​Kainchi Dham a famous Hanuman Temple

A famous Hanuman temple located in the Kumaon mountains is the Kainchi Dham. The place offers a perfect combination of beauty and spirituality. Surrounded by mountains and forests with a river flowing alongside, Kainchi Dham is a heaven for people who seek peace and calm.

The temple was established by a local and very profound saint, Neem Karoli Baba in the 1960s. It is also an ashram of Neem Karoli Baba who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Hanuman. Devotees claim to feel the divine presence of Lord Hanuman and Neem Karoli Baba at the ashram.

The ashram gets its name because of its location which makes a scissor-like shape as the two hills, between which the ashram is located, cut and cross each other. Neem Karoli Baba took samadhi in the year 1973, and since then is considered the incarnation of Lord Hanuman.

Every year on Neem Karoli Baba's birthday, the 15th of June, a fair is organized at the ashram which is highly visited by both locals and tourists. Located at a height of 1400 meters above sea level, this ashram on the Nainital-Almora Road is picturesque and is among India’s most prominent pilgrimage sites. The ashram was initially built as a dedication to Sombari Maharaj and Sadhu Premi Baba who used to offer Yajnas at the place.

Who is Neem Karoli Baba?

Also known as Neeb Karori Baba, is the Hindu guru who is known to his followers as Maharaj Ji was a devotee of the Hindu deity Hanuman. An adept of bhakti yoga, he always encouraged service to others (seva) and considered it the highest form of unconditional devotion to God. He was known for being the spiritual master of a number of Americans who travelled to India in the 1960s and 70s, the most well-known being the spiritual teachers Ram Dass and Bhagavan Das, and the musicians Krishna Das and Jai Uttal.

Baba Neem Karoli passed away on Sep 11, 1973, in a hospital at Vrindavan after he slipped into a diabetic coma.

What made Kainchi Dham famous?

The Kainchi Dham became famous when in 1973, Steve Jobs, Ex-CEO of Apple Inc, visited the temple. Going through a stressful time in his career, Jobs came to India looking for a place where he could find answers to his questions and attain the ultimate truth of life, Nirvana, and Prajna. Jobs meditated at the ashram and went back enlightened. Later on, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, and Hollywood actress Julia Roberts also visited the Kainchi Dham in search of peace and enlightenment.

What are activities to do at Neem Karoli Baba Ashram?

Since Neem Karoli Baba is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Hanuman itself by his devotees, the Hanuman Chalisa is recited numerous times in the ashram throughout the day. Shri Ma, who is the principal disciple of Neem Karoli Baba, now looks after the Ashram which is open for visitors only in her presence. Shri Ma often goes to the hills to meditate in peace, and the ashram does not operate during those periods. Pure vegetarian food is cooked in the ashram kitchen. Morning and evening prayers also take place at the Ashram each day. Apart from this prayer routine, no other set practices are to be observed.

The Ashram shuts down when Shri Ma is not on the premises, and also in the winter months when it becomes very cold. The temples, however, are open all around the year from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM

What is the best time to visit Kainchi Dham?

Kainchi Dham Temple welcomes its devotees at all times of the year. The summers here are splendid, making it a pleasant time for visitors and devotees. The winters here are extremely beautiful as you get to experience the splendid beauty of snow-covered peaks, and the coziness this offers, in temperatures below 0 degrees.

Monsoon, however, can be a little tricky due to jammed roads and heavy downpours but offers the most mesmerizing look of this place with all colors coming out in their purest natural form after being washed by the rains.

How you can reach Kainchi Dham?

• The Kainchi Dham ashram is located 18 km away in the Bhowali area from Nainital city and is well connected by motorable roads. You can drive to the Kainchi Dham or hire a taxi cab to reach here.
• Kathgodam is the nearest railway station for people traveling by train. Located 45 km away from the Kainchi Dham, one can hire a shared or private taxi from the railway station. There are also buses running between the two places.
• For air travelers, Pantnagar airport is the nearest one, 76 km away. You can reach Kainchi Dham via NH 109 by hiring a taxi cab from the airport.