Nainital
Encyclopedia : N : NA : NAI : Nainital
Nainital (29° 24' N, 79° 28' E) is a town in the Indian state of Uttaranchal and headquarters of Nainital District in the Kumaon foothills of the outer Himalaya. Situated at an altitude of 1938 m (6,350 ft) above sea-level, Nainital is set in a valley containing a pear-shaped lake, approximately 2 miles in circumference, and surrounded by mountains, of which the highest are Naina (also Cheena) (2615 m, or 8,568 ft) on the north, Deopatha (2438 m, or 7,987 ft) on the west, and Ayarpatha (2278 m, or 7,461 ft) on the south. The surrounding scenery "is strikingly beautiful; and from the tops of the higher peaks, magnificent views can be obtained of the vast plain to the south, or of the mass of tangled ridges lying north, bounded by the great snowy range which forms the central axis of the Himalayas." (Imperial Gazeteer of India, volume 18, Oxford University Press, Oxford and London, 1908.)
Nainital has a pleasant climate in the summer (maximum temperature 27°C, or 80°F; minimum temperature 10°C, or 50°F) and sees an influx of tourists mainly from the plains of Northern India. In the winter Nainital receives snowfall between December and February with the temperatures varying between a maximum of 15°C (59°F) and a minimum of -3°C (26°F).
The emerald green lake, the towering hills, the nip in the autumn wind, and the snapping of the chinar leaves underfoot ... there is lots that makes for fond memories of the city of Nainital, for those who come as visitors as well as for those who have a chance to spend a longer time.
Ancient References
Nainital town finds reference in several ancient mythologies of India. One of the earliest references called the Nainital lake Tri-Rishi-Sarovar in reference to the three sages or rishis who dug a hole at the location of the lake and siphoned water from the holy lake of Manasarovar. It is referred to in the Manas Khand of the Skand Puran as such.
Another mythological reference refers to Nainital lake as one of the 64 Shakti Peeths where parts of the charred body of Sati (Parvati) fell when being carried by Lord Shiva. It is said that the eye (or Nain) of Sati fell here hence the name Nain-tal or [lake of the eye.] The goddess Shakti is worshipped at the Naina Devi Temple, situated at the northern end of the lake.
British Period
The Kumaon Hills came under British rule after the Anglo-Nepal War (1814-16), but the hill station town of Naini Tal (which is how the name was spelt in British times) was only founded in 1841, with the construction of the first European house by P. Barron. Soon the town became a health resort favoured both by soldiers and by people trying to escape the heat of the plains. Later, the town also became the summer residence of the Governor of the United Provinces (later Uttar Pradesh). Government House (now the High Court of Uttaranchal) was built in 1899 by the F.W. Stevens who had also built many Gothic style buildings in Bombay.
In September 1880 a landslide (called the Landslip of 1880) occurred at the north end of the town, burying 151 people. Both the Assembly Rooms and the Naina Devi Temple were destroyed in the disaster. A recreation area known as 'The Flats' was later built on the site and a new temple was also erected.
Nainital Today
Nainital district is home to India's oldest national park, the Jim Corbett National Park, which contains a wide variety of wild life including elephants and tigers.
Nainital is also known for its outstanding educational institutions, although primarily at the school level. St Mary's Convent [link], St Joseph's College [link], Sherwood College [link] Birla Vidyamandir [link] and All Saints' College are the main schools. It is also the seat of Kumaon University. One of the older churches of North India--St. John in the Wilderness--was established here in 1858. There one can view the names of the 151 British nationals killed by the Landslip of 1880. After the landslide the local government took a number of steps to prevent the recurrence of such disasters--a number of Nallas (storm water drains) were constructed and building byelaws were made stricter.
The High Court of Uttaranchal state is also located in Nainital town, as are the headquarters of the Kumaon, one of the two commissionaries of Uttaranchal state. In recent years, academics, geologists, concerned citizens and the judiciary have been alarmed at the rate of new construction in Nainital and its effects on the Naini lake. As a result, efforts have been undertaken to check the deterioration of the lake and its surrounding ecosystem. Desilting of the lake and afforestation of the catchment area have been initiated; however these measures have not been sufficient to cope with the ever increasing pressure on its fragile ecosystem. The number of tourists, and with them the number of vehicles entering the town, is rapidly increasing and this, if not checked, could turn Nainital into a disfigured and despoiled town.
Notable people
Notable people who were born in or resided in Nainital:- Jim Corbett Famous hunter turned naturalist. Author of The Maneaters of Kumaon etc. born in Nainital July 25, 1875.
- Govind Ballabh Pant (1887-1961), Home Minister of India (1955-61), Chief Minister of the United Provinces (and later Uttar Pradesh) (1947-55), and recipient of the Bharat Ratna, was the Swarajist Party Representative from Nainital to the British India Legislative Assembly in 1925 and later visited Nainital often while Chief Minister of U.P. Ramsay Hospital in Nainital was later renamed in his honour.
- Major General Orde Charles Wingate Legendary soldier and commander of the Chindits in Burma during World War II. Born in Ramsay Hospital, Nainital, February 26, 1903.
- Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Indian Army Chief of Staff who led the Indian forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Attended Sherwood College, Nainital
- Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood actor. Attended Sherwood College, Nainital.
- Naseeruddin Shah, Bollywood actor. Attended St. Joseph's College, Nainital.
References
- Imperial Gazeteer of India'', volume 18, Oxford University Press, Oxford and London, 1908.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.