Kainchi Dham

Kainchi Dham is a serene ashram and temple complex on the road between Nainital and Almora, founded by the revered saint Neem Karoli Baba, known to his devotees as Maharaj-ji. Set in a quiet bend of the Shipra river — the 'kainchi' or scissor-like double hairpin of the road giving it its name — it has become one of the most visited spiritual sites in Kumaon.

The ashram draws a remarkable global following, in part because of Maharaj-ji's celebrated Western devotees, including the author Ram Dass, and the widely told accounts of figures like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg visiting in search of inspiration, which have given the dham an almost legendary aura.

At its heart is a Hanuman temple radiating a deep sense of calm, and the annual June pratishtha day festival draws huge crowds. For many travellers, a stop at Kainchi Dham is a moving moment of peace amid a Kumaon journey, easily combined with Nainital, Bhimtal and Almora.

The ashram of Neem Karoli Baba