Almora | |
|---|---|
City | |
 View of Almora in 2013 | |
| Nicknames: Cultural Capital of Kumaon, Heart of Kumaon | |
  Almora Location in Uttarakhand, India Show map of Uttarakhand Almora Almora (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:29°35′50″N79°39′33″E / 29.5971°N 79.6591°E /29.5971; 79.6591 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Uttarakhand |
| Division | Kumaon |
| District | Almora |
| Established | 1568 |
| Founded by | Balo Kalyan Chand |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Almora Municipal Corporation |
| • Mayor | Ajay Verma (BJP) |
| • Lok Sabha MP | Ajay Tamta (BJP) |
| • MLA | Manoj Tiwari (INC) |
| • Municipal Commissioner | Seema Vishwakarma,IAS |
| Area | |
• Total | 16.60 km2 (6.41 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,642 m (5,387 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 35,513 |
| • Density | 2,139/km2 (5,541/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Almoran (English)Almoradi(Kumaoni) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi Sanskrit |
| • Native | Kumaoni |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 263601[2] |
| Telephone code | 91-5962 |
| Vehicle registration | UK-01 |
| Sex ratio | 1142♂/♀ |
| Climate | Alpine (BSh) and Humid subtropical(Cwb)(Köppen) |
| Avg. annual temperature | −3 to 28 °C (27 to 82 °F) |
| Avg. summer temperature | 12 to 28 °C (54 to 82 °F) |
| Avg. winter temperature | −3 to 15 °C (27 to 59 °F) |
| Website | almora |
Almora (Hindi:Almāḍ) is amunicipal corporation and acantonment town in the state ofUttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters ofAlmora district.[3] Almora is located on a ridge at the southern edge of theKumaon Hills of theHimalaya range. TheKoshi (Kaushiki) and Suyal (Salmale) rivers flow along the city and snow-capped Himalayas can be seen in the background.
Almora was founded in 1568.[4] by KingKalyan Chand;[5][6][7] however, there are accounts of human settlements in the hills and surrounding region in the Hindu epicMahabharata[8] (8th and 9th century BCE[9]). Almora was the seat ofChand kings that ruled over theKumaon Kingdom. It is considered the cultural heart of theKumaon region of Uttarakhand.
According to the provisional results of the2011 Census of India, Almora had a population of about 179,000.[citation needed] Nestled within higher peaks of the Himalaya, Almora enjoys a year-round mild temperate climate. There are 11 blocks in Almora district.[citation needed]
Almora got its name from Bhilmora, a kind ofsorrel (although some have tried to derive it from Berberis "kilmora"[10][11]), a short plant commonly found there[12] which was used for washing the utensils of the sun temple atKatarmal. The people bringing the Bhilmora/kilmora were called Bhilmori/Kilmori and later "Almori" and the place came to be known as "Almora".[13][14]
When king Bhishm Chand laid the foundation of the town, he had initially named it Alamnagar. Prior to that, Almora was known as 'Rajapur' during the early phase of Chand rule.[15][16][17] The name 'Rajpur' is also mentioned over a number of ancient copper plates.[17] There is still a place called Rajpur in Almora.
Almora was founded in 1568[18] by Kalyan Chand during the rule of theChand dynasty.[19] Prior to that the region was under the control ofKatyuri king Bhaichaldeo who donated a part of Almora to Sri Chand Tiwari.
According to local tradition, the earliest inhabitants in Almora were Tewaris who were required to supplySorrel daily for cleansing the vessels of the sun temple at Katarmal.[1]: 8 Ancient lore mentioned inVishnu Purana andMahabharata present primordial accounts of human settlements in the city.[1]: 8 TheSakas, theNagas, theKiratas, theKhasas and theHunas are credited to be the most ancient tribes.[1]: 8 TheKauravas andPandavas of the Hastinapur royal family were the next important princes from the plains who are said to have affected the conquest of these parts.[20]: 166 After theMahabharata war the district seems to have remained for some time under the sway of the kings ofHastinapur whose authority was never more than nominal.[20]: 166 The actual rulers were the local chiefs of whom the Kulindas (or Kunindas) were probably strong in the southern and western part of the city.[1]: 8 TheKhasas were another ancient people who belonged to an earlyAryan stock and were widely scattered in those times.[20]: 167 They gave this region the name Khasadesha or Khasamandala.[1]: 8 [20]: 167
The next age was probably a period of many petty states rivalling each other for supremacy, which culminated in the inauguration of the noted and enduring dynasty of the Chands. Earlier than this, theKatyuris are recorded as the dominant clans in copper and stone engravings.[21] The Chand dynasty from their inception in 953 A.D. to their ouster in the late 18th century present a saga of strife, with a horrifying series of wars with the rulers ofGarhwal culminating in the destruction of this prosperous land and establishment of inglorious Gurkha rule. This dynasty was peculiar in that it made Almora the seat of strongest hill power in 1563 A.D.[22] From that time onwards, the limits of the kingdom of Kumaon extended over the entire tracts of the districts of Almora andNainital. Towards the end of the 17th century, the Chand Rajas again attacked the Garhwal kingdom, and in 1688, King Udyot Chand erected several temples at Almora, including Tripur Sundari, Udyot Chandeshwer and Parbateshwer, to mark his victory over Garhwal and Doti. The Parbateshwar temple was renamed twice, eventually becoming the present Nanda Devi temple.
In 1791, the Gorkhas of Nepal while expanding their kingdom westwards across the Kali River, invaded and overran Almora.[1]: 8 [23] In the meantime, the British were engaged in preventing the Gorkhas from over-running the whole of the northern frontier.[24] The Gorkha rule lasted for twenty-four years. Due to their repeated intrusion into British territories in the Terai from 1800 onwards,Lord Moira, the Governor-General of India, decided to attack Almora in December 1814,[25] marking the beginning of theAnglo-Gorkha war. The war that broke out in 1814[26][27] resulted in the defeat of the Gorkhas and subsequently led to the signing of theTreaty of Sugauli in 1816.[28]: 594 [29] According to the treaty, Nepal had to cede all those territories which the Gorkhas had annexed to theBritish East India Company. After the war, the old Lal Mandi fort, near Almora was renamed ‘Fort Moira’.
Unlike neighbouring hill stations such asNainital andShimla, which were developed by theBritish,[30][31][32] Almora was developed long before by the Chand kings.[33] The place where the present cantonment is located was formerly known as Lalmandi.[17][34][35] Presently where the collectorate exists, the 'Malla Mahal' (Upper Court) of the Chand kings was located.[17][36] The site of the present District Hospital used to be 'Talla Mahal' (Lower Court) of the Chand rulers.[17][37] Almora had a population of 8,596 in 1901,[38] falling to 8,359 in 1921.[39]
Almora is located at29°35′50″N79°39′33″E / 29.5971°N 79.6591°E /29.5971; 79.6591[40] inAlmora district inUttarakhand. It is situated 365 km north-east thenational capitalNew Delhi and 415 km south-east of the state capitalDehradun. It lies in the revenue DivisionKumaon[41] and is located 63 km north ofNainital, the administrative headquarters of Kumaon.[42] It has an average elevation of 1,604 m (5,262 ft) above mean sea level.
Almora is situated on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills[17] of the Central Himalaya range in the shape of a horse saddle shaped hillock. The eastern portion of the ridge is known as Talifat[43] and the western one is known as Selifat.[17] The Almora Market is situated at the top of the ridge, where the two jointly terminate.[17] It is surrounded by thick forests of pine, deodar and fir trees. Flowing alongside the city are theKoshi (Kaushiki) and Suyal (Salmale) rivers. The snow-capped Himalayas can be seen in the background.
The climate of Almora is characterised by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The main seasons are summer from March to June, themonsoon season from July to October, and winter from November to February. In summer, Almora is largely under the influence of moist, maritime airflow from the western side of the subtropical anticyclonic cells over low-latitude ocean waters. Temperatures are high and can lead to warm, oppressive nights. Summers are usually somewhat wetter than winters, with much of the rainfall coming from convectional thunderstorm activity; tropical cyclones also enhance warm-season rainfall in some regions. The coldest month is usually quite mild, although frosts are not uncommon, and winter precipitation is derived primarily from frontal cyclones along the polar front. TheKöppen climate classification subtype for this climate isCwa (Humid Subtropical Climate).[44]
The average temperature for the year in Almora is 23.5 °C or 74.3 °F.[45] This information is as per the Abaal Institute. The warmest month, on average, is June with an average temperature of 31.1 °C or 88.0 °F.[45] The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 13.3 °C or 55.9 °F.[45] The average amount of precipitation for the year in Almora is 1,132.5 millimetres or 44.59 inches.[45] The month with the most precipitation on average is August with 330.3 millimetres or 13.00 inches of precipitation.[45] The month with the least precipitation on average is November with an average of 4.6 millimetres or 0.18 inches.[45] There are an average of 46.8 days of precipitation, with the most precipitation occurring in August with 11.9 days and the least precipitation occurring in November with 0.6 days.[45]
| Climate data for Almora | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.9 (57.0) | 16.1 (61.0) | 20.6 (69.1) | 25.6 (78.1) | 28.3 (82.9) | 27.8 (82.0) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 23.3 (73.9) | 20.0 (68.0) | 16.1 (61.0) | 22.3 (72.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.6 (60.1) | 20.0 (68.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.3 (73.9) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.2 (72.0) | 18.9 (66.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 17.8 (64.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) | 7.2 (45.0) | 10.6 (51.1) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.8 (64.0) | 18.9 (66.0) | 20.0 (68.0) | 20.0 (68.0) | 18.9 (66.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 10.6 (51.1) | 7.2 (45.0) | 13.9 (57.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 20.2 (0.80) | 27.7 (1.09) | 17.8 (0.70) | 17.5 (0.69) | 30.5 (1.20) | 115.0 (4.53) | 258.5 (10.18) | 236.8 (9.32) | 128.8 (5.07) | 23.8 (0.94) | 3.3 (0.13) | 8.8 (0.35) | 888.7 (35) |
| Source:https://weatherspark.com/y/110033/Average-Weather-in-Almora-India-Year-Round | |||||||||||||
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Due to the significant variation in elevation, the region's vegetation is remarkably diverse, with 4000 species of plants represented. The species can be broadly classified into tropical, Himalayan sub-tropical, and (sub-)alpine. The alpine and sub-alpine zones are considered to host the largest number of medicinal plants.[citation needed]
The sub-alpine zones of Almora and its outskirts are a natural sanctuary forleopards,langurs,Himalayan black bears,kakars, andgorals, while the high-altitude zones are home tomusk deer,snow leopards,blue sheep, thar, and others. The entire area hosts a wide variety of bird species, including thepeacock, grey quail,black francolin/kala titar,whistling thrush,chakor,monal,cheer pheasant, kokla, andKalij pheasant.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1871 | 6,260 | — |
| 1881 | 7,390 | +18.1% |
| 1891 | 7,826 | +5.9% |
| 1901 | 8,596 | +9.8% |
| 1911 | 10,560 | +22.8% |
| 1921 | 8,359 | −20.8% |
| 1931 | 9,688 | +15.9% |
| 1941 | 10,995 | +13.5% |
| 1951 | 12,757 | +16.0% |
| 1961 | 16,602 | +30.1% |
| 1971 | 20,881 | +25.8% |
| 1981 | 22,705 | +8.7% |
| 1991 | 28,051 | +23.5% |
| 2001 | 32,358 | +15.4% |
| 2011 | 35,513 | +9.8% |
| Source:[1][46][47][48][49] | ||
As of the2011 India census[update], Almora has a population of 35,513 of which 18,306 are males, while 17,207 are females.[1]: 20 Out of the total population, The Almora Municipal Corporation has a population of 34,122,[50] while The Almora Cantonment Board has a population of 1,391.[51] The population of children in the age range of 0–6 years is 3,081, which is 8.67% of the total population of Almora.[1]: 20 The literacy rate of Almora city is 86.19%,[1]: 21 higher than the state average of 78.82%. Male literacy is around 88.06%, while the female literacy rate is 84.21%.[1]: 21 Almora had a population of 32,358 according to the2001 Census of India.[52]
The earliest known reference to the population of Almora occurs in the book 'The Kingdom of Nepal' byFrancis Hamilton. During his visit toFatehgarh, Hamilton was told by Pt. Hariballav Pande that there were around a thousand houses in Almora during the Gorkha rule.[23]: 297 Mr. G.W. Traill, the second commissioner of theKumaon division, has written that there were 742 houses in Almora in 1821, in which 1,369 men, 1,178 women, and 968 children lived, and thus the total population of the town was 3,505.[53]: 115
Hinduism is practised by 90.84% of the total population and is the majority religion of Almora.Islam is practiced by 7.54% of people and is the largest minority religion. Other religions likeSikhism,Christianity andBuddhism are also practiced by a small number of people. Hindi and Sanskrit are the official languages of the state while Kumaoni is the mother tongue of the majority.
Themunicipal board (Nagar Palika Parishad) of Almora was established in 1864. It was upgraded to Nagar Nigam in 2024. The Almora Nagar Nigam has a population of 34,122 of which 17,358 are males while 16,764 are females as per the report released by Census India 2011.[50] The population of children within the age range of 0–6 is 2950 which is 8.65% of the total population of Almora (NPP).[50] In Almora Nagar Nigam, the female sex ratio is of 966 against the state average of 963.[50] Moreover, the child sex ratio in Almora is around 857 compared to Uttarakhand's state average of 890.[50] Literacy rate of Almora city is 94.51% higher than state average of 78.82%.[50] In Almora, male literacy is around 96.84% while the female literacy rate is 92.13%.[50] Schedule Caste (SC) constitutes 16.38% while Schedule Tribe (ST) were 1% of total population in Almora (NN).[50] Out of total population, 10,057 were engaged in work or business activity. Of this 7,901 were males while 2,156 were females.[50] Of the total 10,057 working population, 93.25% were engaged in main work while 6.75% of total workers were engaged in marginal work.[50] Almora Nagar Nigam has total administration over 8,014 houses to which it supplies basic amenities like water and sewerage. Almora as of 2025 is divided into 40 wards for which elections are held every 5 years.
Almora has many notable temples, includingKasar Devi, Nanda Devi, Doli Daana, Shyayi Devi, Khakmara, Asht Bhairav, Jakhandevi, Katarmal (Sun Temple), Pataal Devi, Raghunath Mandir, Badreshwar, Banari Devi,Chitai,Jageshwar,[54]Binsar Mahadev, Garhnath andBaijnath.
KasarDevi temple constructed in 2nd century CE, was visited by SwamiVivekananda. The area has a Chabad House.[55][56]: 96 [57]
Rudreshwar Mahadev Temple, near Sanara Ganiya, is dedicated to LordShiva. It is beside the river Ram Ganga. A sun temple (only the second in the world) is at Katarmal, a short distance from the town. The temple of Manila Devi, Devi Maa, the family goddess of theKatyuri clan, lies around 85 km from Ranikhet. Udaipur a temple of Golu devta is 5 km from Binta near Dwarahat.
TheBudden Memorial Church is aMethodist church located in the town, built in 1897 with the support of theLondon Missionary Society.[58][59]
Almora is connected by motorable roads with major destinations of Uttarakhand state and northern India.Uttarakhand Transport Corporation runs buses from Almora bus station to major north Indian cities such asDelhi,Dehradun,Lucknow, andChandigarh. TheGovernment of Uttarakhand is constructing aninterstate bus terminal near Lower Mall Road,[61] which will be helpful for establishing a large tourist network in the city and to destinations in the surrounding Kumaon region. It will be the second ISBT of Uttarakhand afterDehradun.[62] A subregional transportation office is located in Almora[63] where vehicles are registered with the number UK-01.[64]
Kathgodam railway station is the nearest railway station. Kathgodam is the last terminus of the broad gauge line of North East Railways that connects Kumaon withDelhi,Dehradun andHowrah.
Pantnagar Airport, located inPantnagar is the primary airport serving the entire Kumaon region.Bareilly Airport is another domestic airport which also serves the Kumaon region.Indira Gandhi International Airport, located inDelhi is the nearest international airport.
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Almora has three universities,Kumaun University,Soban Singh Jeena University andUttarakhand Residential University.
All India Radio has a local station in Almora which transmits programs of mass interest.[65] Almora station of A.I.R. was founded in June 1986 and is a primary channel station running onmedium wave catering the whole ofKumaon division.[66] Multiple local Hindi and English newspapers are published, whereas regional and national Hindi and English newspapers, printed elsewhere in India, are also circulated in Almora. a number of historical newspapers and magazines have been published from Almora likePrabuddha Bharata, Almora Akhbar, Shakti and Swadhin Praja.[67]
The history of printing and journalism in Almora is deeply intertwined with the efforts of several pioneers who sought to establish a voice for the people of the region. The journey began in 1871 when Buddhiballav Pant founded a debating club,[68]: 134 an initiative that earned the approval ofWilliam Muir, the provincial governor at the time.[53]: 120 Muir, impressed by the club's activities, recommended the establishment of a press and the publication of a newspaper, which Pant took to heart. He went on to launch a press and began publishing Almora Akhbar, the region’s first Hindi weekly.[67]: 21 The Almora Akhbar thrived under the editorship ofBadri Datt Pandey, who took over in 1913, growing its circulation from approximately 50-60 to 1,500 subscribers. However, the publication came to a halt in 1917. In the following year, a partner acquired the Debating Club Press, renaming it Vindhyavasini Press. This press later began publishing Zila Samachar in 1922, which would eventually become Kumaun Kumud, a publication that continued until the late 1930s.[53]: 120
The region saw further development in the publishing industry in 1893-94 with the establishment of Kumaun Printing Press by Babu Devidas. This press launched the weekly Kurmanchal Samachar, which was followed by Kurmanchal Mitra, though the latter ceased after a while.[53]: 120 Another notable publication,Prabuddha Bharata, was founded in 1898 bySwami Swarupananda,[69] but publication soon shifted to theAdvaita Ashrama at Mayawati.
In 1918, Badri Datt Pandey, alongside some associates, founded the Deshbhakta press and launched Shakti, a magazine that sparked disagreements among its partners due to its editorial stance.[67]: 21 [68]: 134 [70]: 45 Some of these partners went on to establish Sombari Press in 1919, which briefly published Jyoti before shutting down.[53]: 120 Meanwhile, Shakti continued its publication until 1942 when government restrictions forced its closure, only to be revived in 1946 through the efforts ofGobind Ballabh Pant.[70][68]: 134
The 1930s marked another milestone with the introduction of Swadhin Praja, directed by Victor Mohan Joshi.[68]: 134 [71] In 1934, the weekly Samta was launched under the guidance of Hari Prasad Tamta, receiving government funding to support its publication. Initially printed at Indra Printing Press, the publication later shifted to Krishna Press inHaldwani.[71] Since 1935, Natkhat, an illustrated monthly magazine, has been published by Indra Printing Press, continuing the legacy of Almora's rich journalistic tradition.[53]: 120
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