Gangolihat is a

Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

n hill station in the

Pithoragarh district Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. It is said that here Adi

Shankaracharya Shankaracharya ( sa, शङ्कराचार्य, , "Adi Shankara, Shankara-''acharya''") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi ...

did penance to please Adi Shakti. Gangolihat is known for its

Shakti Peeth The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various for ...

Haat Kalika Temple Haat or hat, even haat bazaar, is an open-air market that serves as a trading venue for local people in rural areas and towns of Indian subcontinent, especially in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Haat bazaars are conducted on a regular ba ...

- Adi Shakti and Destroyer of Demon's.

Geography

Gangolihat is located at .Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Gangolihat
/ref> It has an average elevation of 1,760 metres (5,773 feet). It is 78 km from

Pithoragarh Pithoragarh ( Kumaoni: ''Pithor'garh'') is a Himalayan city with a Municipal Board in Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the fourth largest city of Kumaon and the largest in Kumaon hills. It is an education hub of t ...

. The main town is at a hill top. The region is surrounded by two rivers Saryu and Ramganga. Which meet at Ghat at the foothill of the region. These two rivers make it like a Garland on the shoulders of mighty Himalaya. These two rivers gave the name to the region Gang (River in Kumaoni) + Awali (Garland) making Gangawali which became Gangoli later on. and Hat were the main markets/ gathering place for local people in past. Which made the name of Gangolihat. Gangolihat is native of Mehta, Pant, Karki, Kothari, Bhatt's(at Futsil&balatari), Joshi's, Khati, Gusain, Upreti's, Pathak's, Pargai and Mahara. Negi's, Bisht, Rawal's, Verma's, Shah, Bora, Dasoni and Aryas are other major surnames found.

Places of interest

Gangolihat is the site of a number of ancient temples and caves, including the templates of 'Haat Kalika'in the east, 'Ambika Dewaal'in North, 'Chamunda Mandir to the west' and 'Vaishnavi Mandir'. From 'Vaishnavi Mandir' it is possible to clearly view the Himalayas. This temple is situated on a mountain that was called 'Shail Parvat', which is written in Hindu holy books. The caves in Gangolihaat include 'Patal Bhuvneshwar' (पाताल भुवनेश्वर), 'Shailashwer Gufa' and 'Mukteshwar Gufa'. A cave has also been recently found and that is called 'Bholeshwar Gufa'. The peak Bhurgottam near village Mallagrkha is famous as place of Bhrigu who was one of the seven great sages, The Saptarshis.. Patal Bhuvneshwar cave is believed to be the abode of 33 crore Gods and Goddesses. 'Haat Kalika Mandir' was built by Adi Guru

Sankaracharya Shankaracharya ( sa, शङ्कराचार्य, , " Shankara-''acharya''") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi Shankara; te ...

for installation of one of the

Shakti Peethas The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various fo ...

. It is believed that the goddess Kalika Mata, who is thought to reside in West Bengal, moved from West Bengal to North (Gangolihat). Posthumous Param Veer Chakra award winner Captain Bikram Batra was a great devotee of the goddess. The goddess Mahakali is the designated goddess of the Kumauon Regiment. The Kumaon regiment has created an Army Rest House near the Temple for Army Personnel, who come Gangolihat to get the blessing of Goddess. Several dharamshalas and gates have been built by kumaun regiment. There are historical monuments made during 8-11th century near the temple. Which is a site preserved by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It depicts the nervelessness of the artistic creation at that time. And there is a source of water called janhvi nohla, its water comes from an oak tree. Its water believed so much pure. The highest peak in the range, Lamkeshwar which is a temple of Lord Shiva, The view of greenery rich valleys of Kumaun Himalayas from this hilltop is memorable and heavenly. It has always been a great trekking site.

References

External links

{{Pithoragarh district Tourism in Uttarakhand Hill stations in Uttarakhand Cities and towns in Pithoragarh district