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Almora Tours Travel
Almora is perched on a
five-kilometre long horseshoe-shaped ridge, 1,650 metres above sea level. The
town looks out over a fertile terraced valley and four ranges of hills - Banari
Devi, Kasan Devi, Shyahi Devi and Katarmal. From the town one can see the
magnificent Himalyan ranges to the North with the peaks of Trishul, Nanda Devi
and Nanda Kot rising tall in majestic splendour.
Many hill stations, like Nainital for example, were established by the British. But Almora is a
magnificent town with a long history. The Kashaya Hill on which the town is
built finds a mention in the scripture of the Skanda Purana. In 1560 Raja
Kalyan Chand of Kumaon made it the capital of his kingdom. At that time it was
called Rajapur and ancient inscriptions on many places still have Rajapur
carved on them The rule of Chand dynasty came to an end after the gorkhas from
Nepal occupied the area in 1790. The British defeated the Gorkhas in 1815, and
established a small Army establishment and a Cantonment.
Swami
Vivekanada had this to say about Almora. "These mountains are associated with
the best memories of our race: Here, therefore, must be one of centres, not
merely of activity, but more of calmness of meditation, and of peace and I hope
some one day to realize it." In fact he expressed a desire to have a meditation
centre established here and the Ramakrishna Mission at Bright End Corner is a
not an active ashram but is a quiet retreat for monks.
The charm of
Almora does not lie in the overcrowded Mall. It lies in other places that
include:
The Almora Bazaar : The cobbled
stone streets of the bazaar are a delight to walk through. Houses and shops
align the narrow streets that bustle with activity in the evenings. The
traditional architecture is very much in evidence here as one spots carved
doors and windows. Some of the best examples of the old styles of architecture
van be found in Khazanchi Mohalla, an area which once belonged to the state
treasurers. As you walk on the cobbles stoned path the markets change from Lala
Bazar at one end to Thana Bazar on the other. In between are Karkhana Bazar,
Khajanchi Mohalla, Jauhari Mohalla, Malli Bazar and Tamta Mohalla. Tamta
Mohalla just short of the Cantonment. One of the traditional crafts of Almora
is copperware and some of the best coppersmiths still work from their
traditional area Tamta Mohalla. As you walk through this area the air
reverberates with the sound of wooden hammers on metal and one can spot the
Tamta community at work carving exquisite brass utensils and decorative
items.
Nanda Devi Temple : This temple is
dedicated to the patron goddess of the local population and the Chand rajas,
and is located in the antechamber of a Shiva temple in the Bazaar above the
Mall.
Chitai Temple : The famous hilltop
temple of Chitai is 6 kms from Almora. Lord Golla, to whom the temple is
dedicated is a deified general of the Chand dynasty. The shrine and the trees
in the compound are decorated with bells offered by devotees who tie a bell
either while making a wish or in thanksgiving.
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