Bhimtal is the biggest lake in the Nainital district of
Uttarakhand. This lake has been in
existence since ancient times, being a gateway to the plains below for people
moving in from present day Pithoragarh and Tibet etc. for trade during historic
times. It was discovered by the British
only in 1841 and developed to some extent by them. Folklore of the region say that the Pandavas
had visited the place and Draupadi was thirsty, so Bhima struck the ground and
water flowed forth in this place that formed a lake and since then the water
continues of replenish the lake perennially, thus, the lake is named after him
as Bhimtal. An ancient Shiva temple,
known as ‘Bhimeshwara Mahadev’ temple is also located in Bhimtal, which as per
folklore is touted to have been built by Bhima and has been standing there
since centuries. The present temple was
renovated in the 17th Century A.D by Kumaon King Baz Bahadur of
Chand dynasty.
Bird's eye view of Bhimtal - all buildings cramping up the place
Panoramic view of Bhimtal lake
As the clouds envelope Bhimtal lake during monsoon
Another view of Bhimtal lake during monsoon
Geographically, Bhimtal is located about 22 Kms. from
Nainital and about 20 Kms. from the last railhead Kathgodam. It is perched at an altitude of 1370 meters
and enjoys a salubrious climate the year round.
Bhimtal is situated at the base
of Karkotaka mountain, named after the famed mythological Snake. At present Bhimtal has become a hub of
housing activity all across this mountain, with several individual and
apartments coming up in the region. The
tourists get to enjoy boat ride in the lake and also angling facility. During the recent past the adventure of para
gliding has also been added in the list of activities that the tourists can
enjoy. The STD Code for Bhimtal is – 05942
and the Pin Code of Bhimtal is – 263136.
In continuation
of my earlier blogs that was published for promoting tourism in Garhwal region,
the present blog starts with the other part of Uttarakhand’s linguistically
identified region i.e. Kumaon.Kumaon
region can further been identified as four distinct regions i.e. Nainital,
Almora, Pithoragarh and Champawat.The
first blog of the series will start with Nainital and places around it Here is the video that covers this region –
Nainital
Nainital is
the most well-known destination of Uttarakhand and is also the district
Headquarters that goes by the same name.Nainital is also known as the ‘Lake district of the State’, as this
district has many small and big lakes scattered all around.The entry to Kumaon region is through
Haldwani or Kathgodam, which is the last rail head.From Kathgodam the journey for Kumaon region
commences and the most famous destination in this circuit is Nainital.Nainital, named as the place where the ‘eyes’ (Naina)
of ‘Sati’ fell here and is revered as one of the 64 ‘Shakti Peeths’,
is the most famous destination in the Kumaon region. The lake is about 1.3 kms. long and about 0.5
kms. in breadth, while the northern end of the lake is called the ‘Mallital’
and the southern tip as ‘Tallital’.The lake is situated at an altitude of 1940 meters and is surrounded by
many peaks, some of which tower over 8,000 feet i.e. China Peak.It is a destination enjoyed by tourists, both
during summers and winters equally.Apart
from Nainital, there are other equally enthralling destinations having lakes
around Nainital and easily accessible from Nainital during a day tour and to
name a few (ascending order of distance from Nainital) –
Sattal – This destination as the name depicts, is a
conglomeration of seven lakes and is also perched at around an altitude of 1300
odd meters.This destination is enjoyed
by tourists for boating and is a much sought after destination for ‘Birders’,
as it offers sighting of plethora of birds;
A view of the Sattal lake
Bhimtal - This quaint little township perched at an
elevation of 1370 meters, houses the biggest lake of the region and accordingly
named Bhimtal. It is an enjoyable
destination that offers facilities of boating and fishing;
View of Bhimtal lake
Naukuchiatal – As the name suggests, the lake in this
destination is ‘nine cornered’ one and perched at an elevation of 1220
meters. It is the deepest lake in the
region at is about 175 feet deep and tourists can enjoy boating, angling and
bird watching in the destination.
The Naukuchia lake
Here is the link to my blog
encompassing all these destinations –
Also
known as Pangot, this destination is a sublime one, away from hustle and bustle
of Nainital and a drive of 13 Kms. from the township.Perched at an elevation of 6,510 feet, this
quaint little village destination is a must visit for avid bird watchers, as
about 580 bird species have been identified visiting this area.Here is the link to the blog for the
destination - https://ghummakar-biswas.blogspot.com/2012/09/walking-through-clouds-panghoot-around.html
Mukteshwar
Mukteshwar - the house where Jim Corbett used to stay during summers
This township is about 51 Kms. from
Nainital and perched at an elevation of 2171 meters i.e. about 7500 feet, this
destination is named after the 350 years old Shiva temple situated here.This destination offers fantastic views of
sunrise and sunset alongwith sporting activities like rappelling etc., to add
to the charm of this destination.It is
a must visit destination for nature lovers and those who enjoy the splendour of
the hills.Here is the link to the blog
about this destination -https://ghummakar-biswas.blogspot.com/2011/12/kumaon-mukteshwar-view-of-sitla-from.html
Kainchi Dham
The famed Kainchi dham temple
Kainchi is a beautiful ashram located in secluded mountain of the Kumoan
Hills in Uttarakand. The temple was first inaugurated in June 1964. It is
approximately 38 km from Nainital. Many hundreds of people visit the temples
here every day, during the season. It was some time in 1962 when
Maharajji called for Shri Poornanand of Kainchi village while he himself waited
sitting on parapet wall by the road side near Kainchi. When he came, they
refreshed the memories of their first meeting which they had 20 years back in
1942. They discussed about the place around. Maharajji wanted to see the place
where Sadhu Premi Baba and Sombari Maharaj had lived and performed Yagyas. The
forest was cleared and Maharajji asked for the construction of a Chabootara
(rectangular platform) covering the Yagyashala. Maharajji contacted the then
"conservator of forests" and took possession of the requisite land on
lease. The Hanuman temple is built over the platform mentioned above. His
devotees started coming from different places and a chain of bhandaras,
kirtans, bhajans started. The Pran-Pratishtha of idols of Hanumanji and others
was performed on 15th June in different years. Thus, 15th June is celebrated
every year as Pratishtha Divas Each year, during the famous June 15th
bhandara. The place is of international repute boasting of followers like
Steve Job & Mark Zuckerberg.
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.
Red billed Blue Magpie calling in the hills of Uttarakhand
Having
started with the construction work in Timila, I wanted to show the place to my
mother & children and as the weather had remained quite cold in the hills
during the month of March, 2014 we decided to visit the destination during mid
April and we chose 18th April, 2014 as there was a three day break from
School & Office that we got during the week ending with ‘Good Friday’
holiday. We started early morning for
Anand Vihar Railway station, as we were scheduled to board the ‘Shtabdi train’
for Kathgodam. As I found out on this
day, that the proverbs are coined by experienced persons and come true ever so
often, this time around the proverb ‘Morning shows the day’ came true, as we
started our journey by Taxi at 4.30 A.M early in the morning. It had started drizzling and by the time we
reached the station, the intensity had increased as also the wind speed and
almost everyone waiting at the station was forced to take out their light
woolens etc. This rain continued all
through the journey from Delhi
to Kathgodam. We reached Kathgodam around
12.00 Noon and as we alighted from the train, the cold winds lashed us fiercely
and we immediately booked a Taxi to drop us at Chilyanaula, Ranikhet. The road journey took us from Kathgodam,
Bhimtal, Bhowali, Kainichi Dham, Garampani, Khairna to Chilyanaula in Ranikhet,
where we reached around 3.00 P.M and had to ask for Room heaters during the
night, because of the intense cold after sunset. I have described the destinations many a
times in my blogs and would like my viewers to enjoy the journey through the
photographs, having detailed tags and enjoy the journey through my lens, when
the hills turned to winter during the spring time -
Desolate Kathgodam
Monkey too huddled in the cold
Headed towards Bhimtal
Passing by Bhimtal
Just past Bhowali
Wet all around
Just enjoy the view
Stranded tourists in the cold weather - awaiting repair of car tyre - just ahead of Kainchi
Going past Kainchi
View of river valley near Garam Pani
Naturally crafted stone toad
A few more for company
Just past Khairna
Road headed for Ranikhet
View of valley towards Ranikhet
Dwarhat as viewed by 500mm lens from Chilyanaula
Sunset over Chilyanaula
View of Chaukhamba peaks at sunrise from Chilyanaula - shot with 500mm lens
