Ranikhet – during monsoon in August, 2025 (A photo blog)

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Ranikhet – during monsoon in August, 2025
(A photo blog)

            There are a plethora of blogs on my link describing the various facets of the quaint little hill station of Ranikhet, as I keep visiting the destination to oversee the maintenance work related to my pad in a village called Timila that is situated in Tarikhet Block of Ranikhet Tehsil.  Therefore, I am not describing any details regarding the journey from Delhi to Timila village, but briefly to state, we took the early morning Shatabdi upto Kathgodam and after reaching their around Noon, we proceeded further in hired Taxi.  Being peak monsoon season, we had a blast eating local fire grilled maize and I found to my dismay that many of the sellers were pushing maize from plains as one from the hills, the latter is costlier and have a distinct sweet & soft texture.  However, this time around, having visited after quite a long time, I had not anticipated that the Kainchi Dham would be packed, however the entire stretch was and as we were already late for lunch, but we kept our tryst with the ‘Highway Inn’ run by KMVN at Khairna for our lunch.

             My wife had not travelled to any of the hill stations during monsoon, so it was first time for her and the scenic beauty of the hills totally mesmerized her and describing it in words would be futile, so I chose to post a photo blog this time around.  Here goes the photographs with brief descriptions –

Miaze being grilled on local wood

Wild Begonia flowers blooming around the hillside during monsoon

After days of dark cloud cover - the Himalayan ranges gave us a rare glimpse

Panoramic view of Baba Haira Khan temple in Chilyanaula, Ranikhet during monsoon season

Panoramic view of Ranikhet township during monsoon from road leading to Majhkhali

The cloud covered with a green top golf ground of Ranikhet

View of the valley below from Naini Village enroute of Majhkhali from Ranikhet

Umbrella Liverwort growing during monsoon season in Ranikhet region

Chetnuts growing on tree in Chaubatia Garden in Ranikhet

Panoramic view from Chaubatia Garden in Ranikhet

As the clouds envelope the Pine trees of forest in Ranikhet region

Panoramic view of Timila village in Ranikhet Tehsil 

As the cloud cover moves in - view from Timila village during monsoon

As the tufts of clouds drift along the valley - view from Timila village in Ranikhet Tehsil

A wide angle view from my Timila village home in Ranikhet Tehsil during monsoons

Just after a bout of rains - view from village Timila in Ranikhet Tehsil of Uttarakhand

Just after brief bout of rain - rainwater on Colocasia (Arbi in Hindi) leaves - shot in Timila village in Ranikhet Tehsil of Uttarakhand

Rose of Sharon (locally called Kaner or Gular in Hindi) - after rains - shot in village Timila in Ranikhet Tehsil of Uttarakhand

Here is a link to a video of my visit 

© S Roy Biswas

Monsoons in Kumaon – a pictorial display of the mood

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Monsoons in Kumaon – a pictorial display of the mood

As the monsoon clouds drift across the valleys and the mountains

              I have had the privilege of growing up in the hills, having been born and brought up there and also having had my education up to the middle level, in one of the pristine hill stations of Himachal Pradesh.  The hills are a place where one can experience all the four full seasons, along with the two transitional seasons of Spring & Autumn, of the natural cycle of seasons.  Having now spent a better half of my life in the plains of Delhi, I can clearly distinguish the difference between the nature’s glories that spreads its splendour in the hills, as compared to some drab seasons of Delhi.  In the hills, one can distinguish the seasons distinctly.  Starting with Spring, which heralds in after the harsh winters, there is a nip in the air, but also a distinct feel good factor, as the day temperatures get steady and pleasant, accompanied by the same, with most of the stone fruit bearing trees being in full bloom, with flowers of different shades and hues covering the entire trees and creating an aura of pleasure and happiness all around.  After the gaiety Spring, comes in the summers that ushers in a feeling of gay abandon.  Gone are the heavy woollen clothing and as the days gete hotter and longer, but bearable and nights are short and sweet. After summers move in the monsoon season or the rainy season and as the clouds move in, one can experience the intensity of the rains, which is such that torrents flow through the roads, as if some seasonal rivulet has sprung forth.  This abundance of water paints forth all the hills in all green and it is one of the spectacular visual experiences that one can have amongst the four seasons, other than the winters that is also truly spectacular.  Although not a favourite season for the tourists and thus, only those who stay in the hills enjoy its beauty.  The present narration is a pictorial depiction of the spectacular scenery that unfolds in the hills during monsoons –

As the rain clouds loom over Ranikhet

The clouds stretch from the plains to the hills - view of Kosi River along Corbett

Tufts of clouds lay scattered across the Ranikhet valley

Clouds drifting in the Nainital valley

Cloud cover all across - view from Bhatrochkhan

A panoramic view of the cloud filled valleys on Naintial

View of the river valley near Garampani in Naintial district

Cloud cover has just lifted - Nainital hills from Bhimtal road

A tuft of cloud suspended mid air - Nainital hills from Bhimtal road

Just after a fresh bout of rain, as the clouds part - view of Ranikhet hills from Timila village

As the clouds envelope - view of Nainital hills from road to Khairna

As the veil of clouds part, some village homes become visible again - shot from Timila village

After fresh shower of rain everything around is dripping with pure water

After a fresh bout of rains, even the grass collect some water

As the monsoon clouds loom large - shot on way to Almora

Just after a bout of rain, the cloud cover clears over Almora

How green is my valley - monsoon green - view from Bhowali village

As the rain clouds drift in - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Panoramic view of the rain clouds drifting - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

As the rain clouds envelopes the valleys - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

As the clouds hug the hill sides - - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Rain clouds nestled in the hills & valleys - - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Another view of the rain clouds enveloping the valleys - - view from Timila village of Teh.Ranikhet

Rain drops like diamonds scattered on leaves after rain

As the clouds descend upon the Bhimtal lake

             I will follow up this blog with similar pictorial depictions of the other seasons in the hills, in my ensuing blogs, to bring out the distinctiveness of the six seasons that one experiences in the hills.