Mukteshwar is a village and tourist destination in the
Nainital district
Nainital district is a district in Kumaon division which is a part of Uttarakhand state in India. The headquarters is at Nainital.
Nainital District is located in Kumaon Division, and is located in the lower Himalayas. Haldwani is the largest c ...
of
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 sits high in the
Kumaon Kumaon or Kumaun may refer to:
* Kumaon division, a region in Uttarakhand, India
* Kumaon Kingdom, a former country in Uttarakhand, India
* Kumaon, Iran, a village in Isfahan Province, Iran
* , a ship of the Royal Indian Navy during WWII
See also
...
Hills at an altitude of 2171 meters (7500 feet), 51 km from
Nainital
Nainital ( Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a city and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the High Court of the state being located there and is the headquarters o ...
, 72 km from
Haldwani
Haldwani (Kumaoni language, Kumaoni: ''Haldvānī'') is the largest city of Kumaon division, Kumaon. It is also the third List of cities in Uttarakhand by population, most populous city and largest commercial market in the Indian state of Uttarak ...
, and 343 km from Delhi.
Places of interest
Mukteshwar Shiva temple
Mukteshwar gets its name from a 350-year-old temple of
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
, known as ''Mukteshwar Dham'', situated atop the highest point in the town, on the veterinary institute's campus. Close to it lie the overhanging cliffs, locally known as ''Chauli-ki-Jali'', used for rock climbing and rappelling, with an excellent view of the valleys below. ''Mukteshwar famously know for its breezy waterfalls houses some famous waterfallas such as ''The Bhalu Ghaad, Tarikhet waterfalls, Rudradhari waterfall and The Dhokaney waterfall''. The sunrise point is at the government-run PWD guest house. Another tourist attraction is the small Satoli Village, situated just 21 km from Mukteshwar. One can also visit the
Indian Veterinary Research Institute
Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) is located at Izatnagar, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh state. It is an advanced research facility in the field of veterinary medicine and allied branches. It has regional campuses at Mukteshwar, Bangal ...
(IVRI). Mukteshwar is the abode of a saint — Shri Mukteshwar Maharaj ji — who lived at the Top Cottage Temple where his samadhi is. One of his disciples, Swami Sanshudhanand Ji, now stays there.
Other
![View of Himalayas from the top of Mukteshwar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/View_of_Himalayas_from_the_top_of_Mukteshwar.jpg)
Some of the edifices of this town are the IVRI laboratories (experiments on tiny rats, gold-plated books, cattle-sheds), orchards of the Central Institutes of Temperate Horticulture-Regional Station, an expansive deodar forest (Himalayan cedar) measuring 15 square miles, 22 pristine snow-peak views, and the adventure of living among wildlife such as tigers and bears are. The charm of visiting Mukteshwar lies in enjoying nature, listening to air gushing through deodar forests, bird watching, meditation, and seeking peace. The cleanliness, solitude, and nature attract people escaping urban life.
Mukteshwar is also home to a post office founded in 1905 which finds mention in Jim Corbett's writing.
History
![IBL Mukteshwar people](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/IBL_Mukteshwar_people.jpg)
Mukteshwar was previously known as Mukteshwar (as mentioned in
Jim Corbett
Edward James Corbett (25 July 1875 – 19 April 1955) was a British hunter, tracker, naturalist, and author who hunted a number of man-eating tigers and leopards in the Indian subcontinent.
He held the rank of colonel in the British Indian ...
's book "The Temple Tiger"); the name changed after 1947. Many locals still call it Muktesar in their local language. Until 1893 the place was known for its shrines and temple before it was selected for serum production to protect animals from cattle plague.
[Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 18, Page 18] On the recommendation of the Cattle
Plague
Plague or The Plague may refer to:
Agriculture, fauna, and medicine
*Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis''
* An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural)
* A pandemic caused by such a disease
* A swarm of pes ...
Commission, the Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory had its genesis on 9 December 1889 at
Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million ...
and relocated to Mukteshwar in 1893 to facilitate segregation and
quarantine
A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...
of highly
contagious
Contagious may refer to:
* Contagious disease
Literature
* Contagious (magazine), a marketing publication
* ''Contagious'' (novel), a science fiction thriller novel by Scott Sigler
Music
Albums
*''Contagious'' (Peggy Scott-Adams album), 1997
* ...
organisms
In biology, an organism () is any living system that functions as an individual entity. All organisms are composed of cells (cell theory). Organisms are classified by taxonomy into groups such as multicellular animals, plants, and fungi; ...
. Initially the laboratory at Mukteshwar was completed in 1898 but destroyed by fire in 1899. It was resurrected in 1901. Then annual expenditure on research was Rs. 50,000.
Later it was developed into the
Indian Veterinary Research Institute
Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) is located at Izatnagar, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh state. It is an advanced research facility in the field of veterinary medicine and allied branches. It has regional campuses at Mukteshwar, Bangal ...
(IVRI), which later moved its headquarters to
Izatnagar
Izzatnagar is a locality in Bareilly in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh. The railway station it houses is one of the three Divisional Headquarters of North Eastern Railway (India), North Eastern Railways. Izza ...
. Still Mukteshwar serves as the hill campus of IVRI, including facilities such as an experimental
goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...
farm.
The noted Nobel winner scientist Robert Koch visited this place on the request of the government of India. The microscope used by him and other historical articles are kept in the museum maintained by IVRI. A hill carved cold room dating back to 1900 once used to store biological materials is now a tourist attraction.
Jim Corbett
Edward James Corbett (25 July 1875 – 19 April 1955) was a British hunter, tracker, naturalist, and author who hunted a number of man-eating tigers and leopards in the Indian subcontinent.
He held the rank of colonel in the British Indian ...
, a well-known author and hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards visited Mukteshwar. He wrote about Mukteshwar in his book ''The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon''. He wrote about the various adversities faced by the people inhabiting the villages in remote areas of the Northern hills.
Rock Climbing & Rappelling in Mukteshwar
Fruit orchards, coniferous forests, lush green trails and narrow lanes make Mukteshwar a special destination for trekking. Apart from trekking, camping, paragliding; Mukteshwar is also known for rock climbing and rappelling. The region is full of hard rocky hills, which are suitable for rock climbing. Exotic travelers visit here to experience these activities. Rocky hills of Mukteshwar are quite strong. However, this adventure sport may be a little risky in the rainy days. Here are some of the popular trails in Mukteshwar:
* Peora to
Almora
Almora ( Kumaoni: ''Almāḍ'') is a municipal board and a cantonment town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Almora district. Almora is located on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills of the ...
* Peora to Mukteshwar,
* Arta Trek from
Binsar
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is an Indian wildlife sanctuary.
Binsar was the summer capital of the Chand Kings, who ruled over Kumaon from the 11th to 18th centuries AD. Binsar was established in 1988 for the conservation and protection of the shri ...
Geography
![MonkeyFaceStone-Mukteshwar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/MonkeyFaceStone-Mukteshwar.jpg)
Mukteshwar is located at . It has an average elevation of 2,171 metres (7,500 feet). Mukteshwar is situated in
Nainital district
Nainital district is a district in Kumaon division which is a part of Uttarakhand state in India. The headquarters is at Nainital.
Nainital District is located in Kumaon Division, and is located in the lower Himalayas. Haldwani is the largest c ...
at a distance of 51 km from
Nainital
Nainital ( Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a city and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the High Court of the state being located there and is the headquarters o ...
, the district's administrative headquarter and 72 km from
Haldwani
Haldwani (Kumaoni language, Kumaoni: ''Haldvānī'') is the largest city of Kumaon division, Kumaon. It is also the third List of cities in Uttarakhand by population, most populous city and largest commercial market in the Indian state of Uttarak ...
, the largest city in Nainital.
Mukteshwar is rich in scenic beauty, with magnificent views of the Indian
Himalayas
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 ...
including India's second-highest peak,
Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi is the second-highest mountain in India, after Kangchenjunga, and the highest located entirely within the country (Kangchenjunga is on the border of India and Nepal). It is the 23rd-highest peak in the world.
Nanda Devi was consid ...
. Because of the hilly topography, agriculture in the area consists chiefly of
potato
The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...
fields and fruit orchards on terraces cut into the hillsides.
Climate
![Sunset at Mukteshwar 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Sunset_at_Mukteshwar_1.jpg)
Mukteshwar has a
subtropical highland climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cwb''). The pattern of seasons is similar to that in other parts of northern India, with distinct summer, monsoon and winter seasons. However, due to its high elevation, Mukteshwar is spared the intense heat of lower-lying towns and cities. Mukteshwar has cold winters and relatively cool summer with drastically escalated rain, in relation with lower altitudes, and frequent fog. Summers are warm with moderate rainfall, while the monsoon season is slightly cooler and features much heavier rain. Winters can be quite cool, and temperatures below freezing are not unusual. Snowfall occurs occasionally in December and January, though it is sparse, while the heavy rainfall events occurs during the monsoon season stretching from July to September.
Kumaon Vani radio service
![Mukteshwar 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Mukteshwar_2008.jpg)
With the aim to create a common platform for local communities of Supi in
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 ...
,
TERI launched 'Kumaon Vani', a community radio service on 11 March 2010. Uttarakhand governor
Margaret Alva
Margaret Nazareth Alva ( born 14 April 1942) is an Indian politician. Alva served as the 17th Governor of Goa, 23rd Governor of Gujarat, 20th Governor of Rajasthan and 4th Governor of Uttarakhand the until the end of her tenure in August 201 ...
inaugurated the radio station, the first in the state. The 'Kumaon Vani' aims to air programmes on environment, agriculture, culture, weather and education in the local language and with the active participation of the communities. The station covers a radius of 10 km reaching out to almost 2000 locals around Mukteshwar.
New development
![Mukteshwar, a view of the Himalayas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Mukteshwar%2C_a_view_of_the_Himalayas.jpg)
There is a 'Renewable Park' developed by
TERI. The renewable park uses solar electricity for most of its electricity needs. Recently, the town has experienced some construction activity and townships have begun to mushroom in and around Mukteshwar. Many people are buying holiday homes here to escape large chaotic cities.
Transport
The
nearest airport is at
Pantnagar
Pantnagar is a town and a university campus in Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand. Nainital, Kashipur, Rudrapur and Kiccha, Haldwani are the major cities surrounding Pantnagar.
The town is home to the first agricultural university of I ...
and
the nearest railway head is at
Kathgodam
Kathgodam is a suburb of Haldwani city in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand state of India. It used to be a part of the twin township of Haldwani-Kathgodam, and is immediately north of Haldwani. It is one of the important collection centres ...
, 65 km from the town, from where vehicular transport is easily available for neighbouring towns of
Bhimtal
Bhimtal ( Kumaoni: ''Bhīmtāl'') is a town and a nagar panchayat, near Nainital city in Nainital district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is situated at an altitude of 1370 meters above sea level and is about 22 kilometers from Nainita ...
,
Bhowali
Bhowali ( Kumaoni: ''Bhoāli'') is a town and a municipal board in Nainital District in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is situated at a distance of from the city of Nainital, the district headquarters; at an average elevation of from sea l ...
,
Haldwani
Haldwani (Kumaoni language, Kumaoni: ''Haldvānī'') is the largest city of Kumaon division, Kumaon. It is also the third List of cities in Uttarakhand by population, most populous city and largest commercial market in the Indian state of Uttarak ...
and
Nainital
Nainital ( Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a city and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the High Court of the state being located there and is the headquarters o ...
.
The other means of road transport in the city include
Share taxi
Share may refer to:
* Share, to make joint use of a resource (such as food, money, or space); see Sharing
* Share (finance), a stock or other financial security (such as a mutual fund)
* Share, Kwara, a town and LGA in Kwara State, Nigeria
Share m ...
s, regionally known as Jeeps, on-call metered taxis and tourist taxis. The state transportation bus service is available from Nainital.
References
External links
*
Magical Mukteshwar – Breathing The Mountain Goodness{{Nainital district
Cities and towns in Nainital district
Tourism in Uttarakhand
Hill stations in Uttarakhand