Kausani Holiday Trip

India’s one of the famous tourist places in Kausani located in Uttranchal at 6,201 ft, overlooking the Kosi and Gomti rivers in Kumaon 50 Km North West of Almora.

For here you can look up for an unobstructed view of a 350 Km stretch of Himalayan peaks. You can also look down at Katyuri Valley and the Gomti far below. Kausani is a little less accessible to the madding crowd who prefer not to venture further up from the Tals. It remains a peaceful hill station with plenty to offer in terms of both peace and amusement.

The drive up from Kathgodam gets progressively more beautiful as you climb. In the summers rhododendrons flower in such profusion that they practioncally carpet the route. Incidentally buransh rhododendron squash is a great buy in this region fantastic stuff. Stop off at the Katarmal Sun Temple, known to the locals as Surya Mandir and in significance second only to konark. It’s a tiny detour of a couple of kilometers. While your vehicle will go a short way up on the kuchcha road, I don’t recommend it for the nerves. But the 45 min wheezing hike up from the road is worth it. The complex of 44 temples is over 800 years old and if you can get there at dawn you’ll witness the first rays of the sun streaming through a square aperture in one of the smaller temples to pay homage to the presiding deity in the main temple. Of the nearly 60 idols there the oldest is 900 years old.

Kainchi where the ashram of Neebkaruri Baba site right on the road is next. With several miracles to his credit including making a train stall because he was ordered off it by a self important British official he is said to have established 108 temples all over India and is worshipped as an avatar of Hanuman. After kainchim check out the massive stone toad that site in the middle of the riverbed at khairna before you find yourself in hot water. Garam Pani is the no nonsense name of the town you pass soon after.

Anashakti Ashram

There are other things you can do apart from gape at the view. Visit the Anashakti Ashram where Mahatama Gandhi wrote his commentary on the Anashakti Yoga, inspired by the vistas. The legacy of Gandhiji’s love for kausani has been preserved at the ashram set up by his disciple Sarlaben Katherine Heileman. Travelers can also stay here.

Kausani Rambles

The memorial of note Hindi litterateur Sumitra Nandan pant is worth a visit. Located next to his ancestral home some of his furniture is still kept here and the memorial also serves as a reference library. On his birth anniversary 20th may every year kavi goshthis and sammelans attended by local poets are organized here.

Then you can take in the tea gardens. Just five years old the Girias Tea of the Kausani gardens is fast making a name for itself. There’s a beautiful 2 Km walk from near the KMVN hotel through the tea gardens to the factory on the main road.

Around Kausani

A little lower than Kausani Baijnath is a one house town on the banks of the Gomti in the Garuda Valley. The main attraction here is the temple complex. Pick up a large packet of channa to feed the fish near the temple and don’t get tempted by their size fishing is strictly forbidden Alos look out for the large round stone which nine men should lift using only a finger each just outside the compound. The black stone idol of Parvati in the main temple is exquisitely worked and worth spending time over. Eight km from there is a kali Temple known as Kot-ki-mai.

Rail Nearest railhead kathgodam 138 km 4 half hrs. Taxi costs Rs1,200- 1,400.

Road From Delhi, drive along NH24 to Rampur and NH87 till Bhowali then bear right towards khairna and on to Almora. Kausani is 50 km north of Almora via Kosi and Someshwar.