Nainital
About the city
Demography
Nainital has a population of about 38,000. Males constitute 54% of the population and females around 46%. Nainital has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%.Dreaming of gettng away from the hectic daily routine Then, a mystical land, with its lovely lakes, a view of distant snow capped peaks, toasty weather and adventure beckons you. The season is never a reason to visit this quaint hillstation. Each season brings a fresh look . It is cold and silent in winters, green and chirpy in summers, bright and colourful in spring. The autumn winds nips you gently and the soft crunch of fallen leaves reverberates under your feet, do not complain that you have not been fore-warned about the charms of the place. She will make you want to prolong your stay here so you can continue your romance with nature. Whether it's your honeymoon, a sabbatical with your family or a spot of trekking with friends,
Within the panoramic Kumaon region, lies the district of Nainital, a hill resort blessed with beauteous splendor. A favourite with the British, Nainital was, for a long time, home to Jim Corbett, and you would find mention of it in his books. Long ago, it probably housed just a handful of people. Today it is tourist-laden, that throng its Mall area, looking for activities or simply to hang-out! and amidst all this glimmers the blue-green Naini Lake, reflecting in it silhouettes of mountains and trees. Visit it whenever you want, but we recommend you give the tourist season a miss and visit it during the off-season. Because it is then that Nainital assumes its real splendor that made the British title it home. and why not its outskirts offer wondrous avenues for adventure enthusiasts, anglers and honeymooners. Trot on a pony, paddle out to the lake and bag yourself some of the most exotic candles you'd ever see. Let the peace of this resort envelop you.
At an altitude of 1938 m Nainital is the leading hill station in eastern Uttaranchal. Its two bazaars are at opposite ends of the lake, which is its main asset and is famous for sailing. The highest hill above the town is Naina Peak (otherwise Chaina Peak, 2611 m). This is a pleasant walk from Talli Tal Bazaar viz Snow View (2270 m), or you can take the cable car direct from The Mall to Snow View. Good views of the Himalayas on a clear day, but not the sort of exciting ridge walk you might expect from below.
Actually the best thing about Naintal is the Boat House Club, whose rambling premises on the lake shore enshrine Raj nostalgia and a cosy bar. Yachts are available, and membership costs Rs 200 for three days or Rs 300 for a week, a bargain. We are told that winds on the lake are tricky; shouldn't disturb anyone used to Windermere in the English Lake District, which, in a grander way, Nainital rather resembles. Though of obvious interest to sailing enthusiasts Nainital is probably too busy and expensive to appeal to many other travelers.
Nainital is a glittering jewel in the Himalyan necklace, blessed with scenic natural splendour and varied natural resources. Dotted with lakes, Nainital has earned the epithet of 'Lake District' of India. The most prominent of the lakes is Naini Lake ringed by hills. Nainital has a varied topography. Some of the important places in the district are Nainital, Haldwani, Kaladhungi, Ramnagar, Bhowali, Ramgarh, Mukteshwar, Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal. Nainital?s unending expense of scenic beauty is nothing short of a romance with awe-inspiring and pristine Mother Nature.
Mr. P. Barron, a European merchant and an enthusiastic hunter from Rosa, near Shahjahanpur, founded "NAINITAL" in the year 1841. Mr. P. Barron was the first European who took great fancy to this land. Moved by the beauty of the sparkling lake he wrote: "It is by far the best site I have witnessed in the course of a 1,500 miles trek in the Himalayas." It is very less is known about the history of Nainital. The name "NAINI" is derived from a temple to the goddess 'Naini Devi" built on the upper edge of the lake and was destroyed by the landslip of 1880. It was subsequently replaced by a modern structure. The word "Naini" means 'Eyes' and 'Tal' means 'Lake'.
Orientation
Nainital, located in the relatively new state of Uttaranchal, is a lake town nestled in the Kumaon. It lies 34 Km from Kathgodam - the gateway of Kumaon - and the terminus of North Eastern Railway. Situated in a valley of the Gagar range, it is bordered on the north by the China peak and the Alma peak (known as Snow-View) and by the Sher-Ka-Danda to the east. On the west, it is bound by the hill of Deopatha and on the south by Ayarpatha. Nainital town has a Mall - a long promenade that links Mallital, the head of the lake, to Tallital or the foot of the lake.History
Pre-20th Century History
The first recorded discovery of this popular hill station was in 1841 when a British, Mr. Barron, chanced upon the lake. Moved by the scenic beauty of the lake and thickly forested hills, he constructed a house named the Pilgrim's Cottage. According to the local belief, the origin of nainital dates back to mythological times.According to ancient belief, the grief-stricken Lord Shiva carried the corpse of his dead wife, Parvati. As parts of her body fell on Earth, her eye fell in Nainital, forming a large crater that became Naini Lake. Naini Lake therefore derives its name from the Hindi word 'naina' which means 'eye'. However, little is known about the ancient history of Nainital which may have been inhabited by the Khasis. The history of Uttaranchal shows that its first known inhabitants were the Kuninda in the 2nd century BC, a Himalayan tribal people who practised an early form of Shaivism. Although there are early traces of Buddhism here, the Kumaon region remained largely Brahmanical. The region was later ruled by various dynasties ranging from the Guptas to the Chandras until the western expansion of the Gurkha empire was quashed by the British and the region annexed by them. Nainital was popularised by a sugar maker called P Barron in 1839. Taken by this beautiful crater lake amidst forested mountains, he convinced the local chief to relinquish the hill station. The British soon built villas around the lake, and made Nainital their summer getaway, along with Mussoorie. By 1847, it had become a popular hill resort and in 1850, the Nainital Municipal Board, the second Municipal Board of the North Western Provinces was formally constituted. By 1862, Nainital had become the summer seat of the North Western Provinces and had expanded considerably. It was now made up of teeming markets, rest houses, recreation centres, boarding schools and clubs along with the Secretariat and other administrative units. Then in 1880, a huge monsoon landslide buried the Victoria Hotel along with 150 people including a rescue team of soldiers and civilians. The area was flattened by the landslide and is now known as the Flats. Until 1947, the State Government Secretariat functioned in Nainital from April to October each year.