Kumaon is a travelers’ delight with its greenery, clean fresh air, cool climate and the elegant Himalayas. For hundreds of years, it has attracted the seekers of adventures, natural beauty and spirituality alike. It is bestowed with evergreen forests and alpine mountains with unique flora and fauna. This natural abundance and hilly terrain have influenced the lives of people in the region, carving a distinct culture of colourful festivals, delicious cuisine, healthy lifestyle and unique art and architecture.
Mystical Kumaon
Kumaon is a land of mystery and majestical beauty. Popularly known as “Dev Bhoomi”, Kumaon has a rich heritage of folklores and myths connected to varies Hindu deities. There are folklores abound of the Pandavas of the epic Mahabhrarata travelling to parts of Kumaon during their Swargarohan or trek to the heavens.
Vibrant geography
Kumaon lies in the earstern half of the Indian state of Uttrakhand sharing international borders with Tibet in the north and Nepal in the east. The river Kali (Sharda) demarcates the international border with Nepal. Kumaon has the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in its south and Garhwal region of Uttrakhand in the west.
Diverse flora n fauna
The Tarai and Bhabar region lying at 300m to 1500m above sea level have a coverage of subtropical forests of deciduous trees such as Sal, Vijayasar, khair-sissoo and Ramal. Evergreen trees such as Faliyal Oaks, Banj Oaks and coniferous pine are also found in the lower regions of Kumaon. These forests are home to Tiger, Chetal (Spotted Dear), Leopard, Sambar deer, Elephant, Fox, Monkeys and Boar.
Festivals n fairs
Kumaon is a land of festivals and fairs to bring colour to the difficult and arduous life of mountains.Many of the festivals such as Makar Sankranti are part of celebrating the changing seasons and bounties of nature. From the day of Makar, the temperature starts rising and the migratory birds start returning to the mountains after the long winter. People celebrate this day by making sweets called Ghughutia which are offered to crows or Kale Kauva.
Kumaoni Cuisine
Food is another joyous site of the arduous life of the mountains. Kumaon with its unique cuisine and a mix of influences from immigrating communities is a foodies’ heaven. Many rural homes continue to follow the traditional method of slow cooking over wood furnace and grinding tempering and masalas on stone silwata.
Distinct Art and Architecture
The harsh climatic conditions have influenced people to adapt using locally available building materials such as mud, stones, slate and wood for the construction of their houses. Traditional rural houses have amazingly functional architecture. They have large patangans or courtyards made of gray stones to soak in the sun. The courtyards serve as an extension of the kitchen and drying area for seasonal fruits and vegetables. Most courtyards extend to small kitchen gardens, giving easy access to home grown vegetables and fruits.
Umpteen Trek Routes
Being bordered by multiple 7&8 thosanders of Himalaya on its north, encompassing many glaciers, kumaon is a trekkers wonderland.
Here are some of the treks in Kumaon-
Pindari Glacier: The trek for Pindari Glacier starts from Kapkot, Bageshwar.
Through the Historical Lens
History of kumaon dates back to paliolithic age with the archaeological discoveries of rock paintings paliolithic megalithic stone carvings. It is one of the five Himalayan regions those have been mentioned in our ancient texts.
