Origin of The name “Kumaon”
Derived from the word "Kurmanchal", the name has an interesting tale attached to it. Kurmanchal means the Land of the "Kurm"avatar, the tortoise incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is referred to as the preserver of the Hindu Trinity.
Mythological importance of Kumaon
As Adi Kailash (also known as Chotta Kailash) is situated in the hills of Kumaon region, the region has a lot of importance in Hindu mythology, in particular, and the ancient Indian history, in general. This is because the Adi Kailash is one of the three residences of Lord Kailash (Shiva), his wife Goddess Parvati and his sons Lord Ganesh and Lord Kartikey.
The Times Gone by….
The paintings discovered at the rock shelter at Lake Udyar act as pointers towards the existence of Mesolithic period (middle Stone Age) settlements in the region.
From 500 B.C. to 600 A.D, The Kunindas ruled the Kumaon region. Theirs was the first known ruling dynasty of Kumaon region which reigned for almost 11 centuries at a stretch.
For almost five centuries after their reign ended, the Katyuri kings ruled the Kumaon region. Their rule extended from the 7th to the 11th century, with Baijnath, near Almora, serving as the capital. One of the many contributions of the dynasty was the building of the Sun temple of Katarmal which has seen more than 900 years pass by. It is situated on a hilltop facing eastward exactly opposite the town of Almora.
It is also believed that, in the 16th century, the famous Maratha warrior Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used shilas from the sacred river of Kali Gandki for the famous idol of Pratapgad's Bhavani Devi.
Chand Dynasty of Pithoragarh is, usually, credited for the building and development of the modern Kumaon. With their capital at Almora right in the heart of Kumaon, the dynasty ruled in the 17th century AD. It took the Chand rulers two long centuries to complete the magnificent temple complex at Jageshwar which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It boasts of amazing architectural beauty throughout the cluster of a hundred and sixty-four temples.
The now-famous hill station of Nainital, naturally blessed with heavenly beauty and splendor, was actually 'discovered' by the British in 1841. The town served as the summer capital of the United Provinces for a significant period of time after that.
The region has quite a rich history with its fair share of ups and downs and mythological connections to add that extra charm and mystery.
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