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of the
Chand rulers was shifted from Champawat to Almora.
Almora is the district headquarters and the Vivekananda
Hill Agricultural Research Laboratory is also housed
here. The town is an amalgamation of social and cultural
influences drawn from all over Kumaon. Almora was also
the home of freedom fighters, writers, journalists,
editors, administrators, soldiers and artists. Almora is
one of the rare places in the hills where short
distances take hours to cover because of twisty, winding
hill roads which allows you to visit many places from
one central point.
History of Almora
Almora was founded by the Chand dynasty in 1560. The
Chands ruled over most of the Kumaon which comprises of
the present districts of Nainital, Almora and
Pithoragarh. Almora still claims to be the cultural
capital of the area. Traces of the old Chand fort, paved
roads, wooden houses with beautifully carved facades and
homes decorated with traditional murals reflect its
heritage. Along with the rest of the UP Himalaya, it was
overrun by the Gurkhas in 1798. In the Gurkha Wars of
1814-15, it suffered heavy bombardment by the British as
they endeavoured to expel the Gurkhas. Now it is an
important market town and administrative centre with an
agricultural research station. The picturesque old part
of the town is along the ridge. Swami Vivekananda came
to Almora and in a small cave at Kasar Devi, 6 kms
outside the town, he reputedly gained enlightenment and
dreamt that he should share his message with the world.
Shopping in Almora
Almora has plenty of shopping centers with a 1.25 mile
stretch of covered bazaars, including the near
200-year-old Lala Bazaar. Some of the interesting local
products are Angora cloth made from the fur of Angora
rabbits and tamta (copper) vessels. The bazaar, extends
from Paltan Bazaar to Narayan Tiwari Dewal, that runs
almost parallel to the motor road, and is full of lanes
and by-lanes. The Almora's Tamta artisans still use the
traditional methods to work with brass and copper. There
is also a factory for Kumaon Woolens which produces
tweed in the Harris Tweed Style. This is worth a
visiting place in Almora.
Tourist Attractions in Almora
About 400 temples were built during 700 and 1300 AD in
Almora district. The Sun Temple is one of the most
famous temple in Almora. The other tourist attractions
in Almora are Almora Fort, Brighton End Corner, Nanda
Devi Temple, Kalimath and Simtola. From the Almora fort
one can have a 360 degree view of Almora and the
surrounding mountains. Simtola is situated about 3 km
from Almora. It is a popular picnic spot covered by a
thick blanket of pine trees. Simtola was selected by
Uday Shankar for his cultural centre and studio. The
Nanda Devi temple is approached through Lala Bazaar. The
temple was an important meeting place during the freedom
movement.
More....
How to reach Almora
By Air:
The nearest airport is located at Pantnagar.
By Rail:
The nearest railway station is located in Kathgodam,
about 90 km from Almora via Khariua.
By Road:
Almora is linked with other places in the region
including Nainital, about 67 kms away and Ranikhet,
about 50 km. |
