Uttarakhand a.k.a. Dev Bhoomi (The Land of the Gods) – Spirituality around Peora
“There is something about the Himalayas not possessed by the Alps, something unseen and unknown, a charm that pervades every hour spent among them, a mystery intriguing and disturbing. Confronted by them, a man loses his grasp of ordinary things, perceiving himself as immortal, an entity capable of outdistancing all changes, all decay, all life, all death.”
– Frank Smythe
It is a well-known fact that people from across the world flock to different parts of India in search of an awakening in their souls. India is known for its foray into spirituality, and has its origins in history that date back centuries. Many consider this county to be the birthplace of spirituality. The objective of most people is to find an equivalent of inner peace, an evolution of sorts or for many followers; salvation. The objectives of people are different but the end goal is the same – they are all looking for a chance to connect with themselves and hope to come away a little more experienced and educated. There are gurus to meet, places to see and overall it can be a rather illuminating experience.
One such place that is prominent on the spirituality map is Uttarakhand partly because it has four sacred pilgrimage sites and is home to the holy river Ganga. In fact, this place has another name ‘Dev Bhoomi’ – ‘The Land of the Gods.’ We are fortunate enough to have our hotel nestled in a quaint hamlet called Peora in Uttarakhand and are blessed to have many famous spiritual attractions within a short distance of The Orchard. Spiritual places you can visit around the hotel include Jageshwar, Kakarighat, Kasar Devi, Crank’s Ridge and Kainchi Dham, amongst others. More information about each place can be read below:
Jageshwar:
The main temple at Jageshwar is Nageshwar and it is here that Nagesh is situated. This is the 8th of the twelve Dwadasa Jyotirlingas and is considered to be a must see for anyone visiting the Kumaon Valley. One of the largest and oldest Shiva temple is in Jageshwar called the Mahamrityunjay temple. It faces east and the Shiv Linga is considered to be the saviour from death which attracts people from all over to come worship it. It is widely believed by pilgrims of the temple, that reciting the Mahamrtiyunjay mantra is powerful and bountiful. Some of the effects of reciting the prayer, are self realization and introspection, a purge of evil vibes and liberation from fears, illness and negativity.
The Orchard is one of the closest luxury hotels to Jageshwar and the drive from the hotel to Jageshwhar is under two hours.
Kainchi:
It is here in the Kumaon Hills one can visit of home of the famous Shree Neem Karoli Baba. This spiritual guru has a large number of followers from around the world. Tech gurus Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Larry Brilliant, and Steve Jobs have visited amongst many other celebrities from all over the world. In fact it was Steve Jobs who recommended that Zuckerberg visit the ashram as he had in the past come to tremendous spiritual revelations during a difficult time.
The Kainchi Temple is located approximately 40 km from the hotel, making The Orchard the closest luxury boutique hotel to Kainchi.
Kakarighat:
Here, you will find a beautiful temple in the midst of an ancient Peepal Tree right along the river banks of the Kosi. Swami Vivekanada used to come here to meditate whenever he paid a visit to the Himalayas and Shree Neem Karoli Baba came here to live and meditate under the spiritual guidance of his guru.
With Kakarighat being just a mere 20 minutes away, you have the luxury of convenience if you happen to stay at The Orchard.
Neem Karoli/Neeb Karori Baba is lovingly known as Maharaj-ji by his followers. Maharaj-ji’s teachings were simple and universal. He often said, “Sub Ek” — All is One. He taught to “love everyone, serve everyone, remember god, and tell the truth.” You will notice that most taxis, homes, shops etc. in the area will have Maharaj-Ji’s photographs as his following still continues to be strong even though he left the physical plane in 1973. Many believe to feel his presence of warmth, calm, and peace even today at Kainchi and Kakarighat both. He is known outside India for being the guru of a number of Americans who travelled to India in the 1960s and 1970s, the most well-known, being the spiritual teachers Ram Dass and Bhagavan Das, and the musicians Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, and Trevor Hall.
Kasar Devi & Crank’s Ridge:
Swami Vivekananda was a frequent visitor of the Kasar Devi temple. He came here to meditate and has written about Kasar Devi in his diaries. This area is especially conducive to meditation and transcendental experiences as the region around this temple has an enormous geomagnetic field. This is because this temple comes under the Van Allen Belt and the causes behind the formation of this belt have been researched by NASA for the last two years. Two other famous places which have been found to have similarly high magnetic field are Machu Picchu in Peru and Stone Henge in England.
Ahead of Kasar Devi, is Crank’s Ridge. It is a tiny hill and is famously known as hippie hill making this a force to reckon with for all the bohemian artists, famous writers and spiritual seekers everywhere. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Allen Ginsberg, George Harrison, Timothy Leary, DH Lawrence have visited and lived in the area for months and years to find creative and spiritual inspiration.
Kasar Devi is a small village that is situated 30 km from the luxury boutique hotel The Orchard. You can visit both Kasar Devi and Crank’s Ridge by booking a car from the hotel or driving yourself.
Hadiakan Babaji Temple Ranikhet (70 kms from The Orchard):
Haidakhan babaji got his name from his followers when he appeared in June 1970 at a cave near a remote village named Haidakhan. According to his followers Haidakhan Babaji is regarded as a mahavatar – “A human manifestation of God, not born from women.” He established this beautiful ashram in Ranikhet between 1970 – 1984 with gorgeous views of the Himalayas.
The temple complex includes 5 guest houses, the main temple, an Italian temple and Sri Babaji’s humble abode and the Sri Baba Research Hospital. The serene and peaceful atmosphere at the temple will wash away worries and anxieties and makes it an easy place to lose oneself in meditation.
Chitai Golu Devta Temple – (25 kms from The Orchard):
Chitai Temple is devoted to the mythological and historical God of the Kumaon region; Golu Devta or Lord Golu. He is considered to be an incarnation of Shiva and his devotees regard him as the dispenser of justice. Perched on a hilltop in the midst of a pine forest, the temple was constructed in the 12th century by a general. It is believed that anyone can seek Golu Devta’s divine intervention by writing a letter to him with a clear conscience, which is why the temple is covered with letters. The devotees in turn offer bells after the fulfilment of their wishes, which is why thousands of bells can be seen hanging over the temple premises.
With a plethora of options on offer, The Orchard possesses a unique advantage of being accessible to and from all these places. In addition to its convenient location, it is the ideal place to come and unwind after touring when you have a full frontal view of the snow-capped majestic Himalayas.
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Read what some of our customers have had to say on Tripadvisor:
“The staff is polite and efficient. Other than the various entertainment options offered by them at the resort such as board games, books, and telescope for stargazing there are plenty of places to visit nearby such as the Kasar Devitemple and the Sitla forest among many others. This property is a one of a kind hotel in India and sets a standard for the level of boutique resorts that need to come up in this ever evolving industry to cater to the best of the best.”
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“Things to do – the best excursion was to Kasar Devi temple. It’s an hour away by car but the drive is gorgeous and it’s like driving through the clouds. The temple itself is simple but highly charged. Beware of the monkeys here though. Also, watch out for the crazy drivers along the route but you could expect to find that anywhere in the hills”
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“We were eager to visit Neem Karoli Baba’s Ashram at Kainchi. Steve Jobs & Mark Zuckerberg are amongst the people that have to the ashram for spiritual introspection. The serenity and peace I felt at Kainchi was amazing.”
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