FEW PERSONAL PICS OF NAINITAL..IT WAS AWESOME BEING THERE!!

LAKE BHIMTAL...

















NAINITAL MALL ROAD ALONG WITH THE NAINI LAKE..


















THE TARRACE FARMING IN NAINITAL MOUNTAINS...

















NAINI LAKE...

Nainital: The Lake City of LAKES...

Nainital derived its name from a Hindu Goddess, Naina Devi and it has a mythological significance as well. It has been believed that when Lord Shiva danced with the soulless body of Parvati, her eyes (Nain in Hindi) fell on the lake and the lake came to be known as ‘Nain-tal’ or lake of the eye. This city is located in the Kumaon foothills of the outer Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand. Located at the altitude of 1,938 metres, Nainital is surrounded by three mountains, namely, Naina (2,615 m) on the north, Deopatha (2,438 m) on the west, and Ayarpatha (2,278 m) on the south. All these three mountains bound a large lake, locally termed as ‘tal’.

Nainital also has a 100 year old Raj Bhawan Golf Course for the golf lovers.
From sightseeing to boating, golfing to adventure sports, from long walks and soft treks to just unwinding or introspecting – Nainital, in the Kumaon region offers it all. This hill town is a photographer’s delight, an artist’s dream and a writer’s inspiration.

SIGHTSEEING IN NAINITAL
Snow View: The Snow view point located at height of 2270 meter on the Sher-ka-Danda hill is the most easily accessible, if not on foot then via the cable car that skims its surface and whisks you away merrily to the top. Once there you can only gaze in wonder at the glittering panorama of Himalayan snows spanning the distant horizon.
Naina Peak: Known as the China peak at 8,568 feet is the highest point in Nainital. It commands a superb view of the Himalayas and an intriguing bird’s-eye view of Nainital. One can walk or take ponies to the peak.
Naina Devi Temple: The attractive lake of Nainital is said to be the eyes of Sati, wife of Lord Shiva. Sati jumped into the sacrificial bonfire. Lord Shiva to mourn the death of his beloved wife carried the body across the country. The remains of her body fell at various places which today are sacred worship places for the Hindus.
St. John's Church: This church was built in 1847. A brass memorial is kept in memory of the persons who were buried in the infamous landslide.
Horse riding: Any visitor coming to Nainital cannot miss the joy of riding a horse on the Mall. Not only at the Mall but to reach the Snow View Point, Tiffin Top, Kilburi from the Mallital area one can hire ponies and horses.
Ayarpatta Hill is a haven of trees—oak, fir, deodar, pine and rhododendron. Some of the roads are narrow and still paved with brick. On this hill stands Gurney House, home of the great Jim Corbett, the fearless famous hunter, conservationist and writer to remember. The house was named after Corbett’s father. It is now a museum of Corbett memorabilia.

OOTY...QUEEN OF HILL STATIONSS..

Ooty also known as Udhagamandalam is the "Queen of hill stations" and the capital of Nilgiris district. It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. Nilgiris means "Blue Mountains". It is a land of picturesque picnic spots. Used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the Britishers during the colonial days. It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. An added attraction for the tourists to Udagamandalam is the mountain train journey on a ratchet and pinion track which commences from Kallar, near Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair-raising curves and fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens.

An important and Interesting Tourist spot of Tamilnadu. This place is also a place of visit in the summer season for its chill climate. Udagamandalam-Ooty in short is called as the “Queen of Hills”. It is located at the tri junction of Tamilnadu, kerala and Karnataka. It is at 7500 feet above the sea level and finds its location in the Nilgris.........

Nilgris is a beautiful mountain range which is a part of Western Ghats. Totally there are three places to visit namely Kothagiri, Coonoor and Ooty. Among these three Ooty is given the primal importance because of its scenic Beauty and excellent climate conditions. Nilgris is oldest than the Great Himalayas. Like Icing on a cake ooty adds Pride to this mountain Range.

Ooty Boat House Lake
Even though the name of this lake is boat House Lake, people use to call this lake as ooty lake. The British ruler called john Sullivan has constructed this beautiful lake in the years 1823-1825.

Glen Morgen
This spot is located at a distance of 17 km from ooty. An important place with thick forests. More varieties of trees are seen over here. Some important species helpful to mankind are also found here.

PATNITOP "THE HEAVEN ON EARTH"

112 km from Jammu, Patnitop boasts of being a hill resort of matchless beauty. Perched on a beautiful plateau and encased by thickly wooded forests, it offers pretty picnic spots, tranquil walks and panoramic views of the mountainous of the basin of River Chenab. Snow enwraps it in winters and there are endless opportunities for various snow games such as skiing. Natural charm, climate, pine forests and lush green cover compliment the best-developed touring spot of Jammu region. Situated at a high altitude, there are many pleasant walks around Patnitop. It is also a starting point for many short or long treks into the nearby mountains such as the attractive one-day 11-km walk to Shiva Garh, situated at an altitude of almost 3,500 m.

The highlights of Patnitop are its three gushing, ice-cold freshwater springs in the area, which are said to have medicinal properties. Flowery meadows make Patnitop an ideal place for walks and picnics. It also has a 6-hole golf course, which is being expanded to 9-holes. Adventure lovers may trek or ride ponies along little known trails, opt for paragliding and basic skiing while others can enjoy camping and walks. Sudh Mahadev is a sacred spot situated close to Patnitop.

Amarnath Ji

145 km from Srinagar, the holy shrine of Amarnath is situated at an altitude of 4,175 m above sea level. Covered by snow from September to June, the harsh weather conditions obstruct the path of the visitors and it is only accessible during the monsoons, from July to August. According to the popular legend, Lord Shiva distributed celestial nectar among the gods and made them immortal. The word 'Amarnath', thus means, 'Lord of Immortality'. There is a mention of this ancient shrine in the first historical treatise on India, Rajtarangini by Kalhana.

One of the most important Hindu pilgrimage centers of India, the devotees believe that in every lunar month, the icy Shivalinga in the cave of Amarnath begins to take its shape on the first day of the bright half of the month. The Linga reaches its full size on the full moon day and then begins to wane and disappear on the no moon day. The Amarnath cave faces south and inside the cave, there are four to five ice formations resembling figures of various deities. According to the tradition, the largest one is accepted as Amarnath, one on its left as Ganesha and ones on the right as Parvati and Bhairava respectively.

The 145-km trek from Srinagar to Amarnath cave is full of adventures, beautiful landscapes, and pilgrimage sites. Due to the accidents that have taken place in the past, now one can travel to the place only under the vigil of Indian officials. The trek begins on the fifth day of the bright half of the lunar calendar from Dashnami Akhada in Srinagar. The first important pilgrimage site of the trek is Martand, known for its ancient temple dedicated to the Sun God. There are famous shrines of Bab-zain-ud-din Wali at Aishmuqam while Pahalgam presents the confluence of the rivers Sheshnag and Liddar and a number of Muslim shrines to the visitors.

Enroute are the famous temples of Anantnag, Deviangan, Bijbehara, Akingam, Lukbhavan, and Nagdandi Ashram along with the shrine of Baba Hyder Rishi situated Anantnag. Chandanwadi, is again the confluence of the rivers Asthan Marg and Sheshnag while it is believed that at Pishu Ghati, the Gods crushed the Demons. The origin of the river of the same name, Sheshnag Lake is situated at a height of about 12,000 feet above sea level. Wavjan lies just before the steep climb to the Mahagunus Pass and is situated at an altitude of 14,000 feet above sea level. It also marks the last climb in the trek to Amarnath, after which there is a downy slope leading to Panchatarni. The Amarnath Yatra, is so planned as to reach the Amarnath cave on the full moon day.

Chari Saheb, the holy scepter, leads a procession starting form Srinagar to Amarnath during the annual festival held here during the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar. It is held to celebrate the formation of ice Shivalinga on the full moon day.