?Nainital Uttrakhand • India
Nainital
Coordinates: 29°18′N 79°18′E / 29.3, 79.3
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	11.73 km² (5 sq mi) • 1,938 m (6,358 ft)
District(s)	Nainital
Population • Density	38,560 (2001) • 3,827/km² (9,912/sq mi)
Codes • Pincode • Telephone • Vehicle	• 263001/263002 • +91 - 5942 • UA 04
Website: 210.212.78.56/nainital/en/index.asp

Coordinates: 29°18′N 79°18′E / 29.3, 79.3 Nainital is a town in the Indian state of 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."^[1] Uttarakhand (Hindi: उत्तराखंड), known as Uttaranchal from 2000 to 2006, became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Location of Mirzapur and the 82. ... The geography of India is diverse, with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts, plains, rainforests, hills, and plateaus. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... The divisions of a district. ... Nainital is a district of Uttaranchal state, India. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of the Volunteer The United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations Events January January 1 - A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall appears in Seattles Magnuson Park, placed by an anonymous... Example of a PIN: The PIN code of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh A Postal Index Number or PIN or Pincode is the post office numbering or post code system used by the Indian Postal Service. ... For the past decade or so, telecommunication activities have gained momentum in India. ... Licence plates on the back of a taxi in Kolkata. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... India is a federal republic comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. ... , Uttarakhand (Hindi: उत्तराखंड), known as Uttaranchal from 2000 to 2006, became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. ... Nainital is a district of Uttaranchal state, India. ... Kumaon (or Kumaun) is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. ... Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in hilly areas at the base of a mountain range. ... For the movie Himalaya, see Himalaya (film). ... This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ...

Nainital has temperate summers, maximum temperature +27 °C (81 °F); minimum temperature +10 °C (50 °F), during which its population increases more than fivefold with an annual influx of tourists predominantly from the plains of Northern India. In the winter, Nainital receives snowfall between December and February with the temperatures varying between a maximum of +15 °C (59 °F) and a minimum of −3 °C (27 °F). Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... Dark green region marks the approximate extent of northern India while the regions marked as light green lies within the sphere of north Indian influence. ...

Demographics

As of the 2001 Indian census^[2], Nainital had a population of 38,559. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Nainital has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 86%, and female literacy is 76%. In Nainital, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age. Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ...

Nainital and lake in the winter

Image File history File linksMetadata Nainital_snow_lake. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Nainital_snow_lake. ...

Nainital in Mythology

The high Himalayas (Trisul, Nanda Devi) as seen from Snow View, Nainital

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. Image File history File links Himalaya_seen_from_snowview_2. ... Image File history File links Himalaya_seen_from_snowview_2. ... Trisul (Hindi-त्रिशूल) is the group of three Himalayan mountain peaks in the westernmost Kumaun in the central part of Uttarakhand state of India near the Bageshwar district. ... Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India, and the highest entirely within the country. ... Purana (Sanskrit: , meaning tales of ancient times) is the name of an ancient Indian genre (or a group of related genres) of Hindu or Jain literature (as distinct from oral tradition). ... A rishi (Sanskrit ऋषि: ) is a Hindu saint or sage. ... Lake Manasarovar or Lake Manasa Sarovar (Sanskrit: मानसरोवर; Tibetan: མ་ཕམ་གཡུ་མཚོ།, Mapham Yutso) is a fresh-water lake in Tibet 2000 km from Lhasa. ... This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ...

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. Lakshmi is a common aspect of Shakti Shakti meaning force, power or energy is the Hindu concept or personification of Gods female aspect, sometimes referred to as The Divine Mother. Shakti represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. ... In the Hindu religion, Satī (Devanagari: सती, the feminine of sat true) or Dākshāyani is the Goddess of marital felicity and longevity; she is worshipped particularly by ladies to seek the long life of their husbands. ... For other uses, see Siva (disambiguation). ...

British Period

Early Construction

St. John in the Wilderness, Nynee Tal, 1860

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."^[3] 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, ..."^[4] 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. Image File history File linksMetadata StJohn_in_Wilderness1860_BLcollection. ... Image File history File linksMetadata StJohn_in_Wilderness1860_BLcollection. ... Kumaon (or Kumaun) is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Kalimpong town as viewed from a distant hill. ... , Shahjahanpur is a city and a municipal board in Shahjahanpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... “km” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Bengal (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... United Provinces, 1903 The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, mainly referred to simply as the United Provinces, was a former province of British India, which existed from 1902 to 1947. ...

The Landslip of 1880

Before the landslip a general view of the north end of Naini Tal. 1875

In September 1880 a landslide (the Landslip of 1880) occurred at the north end of the town, burying 151 people. The first known landslide had occurred in 1866, and in 1879 there was a larger one at the same spot, Alma Hill, but "the great slip occurred in the following year, on Saturday 18 September 1880."^[4] "Two days preceding the slip there was heavy rain, ... 20 inches (508 millimetres) to 35 in (889 mm) fell during the 40 hours ending on Saturday morning, and the downpour still lasted and continued for hours after the slip. This heavy fall naturally brought down streams of water from the hill side, some endangering the Victoria Hotel, ... (which) was not the only building threatened ... Bell's shop, the Volunteer Orderly Room and the Hindu (Naina Devi) temple were scenes of labour with a view to diverting streams. At a quarter to two the landslip occurred burying those in and around the buildings mentioned above." The total number of dead and missing were 108 Indian and 43 British nationals. (See poem by Hannah Battersby on the page Literary references to Nainital.) The Assembly Rooms and the Naina Devi Temple were both destroyed in the disaster. A recreation area known as 'The Flats' was later built on the site and a new temple was also erected. To prevent further disasters, storm water drains were constructed and building bylaws were made stricter. Image File history File links Nainital_before_landslip_BLcollection. ... Image File history File links Nainital_before_landslip_BLcollection. ... This article is about geological phenomenon. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... Bhavna says there are 300 million gods in Hinduism. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ...

The Schools

Naini Tal, landslip in 1880

In the latter half of the 19th century a number of "European" schools for boys and girls were founded in Nainital. During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, students in these schools consisted largely of children of British colonial officials or soldiers. In 1906, for example, there were over half a dozen such schools,^[4] including the Diocesan Boys' School (later renamed Sherwood College) under the guidance of the Church of England; Philander Smith's College, maintained by an American; St. Joseph's College a Roman Catholic institution, Wellesley School an American institution; St. Mary's Convent High School, a Roman Catholic institution; All Saints Diocesan High School for Girls, under the Church of England, and Petersfield College for Girls. Image File history File links Nainital_landslip1880_BLcopyright2. ... Image File history File links Nainital_landslip1880_BLcopyright2. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her ascension to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It succeeded the Victorian period and is sometimes extended to include the period up to the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, the start of World War... Sherwood College is a boarding school, established by the British in India in 1869 to educate British boys and the Indian elite during the Raj. ... The Church of England logo since 1998 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... Click the discussion tab on top of the page to discuss the article St Josephs College Nainital is a residential school providing public school education. ... Catholic schools are education ministries of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

In the 1920s and 30s, the schools began to admit more Indian students. This trend continued until independence, by which time the student bodies had become predominantly Indian, albeit in many cases greatly reduced in size. Later around 1983 another school called St. Amtul's Public School (SAPS) came up as a neighbour to Sherwoold college. Amtuls achieved a remarkable place in the hierarchy of already well known schools of Nainital.

Transition

Tennis Tournament, Naini Tal, 1899

By the 1880s, a mere 40 years after its founding, Nainital had become something of an exclusive English preserve, with the Indian presence in the town confined largely to a behind-the-scenes labour and service industry, or to the occasional prince. This state of affairs lasted for much of the Victorian era. The first signs of change came early in the 20th century, when Indian bureaucrats and professionals began arriving in town as part of the annual migration of the state government of the United Provinces to Nainital every summer. The next big change came in 1925, when British civil servants began to receive subsidies for taking their annual vacations in England,^[5] and, consequently, many stopped going to the hill stations in the summers. From then on until 1947 (excepting the war years), the British presence in Nainital (measured, for example, by home ownership) continued to decline and was gradually replaced by a burgeoning Indian presence. Image File history File links Nainital_tennis_tournement_BLcollection. ... Image File history File links Nainital_tennis_tournement_BLcollection. ... A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy, usually within an institution of the government. ... The Roman civil service in action. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

Nainital Today

In and around Nainital

Naina Devi temple today

The 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. Image File history File linksMetadata NainitalTemple15. ... Image File history File linksMetadata NainitalTemple15. ... It has been suggested that Shri Vidya be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ...

The church of 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. Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta, born in Spitalfields, London, 2 July 1778, died in Calcutta, 2 January 1858. ... The Bishop of Calcutta exercises episcopal leadership over the Diocese of Calcutta of the Church of North India. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ...

St. John's in the Wilderness today

Raj Bhawan or Governor's House, built 1899

High Court, Nainital

Governor’s House also known Raj Bhavan and formerly, Government House was built in 1899 and designed in the Victorian Gothic domestic style (also called "domestic Gothic") by the architect F.W. Stevens. Originally built as the summer residence of the governor of the North West Province, it later became the summer residence for the Lieutenant Governor of the United Provinces. Currently, Raj Bhavan is the official guest house for the governor of Uttarakhand and for visiting state guests. The complex consists of a two-storied mansion with 113 rooms, a large garden, a swimming pool, and golf links. Obtaining prior permission is must for visiting. Image File history File linksMetadata Naini_Tal_22692_0_03212006_0703115092_500. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Naini_Tal_22692_0_03212006_0703115092_500. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... ... United Provinces, 1903 The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, mainly referred to simply as the United Provinces, was a former province of British India, which existed from 1902 to 1947. ... , Uttarakhand (Hindi: उत्तराखंड), known as Uttaranchal from 2000 to 2006, became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. ...

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. (See excerpts from Joseph Fayrer on the Literary references to Nainital page.) A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems. ... Perspective view of the Himalaya and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India, and the highest entirely within the country. ... Trisul (Hindi-त्रिशूल) is the group of three Himalayan mountain peaks in the westernmost Kumaun in the central part of Uttarakhand state of India near the Bageshwar district. ... |} Nanda Kot(Hindi-नन्दा कोट) is the name of one of the Himalayan mountain peak in Pithoragarh district of Uttaranchal state in India. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ...

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. For other uses, see Tiffin (disambiguation). ...

The High Court of Uttarakhand formerly known as The Old Secretariat.

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. Jim Corbett, hunter turned conservationist. ... Binomial name Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus (from Latin oak tree), and some related genera, notably Cyclobalanopsis and Lithocarpus. ... For other uses, see Pine (disambiguation). ... Subgenera Azaleastrum Candidastrum Hymenanthes Mumeazalea Pentanthera (Azaleas) Rhododendron Therorhodion Tsutsusi (Azaleas) Vireya Source: RBG, Edinburgh Rhododendron (from the Greek: rhodos, rose, and dendron, tree) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. ...

Outside Nainital

The Jim Corbett National Park (29°32′N 78°56′E / 29.533, 78.933) in the Nainital district is India's oldest national park. The park, which is 63 km (39 mi) west by north-west of Nainital, contains a wide variety of wild life including elephant, tiger, chital, Sambar Deer, nilgai, gharial, King Cobra, muntjac, wild boar, hedgehog, common musk shrew (White-toothed shrew), flying fox (pteropus, megabat), Indian Pangolin, and nearly 600 species of birds. A herd of Indian wild elephants at Corbett National Park. ... This is a list of all national parks of India. ... This article is about national parks. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas antiquus † Elephas beyeri † Elephas celebensis † Elephas cypriotes † Elephas ekorensis † Elephas falconeri † Elephas iolensis † Elephas planifrons † Elephas platycephalus † Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea... For other uses, see Tiger (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (Erxleben, 1777) The chital (or cheetal) deer, also known as the spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and most of India. ... Binomial name Cervus unicolor (Kerr, 1792) Sambar Sambar in forest Sambar (also sambur, sambhur), is the common name for several large dark brown and maned Asian deer, particularly for the Indian species, which attains a height of 102 to 160 cm (40 to 63 in) at the shoulder and may... Binomial name Boselaphus tragocamelus Pall. ... Binomial name Gavialis gangeticus (Gmelin, 1789) The gavial (Gavialis gangeticus) is one of two surviving members of the family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodile-like reptiles with long, narrow jaws. ... Binomial name Cantor, 1836 Range (in red) The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the worlds longest venomous snake, growing to a length of 18. ... Species See text. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. ... Genera Atelerix Erinaceus Hemiechinus Mesechinus Paraechinus A hedgehog is any of the small spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. ... Binomial name Crocidura russula (Hermann, 1780) The greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula is a small shrew found in Europe and North Africa. ... Species Pteropus admiralitatum Pteropus aldabrensis Pteropus alecto Pteropus anetianus Pteropus aruensis Pteropus banakrisi Pteropus brunneus Pteropus caniceps Pteropus capistratus Pteropus chrysoproctus Pteropus cognatus Pteropus dasymallus Pteropus faunulus Pteropus fundatus Pteropus giganteus Pteropus gilliardorum Pteropus griseus Pteropus howensis Pteropus hypomelanus Pteropus insularis Pteropus intermedius Pteropus keyensis Pteropus leucopterus Pteropus livingstonii Pteropus... See also the band, Fruit Bats. ... Binomial name Manis crassicaudata Gray, 1827 Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is pangolin or scaly ant-eater that is found in the slopes of Himalayan mountain range. ...

Cable car from Mallital (North End) to Snow View in Nainital

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. Image File history File links Cable_car_to_snowview. ... Image File history File links Cable_car_to_snowview. ... Mukteshwar with Himalayas in background -- Nanda Devi and Nanda Devi East on right Mukteshwar is a town and tourist destination in the Nainital District of Uttaranchal, India, located at , . It sits high in the Kumaon Hills at an altitude of 2286 meters (7500 feet). ... Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India, and the highest entirely within the country. ... Trisul (Hindi-त्रिशूल) is the group of three Himalayan mountain peaks in the westernmost Kumaun in the central part of Uttarakhand state of India near the Bageshwar district. ... |} Nanda Kot(Hindi-नन्दा कोट) is the name of one of the Himalayan mountain peak in Pithoragarh district of Uttaranchal state in India. ...

Bhimtal Lake is named after the second Pandava brother Bhima in the Mahābhārata 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. Bhimtal Lake is a lake in the town of Bhimtal, Uttaranchal, India. ... In the Mahabharata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu, by his two wives Kunti and Madri. ... A motif depicting Bheema in the battle ready posture. ... “Mahabharat” redirects here. ...

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. Sattal, meaning The Seven Lakes, is part of the lake district in India. ... The Lower Himalayan Range (also known as the Lesser Himalayan Range) lies north of the Sub-Himalayan Range and south of the Great Himalayas. ...

Khurpa Tal, literally Trowel Lake, is an attractive lake about 10 km (6 mi) by road (or a 5 km (3 mi) hike) from Nainital at an altitude of 1,635 m (5,364 ft). It is popular with anglers and is surrounded by terraced fields (or farms), from which it presumably gets its name. A gardening trowel Trowel used by the Hon. ... A fisherman in central Chile A Long Island fisherman cleans his nets A fisherman (in recent years sometimes called a fisher to be non-gender specific), is a person who engages in the activity of fishing. ...

Naukuchia Tal, literally, Nine-Cornered Lake, is 26 km (16 mi) from Nainital and 4 km from Bhimtal at an altitude of 1,220 m (4,003 ft). The lake is almost 1 km (1 mi) long, 0.5 km (0.3 mi) wide and approximately 40 m (131 ft) deep. It is the deepest of the lakes in the greater Naintal area. According to legend, if one takes in all nine corners in one glimpse, one can disappear in a cloud of smoke. (See excerpts from J. W. M'Crindle on the Literary references to Nainital page.) A view of Bhimtal lake. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ... General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ...

Hanumangarhi, also known as Hanuman Garh, is located at an altitude 1,951 m (6,401 ft). The temple complex is about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) from the Tallital (South End) bus stop. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Hanuman, the vanara god of the Ramayana, and he is depicted tearing open his chest to reveal Rama and Sita in his heart. Hanuman Garhi is also known for its spectacular views of the setting sun. Hanumangarhi is a temple of Lord Hanuman in Ayodhya. ... This article is about a divine entity in Hinduism. ... Vanara is a Sanskrit word literally meaning monkey or inhabitants of forests=like the primitive tribes (probably vaanar as pronounced in hindi). ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... Rama ( in IAST, in DevanāgarÄ«) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ... Lord Rama (center) with wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman. ...

Hanuman Garhi, near Nainital

Ranikhet is a hill station and cantonment town in Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand. Image File history File linksMetadata Hanumangarhi3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Hanumangarhi3. ... A view Ranikhet is a hill station and cantonment town in Almora district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. ...

Bageshwar is a city and a municipal board in Bageshwar district in the state of Uttarakhand. Bageshwar is a town in Uttaranchal state of northern India. ...

Almora is a cantonment town in Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand , Almora is a cantonment town in Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. ...

Kausani is a place situated in the Bageshwar district in the state of Uttarakhand. Kausani Hindi-कौसानी) is the place situated in the Bageshwar district of the Uttarakhand state of India. ...

Pithoragarh is a city and a municipal board in Pithoragarh district in the state of Uttarakhand. Pithoragarh is a Himalayan town in Pithoragarh District of Uttaranchal state of India. ...

Educational and Research Institutions

The Schools

St. Joseph's College, Nainital viewed from Tiffin Top

For well over a century, Nainital has been known for its many schools. Four schools from the British period continue to exist today: Sherwood College^[6], established 1869; All Saints' College^[7], established 1869; St. Mary's Convent High School established 1878; and St. Joseph's College established 1888. In addition, a number of new schools have been established since independence: Birla Vidya Mandir, established 1947; Sanwal School, established in the 1940s in Mallital; Sainik School, established 1966; St. Amtuls Public School, established 1983; Parvati Sah Prema Jagati Saraswati Vihar, established 1983; and Oakwood School, established 1989. Image File history File linksMetadata TiffinTopView11. ... Image File history File linksMetadata TiffinTopView11. ... Anthem God Save The King The British Indian Empire, 1909 Capital Calcutta (until 1912), New Delhi (after 1912) Language(s) Hindustani, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1858-1901 Victoria¹  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George VI Viceroy²  - 1858... Sherwood College is a boarding school, established by the British in India in 1869 to educate British boys and the Indian elite during the Raj. ... Click the discussion tab on top of the page to discuss the article St Josephs College Nainital is a residential school providing public school education. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sainik School Kazhakootam. ...

Kumaon University

Nainital is home to one of the two campuses of Kumaon University^[8] (the other being Almora). The university was founded in 1973 when it incorporated the Dan Singh Bisht (DSB) Government College (commonly called "the Degree College"), which had been founded in 1951, with the mathematician Dr. A.N. Singh as its first principal.

ARIES (State Observatory)

The 50-year old State Observatory at Nainital was reborn in 2004 as ARIES, the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational-Sciences, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The Observatory, which had come into existence in Varanasi in 1954, was moved the following year to Nainital, under its more transparent skies. In 1961 it was moved once again to its present location—Manora Peak (1,951 m (6,401 ft)) —a few km south of the Nainital town. ARIES's main objective is to provide national optical observing facilities for research in astronomy, astrophysics, and the atmospheric sciences. The Government of India (Hindi: भारत सरकार [1]Bhārat Sarkār), officially referred to as the Union Government, and commonly as Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of a federal union of 28 states and 7 union territories, collectively called the Republic of... , VārāasÄ« ( , Hindi: , IPA: ), also known as Benares, Banaras, or Benaras ( , Hindi: , , IPA: ), or Kashi or Kasi ( , Hindi: , ), is a famous Hindu holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... For other uses, see Astronomy (disambiguation). ... Atmospheric sciences is an umbrella term for the study of the atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems. ...

Libraries

There are a number of libraries in the Nainital area. Among them are the Durga Lal Shah Municipal Public Library, on the Mall, founded in 1934;^[9] the Uttarakhand Academy of Administration, Library and Documentation Center, Mallital;^[10] the ARIES Observatory Library;^[11] and the Kumaon University Library, Nainital.^[12]

Environmental Degradation

View of the lake and the hills from Mallital

In recent years, academics, geologists, concerned citizens and the judiciary have become alarmed at the rate of new construction in Nainital and its effect on the Naini lake. As a result, efforts have been undertaken to check the deterioration of the lake and its surrounding ecosystem. De-silting of the lake and afforestation of the catchment area have been initiated; however these measures have not been sufficient to cope with the ever increasing pressure on its fragile ecosystem. The number of tourists, and with them the number of vehicles entering the town, is rapidly increasing and this, if not checked, could turn Nainital into a disfigured and despoiled town. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 475 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Self-taken picture I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 475 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Self-taken picture I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Afforestation is the process of converting open land into a forest by planting trees or their seeds. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... A coral reef near the Hawaiian islands is an example of a complex marine ecosystem. ...

For example, it has been noticed that hundreds of fish die in Naini Lake every winter, the last such event having occurred in January 2006. Naini Lake is 20 m (66 ft) deep, but, according to experts, the level of oxygen in the hypolimnic layer (the bottom, colder, stagnant, and constant temperature layer) is much lower than is required to sustain fish—and this is mostly due to pollution, which includes illegal dumping of garbage. The problem gets exacerbated during winters when the polluted and nearly anoxic (i.e. lacking oxygen) water from the bottom, moves up to the surface on account of the lower temperature of the surface water. Fish die due to low oxygen content in this altered surface water. According to Rakesh Kumar, once District Magistrate of Nainital, "The main problem is trying to syphon off the water from the hypolimnic layer, 6 m (20 ft) from the bottom of the lake. Once that is done, we can increase the oxygen content in the lake using aeration methods. That is the only permanent solution." General Name, symbol, number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals, chalcogens Group, period, block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) pale blue (liquid) Standard atomic weight 15. ... It has been suggested that Anoxic sea water, Oxygen minimum zone, and Hypoxic zone be merged into this article or section. ... Aeration is the process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or dissolved in a liquid (usually water) or substance (such as soil). ...

Nainital in Literature

Main article: Literary references to Nainital

Among the major authors who referred to Nainital in their writings were Rudyard Kipling, Munshi Premchand, and Jim Corbett. General view looking down on Naini Tal Lake from the northern hills, Photograph of Nainital from the Macnabb Collection (Col James Henry Erskine Reid): Album of views of Naini Tal taken by Lawrie & Company in 1895. ... This article is about the British author. ... Munshi Premchand (July 31, 1880 - October 8, 1936) (pen name: Premchand) was one of the greatest literary figures of modern Hindi and Urdu literature. ... Jim Corbett, hunter turned conservationist. ...

Famous people with links to Nainital

• Elsie Inglis, Scottish physician and social reformer
• Jim Corbett, hunter of man-eating tigers, author, conservationist and namesake of Jim Corbett National Park
• Percy Hobart, British major general and military engineer
• Govind Ballabh Pant, leader of India's independence movement, first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Home Minister of India
• Orde Charles Wingate, British general and commander of the Chindits in Burma during World War II
• Sam Manekshaw, Indian Army Chief of Staff during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
• Som Nath Sharma, India's first Param Vir Chakra award winner
• Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Indian leader and politician, former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and former Finance Minister of India
• Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood actor
• Naseeruddin Shah, art films and Bollywood actor

Elsie Inglis Elsie Inglis (1864 - 26 November 1917) was born in India to a father who worked in the Indian Civil service. ... Jim Corbett, hunter turned conservationist. ... Major-General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart (14 June 1885-19 February 1957) was a British military engineer and commander of the 79th Armoured Division during World War II. He was responsible for many of the specialised armoured vehicles (Hobarts Funnies) that took part in the invasion of Normandy. ... Govind Ballabh Pant (September 10, 1887 - March 7, 1961) was a major figure in the Indian Independence Movement. ... Orde Charles Wingate Major General Orde Charles Wingate, DSO (February 26, 1903 – March 24, 1944), was a British major general and creator of two special military units during World War II. // Beginnings Orde Wingate was born February 23, 1903 in Naini Tal, India to a military family. ... Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC, (Sam Bahadur) (born April 3, 1914) is a retired Indian Army officer. ... Major Somnath Sharma, PVC. The painting incorrectly depicts him wearing the 1947-48 General Service Medal, which was not instituted till years after his death Major Somnath Sharma, PVC (b. ... Narayan Dutt Tiwari is Chief Minister of Uttaranchal, India. ... Bachchan redirects here. ... Naseeruddin Shah in the role of Mirza Ghalib Naseeruddin Shah aka Nasiruddin Shah (b. ...

Notes and References

• Bateman, Josiah (1860), The Life of The Right Rev. Daniel Wilson, D.D., Late Lord Bishop of Calcutta and Metropolitan of India, Volume II, John Murray, Albemarle Street, London.
• Corbett, Jim (1944 (2002)), Man-Eaters of Kumaon, Oxford India Reprint
• Corbett, Jim (1948 (2002)), The Man Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, Oxford India Reprint
• Corbett, Jim (1954 (2002)), The Temple Tigers and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon, Oxford India Reprint
• Fayrer, Joseph (1900), Recollections of my life, William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London
• Imperial Gazeteer of India (1908), Imperial Gazeteer of India, Volume 18, pp. 322-323., Oxford University Press, Oxford and London
• Kennedy, Dane (1996), The Magic Mountains: Hill Stations and the British Raj, University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, and Oxford. 264 pages.
• Kipling, Rudyard (1889), The Story of the Gadsbys, Macmillan and Company, London
• Kipling, Rudyard (1895), Under the Deodars, Macmillan and Company, London
• McLaren, Eva Shaw (1920), Elsie Inglis: The Woman with the Torch, Macmillan and Company, New York
• M'Crindle, J.W. (1901), Ancient India: As Described in Classical Literature, Archibald Constable & Company, Westminister
• Murphy, C.W. (1906), A Guide to Naini Tal and Kumaun, Allahbad, United Provinces
• Penny Illustrated Paper, October 2, 1880, London, 1880
• Pilgrim, (P. Barron) (1844), Notes on Wanderings In the Himmala, containing descriptions of some of the grandest scenery of the snowy range, among others of Naini Tal, Agra Akhbaar Press, Agra

The Imperial Gazetteer of India first appeared in 1881; Sir William Wilson Hunter (1840-1900) was the creator. ...

External links

• Nainital travel guide from Wikitravel
• Trade Guide for Nainital District