Kamal Guha at 14:56, 10 November 2023

2023-11-10T14:56:09Z

New page

{{Short description|Human settlement in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}
'''Kasar Devi''' is a village near [[Almora]], [[Uttarakhand]]. It is known for the Kasar Devi temple, a [[Devi]] temple, dedicated to Kasar Devi, after whom the place is also named. The temple structure dates to the 2nd century CE. [[Swami Vivekananda]] visited Kasar Devi in 1890s, and numerous western seeker, Sunyata Baba [[Alfred Sorensen]] and Lama [[Anagarika Govinda]]. A place also known for [[Crank's Ridge]], just outside the village, which was popular destination during the [[Hippie movement]] of the 1960s and 1970s, and continues to attract trekkers and tourists, both domestic and foreign.

The temple hosts the annual "Kasar Devi Fair" on [[Kartik Poornima]] (November–December).

==History==
[[File:Sunyata'sCave99.jpg|thumb|The remains of Sunyata's cave, near [[Crank's Ridge]] in 1999]]
Kasar Devi first became known when in the 1890s, [[Swami Vivekananda]] visited and meditated here and has mentioned his experience in his diaries.<ref name=mid/> [[Walter Evans-Wentz]], a pioneer in the study of [[Tibetan Buddhism]], who later translated ''The Tibetan Book of the Dead'', stayed here for some time.<ref name="Aitken2003"/>

Then in the 1930s, Danish mystic Sunyata Baba ([[Alfred Sorensen]]) came here and lived here the over three decades, as did Ernst Hoffman, who became Tibetan Buddhist Lama [[Anagarika Govinda]] and Li Goutami. This led to a series of spiritual seekers from the west, visiting them. In 1961, Govinda was visited by Beat poets, [[Allen Ginsberg]], [[Peter Orlovsky]] and [[Gary Snyder]].<ref name="Aitken2003">{{cite book|author=Bill Aitken|title=Footloose in the Himalaya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XlxyJYAfz4gC&pg=PA47|accessdate=30 August 2013|year=2003|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-7824-052-7|pages=47–}}</ref><ref name="Lopez1999">{{cite book|author=Donald S. Lopez|title=Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mjUHF7kQfVAC&pg=PA61|accessdate=30 August 2013|date=1 May 1999|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-49311-4|pages=61–}}</ref> In later history, at the peak of the [[Hippie movement]], the area also became a part of the [[Hippie trail]]. [[Crank's Ridge]], colloquially known as Hippie Hill, which lies ahead of Kasar Devi became a popular destination. It became home to several bohemian artists, writers and western Tibetan Buddhists, and even visited by mystic-saint [[Anandamayi Ma]]. The ridge got its name amongst hippy circles, after American psychologist [[Timothy Leary]] streaked here in the 1960s. Leary wrote majority of his ‘psychedelic prayers’ here. Thus, through the 1960 and 1970s, the area was visited by personalities of the counter-culture, [[George Harrison]] and [[Cat Stevens]], Western Buddhist [[Robert Thurman]], and writer [[D. H. Lawrence]], who spent two summers here.<ref name=mid/><ref name=deccan/>

==Kasar Devi temple==
[[File:Kasar Devi Temple.JPG|thumb|Kasar Devi Temple near Almora, Uttarakhand, India]] The village is mainly known for the Kasar Devi temple, the shrine dedicated to Kasar Devi. The temple itself, dates back to the 2nd century CE. A winding walkway from gateway on the main road, right the beginning of the village, leads up to the temple.

The area is home to [[Cedrus deodara|deodar]] and [[pine]] forests. It also provides views not just of Almora and the Hawalbagh Valley, but also of the panoramic view of the [[Himalayas]] from [[Bandarpunch]] peak on the [[Himachal Pradesh]] border to [[Api (mountain)|Api Himal]] in [[Nepal]].<ref name=deccan>{{cite web| title = In the woods of gods| url = http://www.deccanherald.com/content/183511/in-woods-gods.html|author1=Anurag Mallick|author2=Priya Ganapathy|publisher=Deccan Herald |date= 12 February 2012 |accessdate = 2013-08-30}}</ref><ref name=bl>{{cite web| title = Dev trail of Kumaon |publisher=The Hindu, Business Line| url = http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-life/dev-trail-of-kumaon/article1682465.ece?ref=archive|author=Meera Joshi|date=14 December 2007| accessdate = 2013-08-30}}</ref>

A large fair, known as Kasar Devi Fair, is held at the Kasar Devi temple on the occasion of [[Kartik Poornima]] in the [[Hindu calendar]], corresponding to November and December.<ref>{{cite web | title = A tourist's paradise|url =http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl2304/stories/20060310002410000.htm|publisher=The Hindu, Frontline|author= Purnima S. Tripathi|volume=23|issue=4|date=25 February – 10 March 2006| accessdate = 2013-08-30}}</ref>

The temple consist of two different group of temple one of devi and another of lord shiva and bairava. The main temple consist of akhand jyoti which keep on burning 24 hours for years. It has also a dhuni (havan kund) where wood log are burned 24 hours . The ash of dhuni is said to be very powerful that can even cure any mental patient.

The Hill top provides beautiful scene of the valley and Himalayas that make it a place suitable for photography.

The main shrine of devi is situated inside a cave like formation by the huge rocks. City buses , taxies and cabs can take you there at suitable prices . But it can also be reached by hiking and trekking.

==Overview and mystery ==
Kasar Devi is situated on a hilltop, on the edge of a ridge off the Almora-[[Bageshwar]] highway on the Kaashay hills of [[Kumaon division|Kumaon]] Himalayas. As it is situated above the ridge of Almora town, it is accessible through eight-km hike from Almora or 10 km by road.<ref name="mid">{{cite web| title = Trekking to a Himalayan hill that Dylan loved and Vivekananda called home| url = http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2013/mar/100313-visit-kasar-devi-a-melting-pot-of-spiritualism.htm|date=10 March 2013| accessdate = 2013-08-30|author=Siddhartha Sen|publisher=MiD DAY }}</ref> One km away is the village of Kalimath popular with tourists. Also close by is the [[Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary]], which lies 30 km away.<ref>{{cite web| title = Don't Miss: Kasar Devi, a piece of paradise|publisher=Rediff Getahead | url = http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-travel-dont-miss-kaasar-devi-a-piece-of-paradise/20130330.htm#4 |date= 30 March 2013|accessdate = 2013-08-30}}</ref>

It is being developed as a tourist place in Uttarakhand and Uttarakhand government have many plans to develop this place. Presently the work of construction of ropeway from the district headquarter to Kasar Devi is in progress.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kasar Devi}}
* {{cite web| title = Slide shows with Kasar Devi photos, especially from Bodh Ashram's area and around, taken from 2000 until 2007; also slide show with March 2013 Kasar Devi's photos showing Bodh Ashram, Mohan's cafe, etc. | url =http://www.manuyogas.org/videos.html }}

{{Coord|29|38|30.2|N|79|39|42.4|E|display=title}}

{{Hindu Temples in Uttarakhand}}

[[Category:Kumaon division]]
[[Category:Almora]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Uttarakhand]]

Kasar Devi - Revision history

Kamal Guha at 14:56, 10 November 2023