Almora is one of the six districts in the Kumaun division of Uttarakhand, founded in 1568 by King Kalyan Chand. It serves as the administrative headquarter of Almora district. With a population of over six lakhs, it stands at the sixth most populated district in Uttarakhand. Located around 343 km from Dehradun, Almora is well connected with all possible mediums. It is surrounded by districts of Pithoragarh, Bageshwar and Nainital on three sides and Garhwal division on the other. Upon viewing from a distance it appears that Almora is situated in a horseshoe shaped mountains.
Almora’s captivating beauty and serene environment have attracted many prominent personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Moti Lal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vijay Lakshmi Pandit. Moreover, Almora is the birthplace of Sir Ronald Ross, the man who discovered the Malaria parasite and was awarded a Nobel prize for its discovery. Its rich ancient history, cultural heritage, cuisine, and panoramic view of the Himalayas, attracts tourists from far and wide.
If we flip the pages of Almora history, it reveals that its ancient town was once the capital of Kumaun Kingdom. Later, the Chand dynasty shifted the Kumaon Kingdom from Champawat to Almora. Earlier, the district also served as the administrative headquarter of Kumaun district. In the 1960s, Bageshwar, Pithorgarh and Champawat districts were part of Almora. They came into existence, since they have been carved out from Almora and exist as separate districts.
Legend has it that the name Almora is derived from “Bhilmora”, a type of plant found in abundance in the area. Bhilmora is a kind of sorrel mostly used by the villagers to wash the utensils of the Sun Temple at Katarmal. Almora is known for its rich folk tales and is famous for its Chholiya dance and Jhoda dance, where villagers can be found wearing their traditional attires.
Beyond its natural beauty, Almora is home to various religious sites; such as eight temples of Bhairava, the nine forms of Durga, Nanda Devi, Kasar Devi, Chitai Golu, Jhoola Devi, Binsar Mahadev, Katarmal Temple, Gana Nath temple, Golu Devta and the revered Jageshwar Dham. Each temple holds its own significance and draws a multitude of devotees round the year. Among the nine forms of Durga, the Nanda Devi temple is particularly renowned.
The fair held at the Nanda Devi Temple in the month of September has been an integral part of this temple for over 400 years, attracting a large number of tourists. Although Almora boasts many temples, the history of the Jageshwar Dham temple located here is 2,500 years old. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is considered an excellent example of architecture, consisting of 124 small and large temples.
Additionally, devotees hold deep faith in Kasar Devi, Binsar Mahadev Temple and Chitai Golu Temple, and Katarmal Sun Temple located here. The Katarmal Sun Temple also known as Bara Aditya temple stands out with a distinction, it is the only sun temple in the entire Kumaun division. In addition to its religious significance, Almora is a popular destination for adventure lovers, offering a variety of adventurous activities. The renowned Jageshwar Trek and Pindari Trek are quite popular among the visitors.
