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| The snow capped peaks of the Shivalik range |
"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better" ~ Albert Einstein
Come summer and one immediately thinks of a cool place to go to in order to run away from the blistering scorching heat that Delhi & NCR witnesses in these months. For me every opportunity to return to the mountains and be amidst nature is of prime importance. I usually go back home to Shimla, but off late, the increasing numbers of tourists that throng the town called the “Queen of Hills” have been putting me off. While I have travelled fairly often in Himachal, I hadn’t really explored Uttarakhand and visiting Almora had been on my mind for a while- so, this year while looking for a new place within a drive-able distance from Delhi, when a friend suggested Kasar Devi, I was quick to take
up the suggestion. I googled a little bit of information, liked what I read, and then figured out a place to stay- after a few queries on the net & a few telephone calls, I zeroed in on Kasar Himalaya Holiday Home.
We reached Kasar Devi after a drive of close to 9.5 hrs (390 km). The drive was mostly comfortable, with very good roads except for a rough patch of about 15-20kms after Nainital, where the road is still being repaired and broadened.
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| Kasar Devi Temple |
Kasar Devi itself was a pleasant surprise - this quaint little village, just 7 kms from Almora, gives the impression of remaining pretty much untouched by modernization. The houses and people still resonate the typical village atmosphere and though there are many B&B, homestays as well as a few resorts, the place has still retained its rustic charm. Most homes keep livestock and have a small area of terraced farming to grow their own food. One could see grains spread out on rooftops to dry in the sun) and of course many birds came to have a bite on these rooftops every morning. A positive development, for sure, was the use of renewable energy in many homes and hotels- most of them have solar paneling for power. The Uttarakhand government encourages these by offering subsidies and discounts to whoever uses solar power. I also noticed that there were many young trees that had been planted along the mountainside in an attempt to recover the lost forest cover. Our host confirmed that the villagers were trying to grow more trees to help the environment (I silently blessed that thought and hoped it’s true!!!)
Our stay:
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| The cane swing outside our room |
Kasar Himalaya Holiday Home: The first impression of our homestay was a little disappointing as the approach was rather clumsy, but – as they say, never judge a book by it’s cover- once inside, we were more than happy with the settings. The top floor suite, which we had been given, is comfortable and well-furnished, it is spacious and it’s wooden floors and ceiling give it a charm that is typical of the mountains. There is a small kitchenette for those wishing to cook their own meals, free Wi-Fi and even a TV with cable connection should one wish to watch the news or grab a movie on some of the known movie channels.
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| The Magpie |
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| Biking in the evening |
We spent our time relaxing, with leisurely evening walks, bike rides to the areas near-by (our host was gracious enough to lend us his mountain bike), played a game of cards every now and then or simply read books and frequent visits to the Kasar Devi temple. My early morning meditations on the balcony at sun-rise were blissful; the birds flying in and out a pleasant sight, their tweeting and chirping - like a happy morning song while the sun rays came up on the horizon is certainly something I miss in the city.
Our homestay was situated on what’s called the Hippies Hill or Cranks ridge (thanks to the fact that in the 1960s it became a hotspot for hippies and backpackers. In fact, one can still see weed growing wild all along the hill and many restaurants/ cafes sell it openly). The famous Kasar Devi temple (said to be almost 2000 years old) was barely a 20-minute walk from our stay (1.5 km away) and offers some lovely views of the mountains as well as the entire town of Almora.
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| Information board at Kasar Devi temple |
I hadn’t known this before I reached the Kasar Devi temple (from which the whole village derives its name), but Swami Vivekananda is said to have meditated in a cave on the mountain and attained illumination in the 1890s. The energies there were certainly strong and I found myself sitting on the rock near the temple for hours, gazing onto the valley every day– each visit seemed to have a rejuvenating and healing effect and time seemed to stand still- the kids and I just couldn’t get enough of the place. NASA is apparently conducting a few tests there as they have discovered that the hill seems to have some kind of magnetic effect (something I did not research but heard from our host). Other famous well known personalities have also made this little village their home on different occasions, poets, writers and musicians among them including Bob Dylan, George Harrison & D.H. Lawrence.
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| Chameleon |
Our host, Nandan, who accompanied us on our walk one evening, recounted tales of his childhood, of how they spent hours on the mountainside- this brought to mind charming reminisces of my own childhood summer vacations at my grandparents’ place in Himachal. I think being able to grow up in a place so rich in nature, carefree and wild, is a blessing for any child. I realised gladly some remnants of community living are still alive in these rural areas. He told us how the kids would go to the mountains with their goats and play around as the animals grazed on the wild grass till it was time to head home by sunset, or how every neighbor would support each other, for example, by sending milk to their house when their cows would temporarily stop giving milk - and of course they would return the favour when needed. I think in today's world, we need more of these small acts of taking care of each other in a community. As we move towards modern nuclear living, we should not lose out on certain basic traditions that helped keep the social fabric of any community together. We, in fact, witnessed a wedding in the village. Almost the entire row of shops was shut because everyone was busy with the wedding that day. The bridegroom’s procession, which was on foot, stopped at the house next door for tea, snacks and sweets and a little rest before proceeding to the bride’s place.
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| Kafal |
Nandan, mentioned a typical wild fruit found in the area- “kafal” –supposedly very healthy- we were not able to find it in the market and it remains ones of the things we will taste hopefully on our next visit!! We also got the opportunity to sit and have a chat with ‘Babaji’ – a yogi who has made Kasar Devi temple his home for the last 17 years. As it drizzled, we took refuge in the small gazebo outside his small room and Babaji graciously offered us some masala chai. His philosophy was simple: all is destined and all is in perfect order. One just has to allow oneself to go with the flow.
Other places of visit nearby:
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| The Boddh Math |
The Buddhist meditation center: barely a km from our homestay, it’s open to anyone wishing to meditate. The monk there was very warm and friendly and more than happy to let me sit in the monastery to pray and meditate.
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| Binsar Wild Life Sanctuary |
Binsar wildlife sanctuary is about 20kms from Kasar Devi (not much wildlife to be seen though and the drive is a tough one as the road is single track, narrow and broken. Entry fee applicable per person and per vehicle). There’s only a single café on the way up and another one run by the KMVN which has strict timings for their kitchen service- so if you reach there at an odd hour, be sure to carry your own eatables/ water etc.
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| Dandeshwar Temple complex |
Jageshwar Dham & Dandeshwar Temple complex (the latter is just a few kms short of Jageshwar Dham): about 35 kms from Kasar Devi, the Jageshwar Dham houses about 124 small temples, mostly dedicated to Lord Shiva- with it’s serene surroundings, cover of trees and a small stream flowing next to it, it offers a good spot to pray, relax or simply enjoy the picturesque beauty of the sacred place. The museum in Jageshwar has a selection of old statues and statuettes recovered from the area including a huge metal statue of King Pona that was moved there from the Dandeshwar temple to keep it safe.
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| Ayurveda center at Kalimath |
Kalimath: (2km from our homestay)- a spectacular must-visit temple on the list of Hindu devotees and is considered to be one of the 108 shakti peeths in India, also the only temple where Goddess Kali is worshipped along with her sisters Laxmi and Saraswati. The complex also has a beautiful Ayurveda center & meditatio
n hall- another place that we didn't have time to explore fully and hence added to our list for things to do on our next visit.
Places to stay in Kasar Devi:
Luxury:
I could find only three in this category but there may be others I don’t know of. (Mohan’s Binsar Retreat, Imperial Heights & The Kasar Jungle Resort)
Mohan’s Binsar retreat (Very charming restaurant, great view & aesthetics, however sadly we found it extremely over-priced for the kind of food they served, a meal for three would cost around 1500-2000 and was not what we would call "tasteful" at all.)
Kasar Jungle Resort: perhaps the only “star” category resort in the area, large grounds covered with oak, deodar and pine trees, luxury rooms with balconies and sit-out areas, some offering a view of the Himalayan ranges, a full fledged dining area and convention hall for conferences.
Imperial Heights: I wanted to but didn’t really find the time to go and check it out personally. I was told it’s amongst the better-rated properties.
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| Sunrise from our Homestay |
Mid-range:
Kasar Himalaya Holiday Home (highly recommended, if you are okay with staying in the middle of nature and doing nothing much except relaxing! No play area for kids or other organized activities at the moment, however, the comfortably furnished spacious rooms, the fabulous view in addition to very warm hosts more than makes up for any lack of activities)
Binsar Eco retreat: looked good on the outside, but I wasn’t able to go and check it out personally.
KMVN guest house (in Deenapani @ 2km from Kasar Devi): situated in an open area, seemed to have a good view, however the building itself looked a bit in need of repairs.
Economy:
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| Sunset at Kasar Devi Temple |
Freedom Guest house (reasonably priced, clean simple rooms, again simply a place to stay and relax),
Rainbow resort (nicely made, they even offer a yoga and meditation room but more for people who do not mind rooms full of smoke - perhaps one of the original hippie haunts?),
New Dolma Hotel (good food, very reasonably priced, quick service, smiling faces and helpful owners -so we ended up eating here most times when we didn’t cook our own food),
Kafal Café (offers simple local fare at affordable prices, we tried the ‘buransh ka sharbat’ and the ‘bhang ki chutney’ made kumaoni style: the café is small but offers a sit-in area to read books, or play the guitar or simply just be- mornings I always found it full of youngsters sitting around the little table, playing cards, their cigarettes puffing out whirls of white smoke and filling the room with an acrid smell that's typical of (perhaps) weed.
Puran’s cottage: Was not able to visit but a friend had stayed there and recommended it as a comfortable stay.
There are several other small hotels/ B&B/ homestays available with prices ranging from 500-1500/night. One simply needs to go there and find what suits your budget and liking.
How to reach:
By road (380-390 kms from Delhi), by train (till Kathgodham & then by road- approx. 85 kms, shared taxis available at 250/ head), by air (till Pantnagar & then by road approx. 70kms)
Best time to visit:
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| a passion for photography |
I would think pretty much the entire year except the monsoon months. The temperatures in June were between 15-22 degrees, warm during the daytime, a tinge of pleasant chill in the early mornings and evenings. I believe they will dip below zero in winters as it snows in this area, however, the views of the snow-capped peaks will be well worth the visit.
Overall impression: It’s typically a place to be one with nature, to unwind, to breathe in the fresh mountain air and let the evening breeze refresh you, to relax and enjoy the tranquil silence of the mountains away from the hoards of busy crowded streets in any regular tourist spot or the hu-bla of city life; an idyllic setting to savour the natural beauty of exquisite sunrises & sunsets over the Himalayan ranges, star-studded skies and green cool climes, and needless to say, a heaven for anyone who has a penchant for nature photography. It is a destination that’s light on the pocket, easy to reach and perfect to rejuvenate oneself while doing ‘nothing’ (and by that I mean literally “nothing”). Perhaps, aptly described by someone as a place fit for writers and poets or those looking for total peace and quiet. On the other hand, if you are looking for curated activities and lots of action, then perhaps this will not be the right choice for you. All in all, our stay was peaceful, comfortable and very pleasant.
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| My favorite perch at Kasar Devi temple |
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seek" ~ John Muir
Exactly my thoughts as I recall our daily strolls during our visit to Kasar Devi. I do know that I connected to this little village very well and given that we did not have to time to explore more due to time constraints, it will simply be one more reason for us to return- Inshallah we will be presented with the opportunity to do so pretty soon. Till then, so long Kasar Devi…till we meet again- grateful for all the lovely experiences & soulful energies!
The views and facts given in this write up are entirely from my own understanding, the pictures used have been clicked by me, by Laavanya Raturi & by Anjali Mehra (and are being shared here with their permission).
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