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               NAINITAL TRAVEL GUIDE

Nainital is a town in  Uttarakhand and headquarters of Nainital district in the Kumaon
foothills of the outer Himalayas. Situated at an altitude of 1,938 metres (6,358 feet)
above sea level, Nainital is set in a valley containing a pear-shaped lake,
approximately two miles in circumference, and surrounded by mountains, of which
the highest are Naina (2,615 m (8,579 ft)) on the north, Deopatha (2,438 m (7,999 ft))
on the west, and Ayarpatha (2,278 m (7,474 ft)) on the south. From the tops of the
higher peaks, "magnificent views can be obtained of the vast plain to the south, or of
the mass of tangled ridges lying north, bounded by the great snowy range which
forms the central axis of the Himalayas.

It is believed that Nainital figures in some ancient myths of India. In the Manas
Khand of the Skand Puranas, Nainital Lake is called Tri-Rishi-Sarovar, hinting at the
story of three sages (or rishis), Atri, Pulastya and Pulaha, who, upon finding no water
in Nainital, dig a large hole at the location of the present day lake (sarovar = lake)
and fill it with water from the holy lake Manasarovar in Tibet. According to lore, a dip
in Naini Lake, "the lesser Manasarovar," earns merit equal to a dip in the great lake.

It is also believed that Naini Lake is one of the 64 Shakti Peeths, or religious sites
where parts of the charred body of Sati (Parvati) fell on earth while being carried by
Lord Shiva. The spot where Sati's eyes (or Nain) fell, came to be called Nain-tal or
[lake of the eye. The goddess Shakti is worshipped at the Naina Devi Temple on the
north shore of the present day lake.

The Kumaon Hills came under British rule after the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-16),
but the hill station town of Naini Tal was founded only in 1841, with the construction
of the first European house (Pilgrim Lodge) by P. Barron, a sugar trader from
Shahjahanpur. In his memoir, he wrote: "It is by far the best site I have witnessed in
the course of a 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometres) trek in the Himalayas." In 1846,
when a Captain Madden of the Bengal Artillery visited Naini Tal, he recorded that
"houses were rapidly springing up in most parts of the settlement: some towards the
crest of the limitary ranges were nearly 7,500 ft (2,286 m) above sea level: the
rugged and woody Ayarpatta was being gradually planted and that the favourite sites
were on the undulating tract of forest land which stretched back from the head of the
lake to the base of China and Deopatta (Camel's Hump). The Church, St. John in the
Wilderness, had been built, ..." Soon, the town became a health resort favoured
both by British soldiers and by colonial officials and their families trying to escape
the heat of the plains. Later, the town also became the summer residence of the
Governor of the United Provinces.


GENERAL INFORMATION

Time zone           IST (UTC+5:30)
Area                     11.73 kmē (5 sq mi)
Elevation             1,938 m (6,358 ft)
District(s)            Nainital
Population          38,560 (2001)
Density                3,827/kmē (9,912/sq mi)


PLACE TO VISIT

Naina Devi Temple - was destroyed by the landslip of 1880 and later rebuilt. It
is located on the northern shore of Naini Lake. The presiding deity of the temple is
Maa Naina Devi represented by two Netras or eyes. Flanking Naina Devi are the
deities of Mata Kali and Lord Ganesha.

St. John in the Wilderness - was established in 1844 and is located on
the north end of town (Mallital), about half a mile north-west of the Naina Devi temple.
The church was so named by Daniel Wilson, the Bishop of Calcutta, who, after
falling ill during a visit to Nainital in 1844 to lay the foundation of the church, was
obliged to sleep in an unfinished house on the edge of the forest. (See excerpt from
Josiah Bateman on the Literary references to Nainital page.) A brass plaque on the
altar is inscribed with names of the victims of the Landslip of 1880.

Snow View - is situated at an altitude of 2,270 m (7,448 ft) and located atop the
Sher-ka-danda Ridge (north by north-east of the town centre), is easily reachable by
cable car. On a clear day, it offers spectacular views of the snowbound high
Himalaya, including Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Nanda Kot. The best time of the year for
viewing the mountains is late October and November.

Naina Peak - also known as China or Cheena Peak. Naina peak is the highest
peak in the town, with an altitude of 2,615 m (8,579 ft). and at a walking distance of 6
km (4 mi) from the north end of the town (Mallital). From atop the peak, one cannot
only see a broad swath of the snow clad high Himalaya, but also obtain a panoramic
view of Nainital town itself. The summit is an invigorating hike from Nainital town; in
addition, for the less energetic visitors, ponies can be hired in Mallital or on Snow
View.

Tiffin Top - also known as Dorothy's Seat (Tiffin = light meal eaten during the
day). This terraced hill top (2,292 m (7,520 ft)) on Ayarpatta hill is a 4 km (2 mi) hike
from the town centre and commands a nice view of the neighbouring country side.
Dorothy's Seat is a stonework picnic perch on Tiffin Top built as a memorial to an
English artist, Dorothy Kellet, by her husband and admirers after her death in a plane
crash.

Gurney House - is the former residence, of Jim Corbett, is located on Ayarpatta
Hill. The house is now a museum of Corbett memorabilia. The surrounding hillside
is rich with deodar, oak, pine and rhododendron.

Mukteshwar - (2,286 m (7,500 ft)) is a picturesque town 52 km (32 mi) north-
east of Nainital, is home to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute. It also offers an
unhindered view of the high mountains of the western Himalaya, including Nanda
Devi, Trisul, and Nanda Kot.

Bhimtal Lake - is named after the second Pandava brother Bhima in the
Mahabharata who was known for his prodigious strength. The lake, which is larger
than Naini Lake, is approximately 22 km (14 mi) from Nainital at an altitude of 1,370
m (4,495 ft). There is an island in the lake with a popular restaurant on it. There is
also a 17th century temple complex, the Bhimeshwar, alongside a 40 ft (12 m) high
dam at one end of the lake.

Sattal - literally Seven Lakes, is at a distance of about 23 km (14 mi) from Nainital
in the Lower Himalayan Range at an altitude of 1,370 m (4,495 ft). It is a cluster of
small interconnected lakes in the midst of an old oak forest. On approaching Sattal,
the first lake encountered is the Nal-Damyanti Lake; next it is the Panna or Garude
lake; and finally there is a cluster of three lakes: Ram, Laxman, and Sita lakes.


HOW TO REACH

By train - The town is served by the Kathgodam station, which is located 35 kms
away from the town. Taxis charge Rs 500 to Nainital. You can also share a cab at Rs
50 per person. Most hotels will arrange for a pick up on prior request, Rs 600-900.
The station handles 46 express trains per week.

By road -  There are daily bus services from Delhi. The buses leave from ISBT
Anand Vihar and are run by Uttarakhand Roadways.

Driving to Nainital takes 7 to 8 hours. From Delhi, it's highway driving throughout. NH
24 connects Delhi to Rampur via Hapur. At Rampur, turn and head north on NH 87
all the way upto Nainital. En-route halts include the Wonderland, Rwy crossing,
Moradabad and The Cottage, Jeliokot.

By plane - Contrary to popular belief, flying into Nainital is the fastest way to
reach the hill station. Nainital is served by PantNagar Airport, located about 2 hours
away. It is served only by Jagson airlines. It is one of the least busy airports in the
country, handling only 6 scheduled flights a week.