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Contents

 

  1. History
  2. Getting Around
  3. Tourist Traps
  4. Local Customs
  5. Shopping
  6. Communications

The magnificent Himalayan mountain views from ridges around Almora have long charmed travelers. From stalwarts like Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rabindranath Tagore to the father of modern Indian dance, Uday Shankar, who chose Almora to set up his dance school, the place continues to hold a special place in the heart of nature lovers.

Located 1638 meters (5,374 feet) above sea level, Almora is also a major cultural and trekking hub of the Kumaon region. Almora is one of the few hill stations in India that was not discovered by the British - this explains why the town has a distinct Indian feel. The organic way in which the town has developed with its slate roof structures and lively bazaars full of craft based delights, lend the town a strong local character.

History

Almora has a rich and varied history. One that has an imprint of the Chand Dynasty, the Gorkhas, the British, the leading lights of India’s freedom movement and many a creative personality.

The entire Kumaon region was ruled by the Chand Dynasty from the 9th century BCE onwards. One of the kings from the dynasty, Raja Balo Kalyan Chand, decided to establish Almora as his new capital around 1560 BCE. The earlier capital at Champawat gave way to Almora. Under the Chands, the town grew in prominence and they ruled Almora for the next 230 years, with brief interruptions by the Rohillas raiders from the plains. The Chands finally lost out to the Gorkhas in 1790, who in turn ruled for the next 24 years. The Anglo-Gorkha war of 1814-1815 saw the power shift to the British. A small cantonment soon came up. Over the subsequent years many prominent Indians left their mark on Almora. Rabindranath Tagore wrote his widely acclaimed work – Gitanjali - from a house in the cantonment area, Mahatma Gandhi recuperating from ill health wondered ‘I am more than ever amazed why our people need to go to Europe in search of health’, and Jawaharlal Nehru, who served a jail term here, wrote vividly on the gifts of solitude and mother nature’s bounty in letters to his daughter, Indira. Another stalwart of the Independence Movement, Gobind Ballabh Pant, was born and brought up in Almora. He was posthumously honored with the country’s highest award – Bharat Ratna.

In the first half of the 20th century, noted dancer Uday Shankar established his cultural center at Simtola, a couple of kilometers from the city center atop a ridge overlooking the mountains. This brought a galaxy of stars like Ustad Allauddin Khan, Guru Dutt, Shanti Bardhan, Simkie, Narendra Sharma, Ruma Guha Thakurta, and Zohra Sehgal among others.

Getting Around

Like most hill stations, the best way to get around is on foot. Many of the attractions are a 2-3 kilometer walk from the heart of town. For the more distant points of interest like the Chitai Temple which is around 8 kilometers (5 miles) away, a taxi would have to be hired from the main road (Mall Road).

Dharanaula Bus Stand is the hub for people looking to travel by local transport.

Tourist Traps in the City

There is none of any note. However, it is better to err on the side of caution while dealing with touts.

Local Custom

Having ginger tea at corner shops is a way of life in Almora.

Shopping

Almora is well known for its copper vessel making tradition. An entire locality named Tamta Mohalla houses coppersmiths pursuing this traditional craft. Pots, pans, diyas, vessels are items one can look to buy. Another interesting local buys for women could be the colorful ‘Pichcaura’. This is a duppatta or drape traditionally worn by local women especially during festivities. And finally look out for the Angora based clothing at the Khadi Village Industry. For travelers with a yen for sweet try the local delicacy ‘Singodi' - delicious milk-based sweet.

Communications

Phones :Cell phone rates are one of the cheapest in the world.
There are four GSM service providers:
* BSNL [20] GSM Triband
* Airtel [21] GSM Triband
* Vodafone [22] GSM Triband
* Idea [23]GSM Triband
CDMA service providers are
* Reliance Communications[24]
* Tata Indicom[25]
Internet: There are several internet cafes / Cyber Cafes from where you can access the Internet for sending email or uploading your digital photos.
* Reliance world offers you broadband connectivity at many locations across the city.
* Sify iway also offers broadband connectivity at different locations spread all over the city.

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