The charming Kumaoni hill station-cum-cantonment town of Ranikhet is located in the Almora district of Uttarakhand at an elevation of 1,829 mts above sea level. Ranikhet literally means – Queens Land, gets its name from a local legend, which states that it was here, that Raja Sudhardev, a Katyuri ruler, won the heart of his queen, Rani Padmini, who subsequently chose the area for her residence, giving it the name, Ranikhet, though no palace exists in the area.

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Once upon a time, there was a proposal to designate Ranikhet as the summer headquarters of British India, a title which was accorded to Shimla. Did you know, the place draws several celebrities, who prefer its quiet environs, including actor Rajinikanth. The Tamil film industry’s superstar is a regular visitor to Ranikhet, where he stops on his way to Dunagiri hills (around 45 km away) while visiting the sage Maha Avtar Baba’s meditation cave.

 

Ranikhet is teeming with temples as there are hundreds of monasteries dedicated to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The Jhula Devi Temple is the foremost attraction in Ranikhet as people from all around the country come here to pay a visit to the Goddess Durga shrine.