JAGESHWAR

The town of Almora is surrounded by district Nainital to the South, Pithoragarh district to the East, Garhwal to the west and Bageshwar District to the north it is crowded and fast losing its hill charm but it has a long history. Ancient Almora was established by the Katyurs and later developed by the rulers of the Chand Dynasty and much later came under the control of the British it had a vibrant art and literary culture and some eminent writers, artists, poets and philosophers have been associated with it at some point or the other. A day spent here exploring the nooks and corners can be very rewarding. Shop at the 200-year-old Lala bazaar at for local handicrafts and copper (Tamta) utensils and visit the museum at Jageshwar for its beautiful collection of arts and artifacts. If in a mood to drive up to another off-beat destination, take the road thirty-six kilometres ahead from Almora to Jageshwar. It has a cluster of over a hundred temples belonging to the 9 th  and 10th  century. Located at a height of around 6000 feet, in a beautiful deodar forest in the Jata Ganga valley, the verdure enthrals the senses. In the middle of a dense deodar forest the temples are made of stone with architecture typical of this region, these are double dome structures dedicated mostly to lord Shiva. The two most important shrines are the Mahamrityunjaya temple and the Jyotiling Jageshwar. These temples were built during the rule of the Katyurs and the construction continued through the reign of the Chand rulers. As different rulers continued to add smaller temples dedicated to gods and goddesses of their beliefs the complex grew over the centuries to house around 124 temples today.  The sheer dedication and magnitude of the complex fills the spectator with awe. A little above the main temple complex overlooking a ridge is Vridh Jageshwar, the site of another beautiful temple again dedicated to Lord Shiva. Every year between the 15th  of July and 15th of August the Jageshwar Monsoon festival is held during the Hindu calendar month of Sharavan. This festival has a lot of importance in the entire Kumaon region. Day walks are a delight and a way to explore the surrounds. A short trek up the mountain slope from Jageshwar, a little arduous but rewarding none the same is the source of the Jata ganga, where a stream emerges from the roots of a tree, like Ganga emerging from the locks of Shiva. One can walk further up to Vridh Jageshwar or you can drive through another route. Enroute to Jageshwar is Lakhudiyar (udiyar being cave in the local language) a small site marked by a board of the Archaeological survey of India. Rock inscriptions under an overhang have been found here with primitive drawings of figures and hunting scenes. One can still faintly make out the colours that were used here although much has been lost over time and due to weather conditions. Binsar and Jageshwar two places similar yet so different, one resonates with the creativity of man and the other with the handiwork of the creator himself.