City/District Nainital

State Uttarakhand
Languages Hindi (Official), Kumauni, Garhwali, English
Lifestyle - At all auspicious occasions tilak made out of processed turmeric with
Akshat (Pithya) is put on the forehead. Village ladies are seen with a long pithya
starting from the upper nose up to forehead. Various superstitions exist as common
throughout the country. A black spot is put on the forehead of a child to ward away
from evil spirits. People live in houses made out of stone or bricks. Few old
constructions are made out of wood also. Wood carvings which was very common in
the past are now very rare. In hilly area, roofs have slopes and roofing is done with
the help of tin or slates of stone. In villages, animals live in ground floor called Goth
and human beings in first floor. Hill people organize Jagars to please local deities.
Golu, Bholanath, Sam, Aidi, Gangnath are some of the local deities.
Culture - The major part of population follows Kumauni traditions. In ceremonies
and festivals, the women set themselves to decorating the floor & walls of their
houses with designs & patterns. The material used is the paste of rice mixed with
ochre. The floor of the worship room & the seat of Gods & Goddesses, are decorated
with specific tantrik motifs called Peeth or Yantra. A Yantra is a diagrammatic
representation of the deity, and consists of linear or septal geometrical
permutations of patterns considered as the plan of the terrestrial places where the
deity resides. The tradition of colorful ornamentation on Aanchal cloths is a unique
Kumouni tradition, rooted deep in its long history.
Festivals - After harvesting season people mostly relax, rejoice, dance and sing,
and thus a festival is generated. At the transition of the sun from one constellation
to another Sankranti is observed. Each Sankranti has a fair or festival connected to
it somewhere in Kumaon. Fooldeyi, Bikhauti, Harela, Ghee Sankranti, Khatarua,
Uttaraini and Ghughutiya are the most-observed Sankranties throughout the region.
Other festivals have the bearings in the moon and thus the dates change frequently
in the Gregorian Calendar. Basant Panchami, Shiv Ratri, Holi, Samvatsar Parwa, Ram
Navami, Dashra, Batsavitri, Rakshabandhan, Janmastmi, Nandastmi, and Deepawali
are some of the auspicious occasions.
Fairs - Fairs are organized during festival season in certain places. The Uttaraini
Mela at Chitrashila near Ranibag is observed on Makar Sankranti Day (Approx. 14th
January). Kumaoni people feed the crows on Uttaraini day. The Nandadevi Fair is
held every year in September directed towards worship of Goddesses Nandadevi
and Sunandadevi. A long rath is carried around with people seeking their blessing
for a good and prosperous life. On Buddha Purnima Day, in the month of May there
is festivity near Budhansthli, while Bhimtal observes Harela Mela on 16th or 17th of
July. Baishakhi Purnima day brings rejoicing near Lokhamtal while Kainchi temple
premises is gay on 15th June. Kakrighat has Somnath Fair on the last Monday of
Baishakh, Garjia is full of festivity on Kartik Purnima day in the month of November.

Nandashtami Festival is observed with full devotion in the district, fairs are
organised at Nainadevi temple Nainital and Bhowali. The Kumaoni people use the
fortnight of Shradha in late September or early October to remember their passed
away ancestors.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Naini Lake - The nucleus of Nainitals exquisite beauty is beautiful lake. The lake
offers the holiday makers ample opportunity for yachting, boating or paddling the
boat. The north end of lake is called Mallital while the southern one is called Tallital
which have a bridge (Danth popularly named) having Gandhiji's statue and post
office on its sides .It is the only Post Office on the lake bridge in whole of the
world.There is Bus Station , Taxi stand and Railway reservation counter on the same
lake bridge , both ends have well laid out shopping centres,with beautifully laid of
marts ,stores and luxury shops.
Mall Road - On one of side of lake run the Mall road now named Govind Ballabh
Pant Marg. It is lined up by many hotels ,reataurents,travel agencies , shops ,banks
and other business concerns. In summer months of May & June Mall road is closed
for vehicular traffic in evening hours to facilitate Mall strolling which is the famous
attraction for all the tourists. This road is the main link joining Mallital and Tallital.
The Flatts - At the northern side of the lake there is a place of rendezvous for
people from all walks of life. Here evenings are heavily crowded. There is a statue of
Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant and a beautiful fountain. There is a band stand. The Flats
has playing ground used for sports games and cultural activities during festivals.
There is Chat Bazar,Bhotia Market in the flatts. There is Mosque,Gurudwara and
Naina Devi temple in flatts. Capitol cinema and Rink theatre which is used for roller
skating are also situated in Flatts.
Snow View - It is the most easily accessible hill top, height 2270 mts. and at a
distance of 2.5 Km from the town. The spot is accessible through ropeway. This peak
is also connected by motor able road. Snow view as the name suggests offers an
indescribably beautiful and breath taking picture of the glittering snows of
Himalayas. It has a temple. Tea, snacks, Photographers are available at this place.
Naina Peak or China Peak - Naina peak is the highest peak of the town, at an
altitude of 2611 mts. and at a distance of 6 kms from the town. It commands an
entrancing view of sparkling snow laden Himalayas from Bandar Punch in west to
Api and Nari peaks of Nepal in the east, a full Himalayan range in one side and a
birds eye view of the lake city of Nainital in its full grandeur on the other.
Dorothy Seat & Tiffin Top - Located at a distance of 4 Kms from the town this
peak is 2292 mts. above the sea level in Ayarpatta region. The road to this picnic
spot crawls along the rugged hill side swaying this way & that, and then all in one
breadth in hushed silence suddenly unfolds a canvas on which nature has painted
this beautiful spot. Tiffin Top commands an excellent view of the Himalayas as well
as the neighboring country side.

Excursions - Bhimtal Lake, Corbett National Park, Mukteshwar Hill Station, Jeolikot
Health Resort, Naukhuchiatal lake, Ramgarh.

CUISINES - People are mostly rice eating in habit but wheat, maduwa and other
grains are also consumed. In pulses, people prefer Urad, Gahat, Bhatt, Masur. Meat
is also common among the people. Ceremonial food consists of Kheer, Singhal,
Poori, Pua, Bada, Kapa made of Palak, Raita, Khatai etc. The other typical kumouni
foods are Chudkani & Bhattiya made of bhatt & Soya been, Gautras made of Gahat,
Jholee made from mattha, Gaba vegetable. In towns restaurants provide general
CLOTHING - The traditional clothing of women in Nainital is Ghaagra-Pichora. The
Pichora is also prepared in ancient traditional dyeing art called Rangwali. Designs
of sswastika, sun, bells, moon, shells, etc., are made around a swastika and
imprinted in a bright yellow cloth. Even though, today most of the women wear
saris, Pichora is worn during their festive season. Married women always wear
Sindoor, Mangalsutra or Chareu, Nath i.e. nose ring and the golden necklace
called Hansuli. On the religious occasions women adorn their head with a very long
Pithya i.e. a Tilak made from turmeric and rice. The men of Nainital wear Pajamas,
a long coat and a woolen cap.
Costumes during weddings of Rajputs include Churidar Pyajama, one long chola,
one cross belt, one belt around the waist, pattis on the leg and turban with chandan
and sandalwood paste or red vermillion they decorate their face. They wear
earrings, a bronze shield and a real sword.

MUSIC & DANCE - Musical instruments popularly played by the Kumaoni people in
Nainital include Hurka, Dhol and Turturi. Traditional dances like Chholia Nritya, Jhora
and Chhapeli are also famous in Nainital. Chholia Nritya is a traditional war dance
performed using a sword and a shield. Jhora is a group dance. Folk songs of Nainital
are generally devotional and portray heroic and mythological themes. At the same
time love songs and moral songs are equally popular.
Chounphula and Jhumelia form part of seasonal dances which are performed from
Basant Panchami to Sankranti or Baisakhi. Jhumelia is sometimes restricted to
women. Chounphula is a spinning dance performed by all sections of the
community, at night, in groups of men and women. These dances are composed for
the appreciation of nature during various occasions.
Mangal songs are sung during marriage ceremonies. These songs are Puja songs
sung along with Purohits who keep enchanting Shlokas in Sanskrit according to
Shastras during the maariage ceremony.
Jhora is a community dance where all barriers of castes. It is danced at fairs with
accompaniment of singing that grows with the dance. Mostly performed at fairs but
also to celebrate weddings.
Cholia Nritya is form of dance performed by Rajputs as a part of marriage
procession, led by male dancers who go on dancing till they reach the brides house.
Thali is a graceful dance of the women and Jadda and Jhainta are dances in which
men and women whirl together. The Kumaonis, with their power of endurance, can
go on dancing even after a hard day of work.
LITERATURE The Kumaons have a rich tradition of folk literature, which deals with
local/national myths, heroes, heroines, deeds of bravery and various aspects of
nature. G.A. Grierson has mentioned the use of 13 dialects in Kumaon.
The songs deal with the creation of earth, the deeds of gods-goddesses and local
dynasties such as characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata. These songs are
sung during collective agricultural activities and different social and cultural
festivals. Folk songs dealing with well-known stories of twenty to Bafaul brothers,
heroism of Sangram Singh and imaginary lands across Himalayas as envisaged by
the two Ramola brothers. As far written literature is concerned Lok Ratna Panth
Gumani, Krishna Pandey, Shiv Datt Sati, Gorda, etc., are some of the well-known
names. Contribution of Kumaon to Hindi Literature and Journalism is unique in many
ways.
TRADITIONAL ART During the last two decades, many rock paintings belonging
to the proto-historic period have been discovered in the Kumaon Region of the
state. Among them Lakhu Udiyar and Lwethaap are well known. The Pahari Kalam
(style of painting) probably also developed in Kumaon, when it was being practiced
in some of the Himalayan regions.
The Aipan (Alpana) is the most popular art form of Kumaon, and walls, papers, and
pieces of cloth are decorated by drawing of various geometric and other figures

belonging to gods, goddesses and objects of nature. Pichhauras and dupattas are
also decorated in this manner. At the time of Harela there is a tradition of making
clay idols. Aipan is an art which has a special place in all Kumaoni homes. The art
form is used as ritual designs for Pujas, festivals and ceremonies connected with
birth, marriage and death.
The raw material used is simple ochre colour and rice paste. It is mostly women
who paint the designs on the floors and walls of their homes using last three fingers
of the right hand. Once the ochre base is ready, the artist draws the pattern free
hand. Chowkies are made with mango wood and painted with special designs for
each occasion. Pattas and Thapas are made directly on walls or paper and cloth.
Earlier the paint used was made from natural dyes. Today, poster and oil paints,
both are used. Traditional patterns for cards, wall hangings, cushion covers, table
cloths, even t-shirts are used. The decorative patterns used to adorn doorways have
been adapted for gift tags, bookmarks, clay items, wooden boxes, trays and
coasters.
Different forms of Aipans are Saraswati Chowki, Chamunda Hast Chowki, Nav
Durga Chowki, Shivarchan Peeth, Surya Darshan Chowki, Janeyu Chowki, Asan
Chowki, Dhuli Arghya Chowki, Acharya Chowki, Jyoti Patta, Lakshmi Yantra, etc.
OTHER ART FORMS The Shaukas use their own and Tibetan knitting art form to
decorate mattresses known as Dans. In these woolen goods we find the mixed
influence of Kumaoni and Tibetan styles. Kumaon also has a distinctive style of
making baskets (Doka, Dala, Tokri); wooden casks (Theki, Harpia, Naliya) for
keeping curd, butter and ghee; mattresses (mosta) and ropes etc. The art of Hilljatra
mukhotas (masks) is also worth mentioning.

EMPORIUMS IN NAINITAL Nainital is crowded with souvenir shops and

emporiums selling textiles, clothing and handicrafts from different regions of India.
Intricately carved multi-colored candles are a local specialty. On the southwest side

of the lake near the flats is a busy Tibetan market with traditionally designed
clothing and crafts.
Several Kashmiri Emporiums with clothing and crafts out of Kashmiri origin
especially known for scarves and shawls starting from small silk bearing cocoon to
the famous pashmina coat. The range varies from man-made fibers blended and
woven into fabrics.
The Mall Road is the shopping hub in the town of Nainital. Here you will find various
shops and stores for your marketing is famous for: Jewellery, ethnic clothing, classy scarves & unique Himalayan bags
Handicrafts
Wooden Crafts
Cane Sticks
Kashmiri Pashmina Shawls
Pullovers
Woollen Caps
Local Juice, Jams and Squashes
Decorative pieces made from wood.
Decorative Colourful Candles made locally in a variety of shapes,
colors, scents and themes. Nainital Candles are one thing every
traveller takes back with himself.