Nainital

Situated at the foothills of the Kumaon ranges of the Himalayas and at an altitude of 1938 metres above sea level is the town of Nainital in the state of Uttarakhand. Nainital has a very important place in Indian Mythology. According to a mythological lore, sages Pulatsya, Atri and Pulaha dug up a lake here when they found no water to drink. This lake they filled with water from the holy lake “Mansarovar” of Tibet. Hence this lake is also known as “the lesser Mansarovar”. Another legend has it that the eyes of Goddess Parvati fell here when her charred body was being carried by Lord Shiva, and hence the name Naini-tal, where Naini stands for eyes.

Nainital was discovered by the Britishers in the year 1841 as a favored health resort for escaping the summer heat of the plains. However, Nainital soon became an English preserve, with Indians present here only for laborious slavery. It was only in around 1925 when Britishers started getting subsidies for annual vacations to England did the British presence substantially decrease. Today, Nainital is flourishing as a much sought after hill station with British presence having totally disappeared.