Almora

Almora is believed to have gotten its name from Kilmora, a kind of sorrel, a short plant commonly found here, which was said to be used for washing the utensils of the sun temple at Katarmal. Situated on a 5-km-long ridge at the southern edge on the Kashyap hills in the shape of a horse saddle, Almora is a picturesque town set against the backdrop of the snow-capped Himalayas. Once the capital of the Chand dynasty rulers. Almora is known for its rich cultural heritage, unique handicraft and delicious cuisines. Almora has attracted several eminent people through the ages, including Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Uday Shankar and his troupe, including Guru Dutt and Zora Sehgal came here for a performance, and Ravi Shankar, who contributed to the cultural enrichment of the town. Govind Ballabh Pant, noted freedom fighter, first chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and later Home Minister of India, was born in Almora. Sir Ronald Ross, who received the Nobel Prize for Physiology (or Medicine) for his path-breaking discovery of the malaria parasite, was born here in 1857. The town also serves as the starting point for many treks like Jageshwar, Pindari, Mornaula, Mukteshwar, Binsar, and Ranikhet among others.