly paths. Pony or Horses can be hired to visit this peak either from Snow View Point or from Mallital. No shops are available on the peak. So, it is advisable to carry eateries and drinking water.

Nainital, the jewel of Kumaon is a very popular hill station not just among the north Indians but across the whole subcontinent as well as among the foreign tourists. Nainital is also sometimes called the Lake district of India as the hill station has been adorned with some of the major lakes of India notably Naini Lake, Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal Tal etc. Another major attraction which is frequently flocked by tourists is the Naina Peak. The following article is a comprehensive guide for the same.

History

The highest peak in Nainital, Naina Peak pose a challenge to most avid trekkers. Popularly known as China Peak, it is situated 2615 metres above sea level. The way to this peak leads through a vivacious forest teeming with beautiful cypresses, deodars and rhododendron trees. You can get a splendid view of the town, the Himalayas and a bird's eye view of the Terrai region from this attraction near Nainital. The high altitude, lush green surroundings and unscathed expanse of Naina Peak attract travellers. It can be reached by hiring a pony from Mallital or Snow View point as well.

According to an urban legend, it was said that you can see the Great Wall of China from China peak. You certainly cannot but the name of this peak seems to be derived from this fact. The peak gets its other name from a sadhu by the name of Cheena, who once lived here.

Tiffin Top,Nainital

Scenic mountaintop locale & picnic spot offering horseback rides & views over the Nainital area.

Overview

Nainital, the jewel of Kumaon is a very popular hill station not just among the north Indians but across the whole subcontinent as well as among the foreign tourists. Nainital is also sometimes called the Lake district of India as the hill station has been adorned with some of the major lakes of India notably Naini Lake, Bhimtal, Naukuchya Tal etc. Another major attraction which is frequently flocked by tourists is the Tiffin Top. The following article is a comprehensive guide for the same.

Tiffin Top is the name assigned after people used to have day lunch at top of hill on Dorothy's Seat. From Tiffin Top visitors can witness birds eye view of beautiful Nainital city and nearby Kumaon hills. As Tiffin Top is at 4 kms from Nainital town, many tourists also enjoy the easy hike to Tiffin Top or sometimes ride on the ponies, which easily available from Mall Road.

History

Trekking is fun and easy when you are in Nainital. Climb just 4 Km from the town to reach Tiffin Top, which is a favourite picnic spot for many tourists visiting this place. Meant only for pedestrians, the way uphill crawls in a zigzag manner adding to the excitement. You can also hire a pony/horse to take you to the destination. Also known as Dorothy's Seat; it is one of the best sightseeing spots in Nainital that gives you a 360-degree view of the city. You can see the magnificent hills of Kumaon from this point while soaking in the beauty and peace of its ambience.

Historical Context: A British Army Officer Col. J.P Kellet built Tiffin Top in the memory of his wife, Dorothy Kellet. That is why the spot is also called Dorothy's Seat. She died of Septicaemia aboard a ship bound for England. She was buried at The Red Sea in 1936.

Snow View Point,Nainital

Located at an altitude of about 2270m, Snow View Point is one of the most attractive tourist spots in Nainital. It is around 3km away from the town and is reachable by a cable car or rope way. The peak offers amazing view of beautiful town and breathtaking snow covered mountains.

Overview

Situated at an altitude of 2,270 metres, Snow View Point offers spectacular views of the snow-clad Himalayas. Located about 3 km away from the main township of Nainital, this spot can be reached by an adventurous hilly trek or a comfortable taxi drive. Out of the different ways to reach this place, the most exciting one is by cable car, which commences at Mallital.

In order to provide a perfect view to visitors, a pair of huge binoculars is installed at this spot. A small temple is also present at this high-altitude point, along with shacks for souvenirs, tea and snacks.

Snow View Point is just one of the fantastic sites in Nainital. Visitors can find the best hotel prices near many Attractions - only on Agoda.com. Finding the perfect hotel for your next trip to see Snow View Point is easy via Agoda.com, with options such as Hotel Happy Home the Lake Paradise and The Manu Maharani. Hotel reservations are made easy with Agoda.com's secure on-line booking form for hotels in close proximity to Snow View Point. With convenient search tools and extensive information, hotels in Nainital are easily searchable. More travelers are choosing Agoda.com to book accommodation near Snow View Point, with over 150,000 hotels worldwide.

History

Snow View Point offers an enchanting view of the majestic Himalayas from a height of 2270 metres. Romance gets beautifully coupled with adventure at this point in Nainital. You can see snow-capped Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot peaks from here. A huge pair of binoculars is installed at this place facilitating the visitors in having a closer look at the mountains. Located at a distance of 3 Km from Nainital city, you can easily hire a taxi or take an aerial ropeway from Mallital to reach this attraction in Nainital. For those who love nature trails, a steep hill trek is an option too.

Nainital Zoo,Nainital

Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo is a high altitude zoo situated in Nainital, Uttarakhand. Established in 1984 and opened to public in 1995, it is situated on the Sher Ka Danda hill at a height of 2,100 .

Overview

Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo is a high altitude zoo situated in Nainital, Uttarakhand. Established in 1984 and opened to public in 1995, it is situated on the Sher Ka Danda hill at a height of 2,100 metres above sea-level and is spread over 4.6 hectares. It is the only High Altitude Zoo in north India, besides those in Darjeeling and Sikkim. Over the years it has become a popular tourist attraction.

Nainital Zoo is among the very well maintained Zoos in India. It is situated in the hills of Sher ka Danda at about 1 km. from Tallital Bus Station at an elevation of 2100 meters above sea level and connected by motorable road.

Covering a small green area of 4.693 Hectares, Nainital Zoo is the home of numerous endangered species, many of which are adopted by people and animal organizations. This high altitude zoo is located at an height of 2100 mtrs which makes this zoo a favourable place for many animals and birds. Locally called as 'Sher ka Danda', Nainital Zoo is located at hill slope in Nainital

History

The high altitude of Nainital Zoo makes it a perfect home for numerous birds and animals. It is a must-see tourist destination in Nainital for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. Also for children, visiting Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo would be a memorable experience. It is located on a hilltop 2100 metres above sea level. Popularly known as 'Sher ka Danda', you can see the Himalayan bear, civet, hill partridge, leopard, dear, Royal Bengal tiger, Tibetan wolf and more from a close distance here. This place is connected by a motorable road and is just 1 Km away from Tallital Bus Stand. The maintenance funds for the zoo comes from its entry fee. If you a student, the good news is that you can enter the zoo for free on Ozone Day, Zoo Foundation Day, World Environment Day and Wildlife Week.

The zoo was established in 1984, though it was opened to visitors on 1 June 1995. The Naintal Zoo was home to India's only Siberian tiger from 2001 until its death in November 2011. The tiger, named Kunal, was half of a pair of tigers brought from Darjeeling in 1997. His older brother, named Mahesh, died in 2001.

Raj Bhawan,Nainital

Raj Bhavan Uttarakhand or Uttarakhand Governor's House is the official residence of the Governor of Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand is one of the few Indian states which have two official buildings of Raj Bhawans.

Overview

Raj Bhawan, also called as Governor House is a British era building, now serves as the residence of Governor of Uttarakhand. Known for its magnificent looks and old age charming architecture, Raj Bhawan in Nainital previously served as summer residence of British Governors. Governor House or Raj Bhawan is located in splendid landscape and spreads across vast area.

The State of Uttarakhand (earlier known as Uttaranchal) came into existence on 9th November, 2000 as the 27th State of the Republic of India. With the creation of the State of Uttarakhand, the Raj Bhawan was temporarily established at Bijapur House situated on New Cantonment Road, Dehradun. Subsequently the Circuit House, Dehradun was redesignated as Raj Bhawan and the first Governor, Shri Surjit Singh Barnala, shifted there on 25th December 2000. The present Raj Bhawan (earlier known as Circuit House) was built in 1902. It was then called "Court House", where the then British Governor of United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) often used to reside. In the post-Independence period, India's first Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru used to stay in this building whenever he visited Dehradun. From time to time, various Presidents of India and almost all Prime Ministers, so far, have stayed in this historic building. The Rajbhawan is situated at a height of 2305 ft. from sea level.

While the Raj Bhawan was shifted to Circuit House, the Governor's Secretariat continued to function from Bijapur House premises till 27 July 2009, when the new Raj Bhawan Secretariat and Auditorium buildings were inaugurated by H.E. Shri B. L. Joshi (the 3rd Governor of Uttarakhand). Later, a separate Governor's Official Residence was built in this premises which was inaugurated by Smt. Margaret Alva (the fourth Governor of Uttarakhand) on 14 April, 2010. The Old building, previously known as Circuit House, is now being used as Raj Bhawan Guest House.

History

The Governor's House - Raj Bhawan area is 220 acres and was built in the line of Buckingham Palace London, having double storied 113 rooms. State guests & V.I.P. coming to Nainital also use it for their stay. It consists of a marvellous Garden, Golf Links, Swimming Pool and covered with lush green area of Deodar and Oak trees. The foundation stone of the Nainital Government House, modeled after Buckingham Palace, was laid on April 27, 1897, and the building was completed in March 1900.

According to local folklore, the tunnel in the Governor House had served as the hideout of Sultana Daku, the Robin Hood of India, in bygone days. It was occupied by Sir Antony Mac Donnell in that year, and was inhabited after him by Sir James La Touche, Sir John Hewett, Sir James Meston, Sir Harcourt Butler and Sir William Morris. The design was prepared originally by Mr. Stevens, a Bombay architect and by Mr. F.O. Oertel, Executive Engineer; but Mr. H.S. Wildeblood, who supervised its construction, designed many of the details, Sir Antony Mac Donnell himself took keen interest in the building.

Naina Devi Temple,Nainital

The Temple of Shri Naina Devi Ji is situated on a hilltop, base of which also has samadhi of bhagat Jatt Jeona Morh, in the Bilaspur District, Himachal Pradesh, India. The temple is connected with National Highway No. 21. The temple at the top of the hill can be reached via road and then by concrete steps. There is also a cable car facility that moves pilgrims from the base of the hill all the way to the top.

Overview

The hills of Naina Devi overlook the Gobind Sagar lake. The lake was created by the Bhakra-Nangal Dam. Several mythological stories are associated with the establishment of the temple. According to a legend, Goddess Sati burnt herself alive in Yagna, which distressed Lord Shiva. He picked the corpse of Sati on his shoulder and started his Tandava dance. This horrified all deities in the heaven as this could lead to holocaust. This urged Lord Vishnu to unleash his Chakra that cut the Sati’s body into 51 pieces. Shri Naina Devi Temple is the place where eyes of Sati fell down.

Another story related to the temple is of a Gujjar Boy . Once he was grazing his cattle and observed that a white cow is showering milk from her udders on a stone. He saw the same thing for next several days. One night while sleeping, he saw Goddess in her dreams who told him that the stone is her pindi. Naina told about the entire situation and his dream to Raja Bir Chand. When Raja saw it happening in reality, he built a temple on that spot and named the temple after Naina's name.

Shri Naina Devi Temple is also known as Mahishapeeth because of defeat of demon Mahishasur by the Goddess. According to the legends, Mahishasur was a powerful demon who was blessed by the boon of immortality by Lord Brahma, but the condition was that he could be defeated only by an unmarried woman. Due to this boon, Mahishasur started spreading terror on Earth and Gods. To cope with the demon, all Gods combined their powers and created a Devi to defeat him. The Devi was gifted different types of weapons by all Gods. When Mahishasur got mesmerized by the immense beauty of Devi and proposed her to marry him. Devi told him that she will marry him if he would overpower her. During the battle, Devi defeated the demon and took out both his eyes. This urged Gods to happily applaud "Jai Naina" and hence the name.

History

Regarded as one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, Naina Devi Temple is a sacred place located at the northern end of Nainital Lake. Dedicated to Devi Sati's eyes, devotees throng this place in Nainital from all parts of India. It is a few metres walk from the bus stand of Nainital. As you climb the hill, various shops selling prasad greet you on the way. Inside the temple, the two eyes depicting Naina Devi are placed in the center whereas statues of Goddess Kali and Lord Ganesh surround it. Visit this temple during the 8-day Nanda Ashtami festival to immerse in the faith of an overwhelming crowd. A statue of Goddess Nanda Devi is immersed in the holy water along with her sister Naina Devi on the last day of this festival.

Historical Context: Built in 15 A.D, the idol of Naina Devi was installed in this temple by a devotee named Moti Ram Shah in 1842. Later, due to massive landslides, it got demolished in 1880. Locals of the area rebuilt the temple in 1883 showing their immense faith in the goddess.

Karkotaka Temple,Bhimtal

Named after a mythical cobra, Karkotaka hills are quite well known for the Nag Temple and are visited by thousands of pilgrims who come here to worship the serpent god, Nag Karkotaka Maharaja on the event of Rishi Panchami.

Overview

Karkotaka Temple is located on the top of the hill by the same name and is flocked by devotes throughout the year. Devoted to the serpent god, Nag Karkotaka Maharaja, pilgrims come here in large numbers on the occasion of Rishi Panchami.The myth behind this temple is that the serpent god protects the villagers from the snakes.

The hill of Karkotaka is quite well known for the Nag Temple and is visited by thousands of pilgrims who come here to worship the serpent god, Nag Karkotaka Maharaja on the event of Rishi Panchami. Karkotaka hill is named after a mythical cobra Karkotaka. It is believed that the temple with the serpent god protects the villagers from snake bites.

We visited Karkotak Temple (Temple of the Snake God and said to be the younger brother of Sheshnag). The temple is atop a hill (the highest in Bhimtal nearly 6000 Ft). It was a steady climb (doable for all as we had a 12 year kid with us who infact did excellent) of nearly 3 KMs from a point on.

History

The hill of Karkotaka is quite well known for the Nag Temple and is visited by thousands of pilgrims who come here to worship the serpent god, Nag Karkotaka Maharaja on the event of Rishi Panchami. Karkotaka hill is named after a mythical cobra named Karkotaka. It is believed that the temple with the serpent god protects the villagers from snake bites.

Folk Culture Museum,Bhimtal

This museum is a must visit place of Bhimtal. Popularly known as ‘Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya’, this private museum was founded by Dr. Yashodhar Mathpal in 1983 and presents valuable artifacts and a treasure of old photographs.

Overview

This is the must visit place of Bhimtal popularly called Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya, presenting valuable artifacts and a treasure of old photographs, This museum also displays various archaeological items and rock arts representing rich culture of Uttarakhand. Other things to be viewed here are ancient manuscripts, folk paintings, images of gods, goddesses, and wooden artifacts.

A folk museum is a museum that deals with folk culture and heritage. Such museums cover local life in rural communities. A folk museum typically displays historical objects that were used as part of the people's everyday lives.Examples of such objects include clothes and tools. Many folk museums are also open-air museums and some cover rural history.

A museum is an institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these items available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary.The largest museums are located in major cities throughout the world, while thousands of local museums exist in smaller cities, towns and rural areas. Museums have varying aims, ranging from serving researchers and specialists to serving the general public. The goal of serving researchers is increasingly shifting to serving the general public.

History

Early museums began as the private collections of wealthy individuals, families or institutions of art and rare or curious natural objects and artifacts. These were often displayed in so-called wonder rooms or cabinets of curiosities. The oldest such museum in evidence was Ennigaldi-Nanna's museum, dating from c. 530 BC and devoted to Mesopotamian antiquities; it apparently had sufficient traffic as to warrant labels for the ordered collection, although there is no source for this information.

Public access to these museums was often possible for the "respectable", especially to private art collections, but at the whim of the owner and his staff. One way that elite men during this time period gained a higher social status in the world of elites was by becoming a collector of these curious objects and displaying them. Many of the items in these collections were new discoveries and these collectors or naturalists, since many of these people held interest in natural sciences, were eager to obtain them. By putting their collections in a museum and on display, they not only got to show their fantastic finds but they also used the museum as a way to sort and "manage the empirical explosion of materials that wider dissemination of ancient texts, increased travel, voyages of discovery, and more systematic forms of communication and exchange had produced."