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you
will cross many pretty little Kumaon villages. These
villages with their customary white walls blue windows
and doors, cobbled stone streets and citrus fruit
orchards are straight out of a picture postcard. During
winter season, the orchards take on hues of orange and
yellow from their ripe orange, malta and other similar
fruits. Pithoragarh is a cool place in which there are
less tourists, no pilgrims and tourist guides. In its
environment, you can paraglide, hang glide, mountain
bike, river raft, ski and trek. The mountainous terrain
and swift rivers are ideal for these activities. The
Nanda Devi and Panchchuli ranges of snow clad peaks can
be seen from Pithoragarh. Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.
has major plans of developing Pithoragarh as an upcoming
adventure destination in the near future.
Tourist
Attractions in Pithoragarh
The various tourist attractions in Pithoragarh are
Pithoragarh Fort, Chandak, Pancheshwar, Askot Sanctuary
and Chaukori.
Pancheshwar
The Kali river meets the Saryu river at Pancheshwar.
There is the Chaumu Temple in Pancheshwar which is
dedicated to Lord Shiva. A mela is also held here during
Shivratri each year. The devotees from the villages
nearby gather here to make merry and worship Lord Shiva.
At this time, a dip at the river is believed to be
spiritually more effective than any other time during
the year. The rest of the year, the temple is deserted.
The areas near Pancheshwar offers excellent Himalayan
views, trails, treks and is excellent for angling. The
rivers situated here are also good for rafting.
Chaukori
Chaukori is a beautiful spot which is situated at a
height of 6,595 feet. Chaukori offers great views of
snow capped mountains and extraordinary sunrise and
sunsets. The entire area is covered with tea gardens and
fruit orchards that are simply great for walking around.
This place is devoid of tourists and known for its
quaint peaceful walk.
Pithoragarh Fort
The Pithoragarh Fort is situated on the outskirts of the
main town of Pithoragarh. This fort is set on the top of
a hill, and built by the Gorkhas when they took over the
town in 1789. |
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feet. Snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, musk deer,
snow cock, tahr, bharal, monal, pheasants and chukors
are the various animals and birds which can be seen in
this sanctuary. There are also a few temples that dot
this lush green secluded forest.
Excursion
from Pithoragarh
Patal Bhuvneshwar
Patal Bhuvneshwar is situated about 94 kms. from
Pithoragarh. There is a 1 Km long cave. The cave has
beautiful statues. This place is also described in
Skandpuran. Some of people believed that Lord Shiva and
Goddess Parvati lived in these caves. Inside cave, on
the walls, images of Lord Shiva's hair can be seen, from
which water drops are falling continuously. On the right
side, it has statue of Lord Ganesha. Little ahead is
Badrinath and Kedarnath. It also has Ranidwar, Papdwar,
Dharmadwar, Mokshdwar and Bhuvneshwari Kund. The
feathers of Jatayu can be seen a little ahead from here.
Near the cave is Sumeru Hill, which has image of Sumer
at the top. A little distance from here, the Mahaling
statue of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh can be seen. On
crossing the narrow cave there is a statue of Shiv and
Parvati. It is said that Shiva hide in this cave to save
himself from Bhasmasur. On back to cave, there is a
pond, whose water is pure and clear.
Jhulaghat
The town of Jhulaghat shares its border with Nepal
formed by the Kali river. There is a small market on the
either side of the border. There is a hanging bridge on
the river, known as Jhulaghat. After crossing the bridge
you can enter Nepal and visit it without any extra cost
or official documents like passport and visa.
Narayan Ashram
Narayan Ashram is situated north of Pithoragarh, after
Dharchula and Tawaghat. The Narayan Ashram was
established by Narayan Swami in a shady green nest, and
housed in a striking edifice. It has a school for local
children and runs training programmes for local youth
and economic development. The ashram also has a library,
the swami’s samadhi sthal and a meditation center.
Dharchula
Dharchula is located about 94 km from Pithoragarh.
Dharchula is an important camp along the Kailash
Mansrovar, Adi Kailash and Narain Ashram routes and the
gateway for Darma, Chaudans and Byans regions.
Munsyari
Munsyari is situated at a distance of about 127 km from
Pithoragarh. Munsyari is the center as well as the
gateway to the Johar region. From here, one can see the
Panchchuli range from very close quarters. It is also
the base camp for trekkers going to Milam, Ralam and
Namik glaciers.
Jauljibi
Jauljibi is situated about 76 km from Pithoragarh, at
the confluence of the Gori and Kali rivers. Jauljibi
borders Nepal and is an important trading center. During
the autumn season, Jauljibi pulsates with important
trade fair which is an indicator of the cultural and
commercial prosperity of the region.
How to reach Pithoragarh
By Air:
The nearest airport is Naini Saini.
By Rail:
The nearest railway station is Tanakpur.
By Road:
Pithoragarh is linked with various places like Nainital,
Almora and Ranikhet and other places in the Kumaon and
Garhwal region. |
