Mukteshwar town, once known as Muktesar (as mentioned in the temple Tiger Book) is a hilltop town and research center developed by Britishers in 1983. It is known for its temples, shrines, IVRI (Indian Veterinary Research Institute) and the newly discovered Bhalu Gaad waterfall. Indeed, the town has its imprints in the books like Man-eater of Kumaon written by Jim Corbett.
The valley is completely bounded by fruit orchards and coniferous trees. It gets pregnant in the months of May – July and makes the place look extra colouricious, with a green backdrop.
Also Read: Day Treks worth adding to Nainital Trip
How to Reach Mukteshwar Town
Mukteshwar lies 334 kilometers from Delhi and 50 Kms from Nainital. The only way to reach the town is by car or bus. The nearest railway station is at Kathgodam which is about 65 kilometers from Mukteshwar.
We started our journey around 6 am from Delhi and reached by 3. So, one can reach in 8 to 9 hrs via car from Delhi.
Route from Delhi
Delhi – Moradabad- Nainital – Muktesshwar
Condition of Roads
Roads are graveled and in excellent condition except for the few bad patches between Rampur and Rudarpur.
Weather in Mukteshwar Town
Despite lying at low altitude, the hill station Mukteshwar escapes from the harsh heat waves as compared to other low lying town and cities. The weather is pleasant in summers whereas winters are pretty cold and some years the valley too get snow covered in months of December and January. Heavy Rainfalls occur between June – September.
Also read about the nearby town: Binsar
Mukteshwar
The colonial town perched on the lush hilltop offers unobstructed, 180-degree views of the majestic Himalayan ranges from Nanda Ghunti to Trishul and from sacred Nanda Devi to Panchachuli range. These ranges adorn the quiet town just as the Rhododendron trees adorn the forest trails in Uttarakhand. They are not only majestic but too changes it hues from sunrise to sunset.
When the #clouds lifted and gave way to #sun; the #sunrays glowed up these majestic #Himalayan ranges in golden hue. #allgudthings surely cant do justice to the actual views but still.. P.C @mountains_calling #mytravelgram #travel #travelblogger #travelblog #morningview #sunriseporn #himalayas #photography #photographers_of_india #photo #travelislife #traveling #travelgram #mytravels #clouds #mountains #uttarakhand #uttarakhandphotography #igindia #igtravel #india #l4l #follow #travelaroundtheworld #passportready
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Attractions of Mukteshwar Town
- Mukteshwar Temple
The centuries-old Mukteshwar Temple perches on the hilltop and offers 360-degree spectacular views of Mukteshwar town. The temple houses white marble Lord Shiva deity in the main sanctum, and wooden pillars with intricate carving circumference the main sanctum. It is believed to be the place where Lord Shiva killed the demon and helped him in attaining salvation.
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<p>Mukteshwar Dham was an abode of Saint Mukteshwar and today his disciples reside here. It is an ideal place to meditate and soak in the calmness and beauty of nature.</p>
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Just opposite to the Mukteshwar Temple, lays an overhanging cliff known as Chauli Ki Jali or Chauthi Jali. In the Kumaoni language, Chauli means rock and Jali mean hole. So, it is a rock with a hole in it. There is an interesting mythological story behind it – The Goddess and demon had a fight at this place. So, the trunk of an elephant, indefinite outlines of swords and shields on the rocks serves as a testimony of the battle.
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<p>Apart from this story, there is a Charlatan too linked to <strong>Chauthi Jali</strong>. Locals believe that if childless women pass through this hole on Maha Shivratri, she is blessed with a child afterward. And women actually attempt this, risking their lives. That is why it is Incredible India.</p>
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Every day starts with beauty.. What happens next is completely up to us? So stay positive and look ahead.. Catching #sunrise in the #mountains of #mukteshwar #uttarakhand #india with #clubtenpinelodge. #travels #sunriseporn #sunrises #travelaroundtheworld #mytravelgram #travelling #instatravel #instatravelling #igindia #igtravel #traveltheworld #travelislife #pictureoftheday #photogram #like4like #follow4follow #travelbloggerlife #travelblog #allgudthings #coupletravel #wanderlust #wanderer #roadtrip #travelphotography
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- Bhalu Gaad Waterfall
The Bhalu Gaad waterfall is a newly discovered 60 feet high fall, in the Mukteshwar town province. The word Bhalu Gaad comes from two words where Bhalu means Bear and Gaad means stream in the local language. So, the trail is considered to be a good location for Bear sightseeing too. At the bottom of fall, a rainbow can be seen, so locals have named it as a Rainbow waterfall.
Overall, the total time for the trek can be done in 45 minutes to an hour. It is a complete adventure package for 3 -4 hrs. Rest you can pack your food, spend the whole day in dense jungle exploring the trails. Read the complete post here.
- Sunrise and Sunset
Sunrise and Sunset both lit up the sky in different hues and catching the first and last sunrays falling on the Himalayan ranges will be every traveler’s delight. So, it was on our list to watch both sunrise and sunset while being in Mukteshwar.
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<p>The ideal spot to catch both is<strong> Chauli ki Jali </strong>and<strong> PWD guesthouse </strong>in Mukteshwar. We left our hotel, Club ten Pine lodge Mukteshwar at 4:30 in the morning to reach Chauthi Jali. The first light spread at 6:00 am and it colored the sky in shade of orange. The sky was misty but who could stop it from glowing. With time the clouds kept departing and the Himalayan ranges lifted their veil. The views were just breathtaking and our picture surely cannot do justice to what the actual beauty was.</p>
<p>Similarly, watching the sunset here is like a dream. Slowly the show began, again turning the sky into different shades and sun setting down, giving way to the moon.</p>
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Mukteshwar – Ramgarh belt has earned the title of food Bowl of Kumaon region. Here you can get to enjoy shiny yellow-green pears to bright red apples, delectable peaches, local edible berries, and pomegranates.
- Local traditional food
The Mukteshwar town is a heaven for culinary experience too. Do try smoked mutton, raw mutton snack, Madua chapatti for delightful taste with locals.
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<p>Also visit the original Choco House, for handcrafted European chocolates, but they are really expensive and variety is available only during the season.</p>
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