Ranikhet owes its birth to the British who developed it as a sanatorium in the 1860s. Subsequently, Vicerory Lord Mayo, on his way back from Almora stayed for some time at Chaubattia and was so enamoured of the beauty and salubrious climate of the place that he had the place developed as a large cantonment. Glenpenock, the bungalow where Lord Mayo sojourned, stands in full glory even to this day.
During the entire British period Ranikhet was a most sought after destination of all officers and well heeled Indians. Its solitude made it a favorite haunt of eminent personalities like Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, Chidanand Dasgupta, painters like Frank Brewster, and acclaimed writers like Rahul Sankrityayan, Upendranath Ashk, Nirmal Verma. Some winters ago, Booker Prize winning novelist Amitav Ghosh was on a sabbatical here.
In 1948 Ranikhet was made the Headquarters of the Kumaon Regimental Centre which added to its significance. The KRC Museum, the War Memorial at Somnath Ground is worth seeing.
The huge horticulture garden at Chaubatia, as old as the town itself and famous for its wide Ovariety of apples, particularly the Red Delicious is another landmark of the town.
Ranikhet’s pristine beauty has always beckoned Hollywood. Starting with Bimal Roy’s classic Madhumati, many famous Hindi films were shot here- Dil deke Dekho, Shikaar, Kati Patang , Honeymoon, Border , Kishna, just to name a few.
For the religious and spiritual minded people there are many interesting places in every direction within an hours drive from Ranikhet:
On the East lies the centuries old famous Sun Temple at Katarmal, just a little distance off the highway to Almora.
Towards North is the ancient temple town of Dwarahat on the Badrinath highway, nestling in the lap of Dunagiri Temple. Temples built nearly millennia ago in Nagar style dot the landscape. Although most of them are bereft of statues, they bear a mute testimony to the glorious past. Further ahead is the Swargashram Dham of Pandukholi. Perched majestically at an altitude 9000ft. above sea level this place is a hermit’s delight. As one slithers down the hill one can meditate in the rock shelter where the sage Lahiri Mahashay (reffered to in the bestselling ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ by Pramhansa Yoganand) attained enlightenment.
On the west, a couple of kilometers off the road to Ramnagar is another Ashram called Binsar Mahadev, a place of perfect solitude on the banks of a gurgling stream.
Moreover, there are several places outlying the town which can be visited for angling, river rappelling, trekking, bird watching etc.
If one were to ask, “ Where do we find a sprawling township bestowed with a verdant canopy of Deodar, Oak, Walnut, Chestnut, Cypress and Oak trees; dotted with exquisite bungalows connected with a grid of serpentine roads; gorgeous churches and above all, a place sans any crime or disorder?”, the answer would invariably be : RANIKHET. A hill station which stands out in sharp contrast to its peers, Ranikhet is free of all din and bustle, roads bereft of fast food caterers and vendors peddling imported wares, and no hassles of parking space. In short, it’s a hermit’s delight, particularly, the Upper Mall area. It is difficult to say whether it’s a city within a forest or a forest within a city. To cap it all, the breathtaking view of the majestic Himalayas adds to the captivating charm.
Standing tall on the ridge of the Upper Mall is Hotel Meghdoot, the only hotel in the town which not only commands a sweeping view of the Himalayas but also of the undulate slopes on the West. From here you can savour the invigorating sunrise as well as the intoxicating glow of the sunset. Being located in a thickly wooded area, it offers miles and miles unobstrusive walking / trekking and bird watching. Fowls, flying fox, jackals are abundant. And who knows, with some luck one find leopards, barking deer’s and wild boars lurking in immediate neighbourhood.
If one wishes to spend his holiday in absolute solitude and serenity with all comforts, Hotel Meghdoot is the place to be.
How To Reach
Ranikhet Road Map
|
By Air: The nearest airport to Ranikhet is at Pantnagar, the seat of a famous agricultural university about 121 kms. from Ranikhet. By Rail: The nearest railway station is at Kathgodam situated around 84 KMs away. Kathgodam is connected by rail directly with Delhi, the capital of India, Lucknow, the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Dehradun the capital of the state of Uttarakhand. By Road: From Kathgodam local transport, private taxies as well as buses run by private operators, and buses run by the state government corporation - UASRTC are available at day time. |