Bageshwar- The City of Religion

A beautiful city is present in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is none other than the Bageshwar. The name Bageshwar had derived from Byagreshwar- ‘Byagra’ means Tiger and ‘Ishwar’ means God. Bageshwar is famous for its beautiful construction of the temples in Bageshwar. These Temples depict the ancient architecture of Bageshwar. It has the natural scenic beauty and is surrounded by the glaciers and the rivers all around. The administrative headquarters of the state are present in Bageshwar. The official languages of this place are Hindi and Sanskrit but a large number of people prefer to speak the Kumaoni language which is the regional language of the place. The city is the major camp of trekking to famous glaciers of Kafni, Pindari and Sunderdhunda. 

Bageshwar History

The city of Bageshwar got its name from the temple of Baghnath which is a very popular temple located in the city. Bageshwar is situated on the convergence of two rivers – River Saryu and River Gomti.

From the ancient times, the city of Bageshwar has been a deliberate part of the Kingdom of Kumaon. The Kings of Kartikeypura ruled over the kingdom during the 7^th century. In the year 1191, the Nepalese invader named Kranchaldev defeated the Katyuri Kings and won the region of Bageshwar. Then after some years, the government of Bageshwar ruled independently over the region. At later stages the Gorkhas from Nepal invaded it but after a certain period of time, they were defeated by the East India Company. The beauty of the city has made it famous among the people and thus it has a significant place in the tourism of India.

Geography of Bageshwar

Bageshwar is located at 29.49°N 79.45°E. The geographical features of the place make it the best Indian tourism center. It is bordered by Bhileshwar Mountain in East, Nileshwar Mountain in West, Suraj Kund in North and Agni Kund in South. Located in the valley of the hills of Kumaon, the elevation of the city is 3,294 feet above the level of the sea. The major trees that are found in the region of Bageshwar are the Himalayan Cypress, Fir Trees, Salor Ironwood and many others as well. The main geological formations present here are limestone, sandstone, slate, and granite.

Climatic Conditions in Bageshwar

The climatic conditions in Bageshwar are always pleasant and nice. The temperature of the place remains relatively high and throughout the year precipitation occurs in the city. During the time of summer, the Bageshwar climate is moist. The nights are also oppressively warm due to the high temperatures. Much of the rainfall occurs in the mid of summers and thus the summers are much wetter.

The coolest month is the January where the temperature reaches below 11°C and even sometimes you can notice snowfall in Bageshwar during this month. The maximum temperature in summers reaches to 38°C and in winters it goes as low as 2°C. Overall, the weather of Bageshwar is very similar to other areas of Uttarakhand and is loved by the tourist coming to visit it.

Best Time to Visit Bageshwar

The Bageshwar city is located within the lap of Himalayas therefore; the cool breezes blow in early morning and late night which goes colder in the month of November to February. The best time to visit Bageshwar is from the month of October to the month of May.

Bageshwar Tourism – Popular Tourist Attractions to Visit

The city of Bageshwar is blessed with the powers of Lord SadaShiv who is considered to be the redeemer of all the sins. Thus, many famous temples in Bageshwar are present. There are many tourist attractions in Bageshwar that increase the beauty of this city. Some of the best vacation spots to visit are as follows:

• Baijnath – It is famous for the ancient Temples present within and is situated on the bank of River Gomti. It is considered as one of the best tourist places in Bageshwar.
• Baghnath Temple – This is a Hindu Shrine which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was established by kings of Kumaon in the year 1602 and is one of the best places to see in Bageshwar.
• Chandika Temple – This temple is empowered with the blessings of Goddess Kali. It holds huge religious significance for the people of Bageshwar and is considered to be the best Bageshwar tourist places.
• Kanda – It is beautiful charming site near Bhadra Kali Temple on Bageshwar Chaukori road. The legendary battle ground (Pandusthal) of the Pandavas and Kauravas in near Kunda.
• Gauri Udiyaar – The huge cave in this place is enshrining the Shiva’s idols. This is the most sacred place and thousand of devotees from all over the world come to visit this place.
• Vijayapur – This is one of the amazing Bageshwar sightseeing places where lots of people come to view and relax from their daily hectic chores.
• Bigul – It is a tiny hamlet which offers the best Himalayan views including the views of Nanda Devi. This adds a great fame to the Uttarakhand tourism.
• Sunderdhunga Trek – This is known as the valley of beautiful stones. It is situated in the region of Pindar and comes in the list of outstanding Bageshwar destinations.
• Pandusthal – It is the most beautiful place present in the lap of Himalayas. This place is considered traditionally as a location where the war between Kauravas and Pandavas took place.
• Shari Haru Temple – On the occasion of Vijaya Dashmi, a large fair is held at this awesome place. Thus, coming toBageshwar at the time of Vijaya Dashmi can be really grateful and enjoying.
• Pindari Glacier – This is a beautiful glacier where you will find most of the mountaineers and the trekkers because this glacier is most easily accessible glacier out of all the Himalayan glaciers.
• Kausani – This is the popular hill station and is present at an elevation of 1890 meters above the sea level. This hill is situated in the lap of snow-capped peaks and has a natural beauty which is very amusing.

As the district is religious place, the places near to it are also religious. Some of the must visit place near Bageshwar are Gopeshwar Mandir, Ram Ghat Temple, Kukuda Mai Temple, Agnikund Temple, Hanuman Temple, Trijugi Narayan Temple, Shitla Devi Temple, Nileshwar Dham, Loknath Ashram, Veni Mahadev Temple, Praktishwar Mahadev, Gopeshwar Dham, Jwala Devi Temple, Golu Temple, Bhileshwar Dham, Radha Krishna Temple, Siddartha Dham, and Suraj Kund Temple.

Festivals in Bageshwar

Being of utmost religious importance, the place holds many festivals on different occasions. These festivals are the occasions when people meet each other from different villages & valleys and enjoy the day. Some of the widely celebrated festivals in Bageshwar are:

• Vishuvati Alias Bikhauti: This festival is enjoyed by the Shilpkars, Kshatriyas, and Brahmins. Many fairs are held during the festival and people enjoy fishing and eating round cakes of Ground Pulse. The fairs are held in Lohakhai, Syalde, Dwarahat, and Chaugar.
• Vat Savitri Amavasya: Women generally fast on this day. The story of Savitri and Satyavan is narrated on this day.
• Hari Shayani Ekadashi: Women keep the fast and hold the rule of Chatursmasya. They fast for month from the beginning of evening of rainy season. The fast ends on Haribodhini (the awakening of God).
• Sankasht Chaturthi: On this day, Lord Ganesha is worshipped and people keep fast to make him happy. It takes place on fourth day of dark half of Bhadra. After the moon is visible, people open the fast by offering food to Lord Ganesha.
• Nanda Ashtami: From the eight day of brighter half of August-September to eighth day of dark half of September-October, people worship Goddess Laxmi. Goats and Buffaloes are sacrificed in order to make her happy. Huge fairs are held during this season. These fairs are generally held at Ranikhet, Katyur and Bhowali.
• Uttarani Festival: This festival witnesses one of the largest fair of Kumaon region, which is organized January for one week.

Shopping Hunt in Bageshwar

Though there are no attractive places to buy things from Bageshwar, but you can purchase the attractive statues of Gods and Goddesses, the sacred stones, and other religious items from here. The hand crafted shawls and suits are also popular items to purchase here.

Tips to Follow before you go to Bageshwar

• Choose the best time of the year to make your visit.
• Make the bookings prior to the date so that you can easily get the tickets.
• Make a complete list of all the places that you wish to visit during your journey.
• Choose the best available route to complete your journey so that you do not face any difficulties on the way.
• Go through all the Bageshwar holiday packages before planning for the journey.
• Have a look at all the beautiful resorts in Bageshwar to plan your stay.
• Before choosing the place to stay, look at all the best Bageshwar hotel deals Through this, you will be able to find out the cheap hotels in Bageshwar.
• Book the Bageshwar resorts before the start of the journey.

Best Hotels in Bageshwar

Undoubtedly, Bageshwar is a very pleasing place with a lot of places that are beautiful and amazing. So to visit the beautiful city of Bageshwar, you have three ideal modes. These are the airways, the railways, and the roadways. The Pantnagar airport is the closest airport to the Bageshwar city. There are many flights that connect the city of Bageshwar to the other cities. The Kathgodam railway station is the nearest railway station through which the journey can be accomplished smoothly and easily. The roads are also one of the most important ways to get connected to other places from Bageshwar.

• Hotel Prashant, Kanda Road, Near Taxi Stand
• Mystic Mountains Kausani, Kausani
• Hotel Narendra Palace, Pindari Glacier Road, Kaikuri
• KMVN Baijnath, Kuasani
• Chestnut Grove Himalayan Lodge, Chaukori Road, Vijaypur

Higher Educational Institutes in Bageshwar

• Government Polytechnic, Kanda
• BD Degree College
• Degree College, Purda
• Government P. G. College, Garud
• Kumaon Kesari Pt. Badri Dutt Pandey Govt. PG College

Hospitals in Bageshwar

There are many small clinics in Bageshwar to provide medical aid to the people. Most of the people prefer Ayurvedic medicine over other Allopathic medicines. However, there are only two big hospitals in the city to look after the people’s health. They are:

• Arora Bone Hospital
• City Nursing Hospital
• S N Hospital and Heart Centre
• Bhardwaj Hospital and Maternity Home
• District Hospital (Government Hospital)