Mukteshwar

2021-07-25T10:29:53Z

61.0.211.152: /* Transport */Added content and fixed grammer mistake.

{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mukteshwar
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Village
| image_skyline = Chauli Ki Jali, Mukteshwar.jpg
| image_caption = View from Chauli Ki Jali, Mukteshwar
| pushpin_map = India Uttarakhand#India
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Uttarakhand, India
| coordinates = {{coord|29.4722|N|79.6479|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Uttarakhand]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Nainital district|Nainital]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 2171
| population_total = 812
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 263138
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 05942
| registration_plate = UK-04
| website = {{URL|uk.gov.in}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Mukteshwar''' is a village and tourist destination in the [[Nainital district]] of [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]. It sits high in the [[Kumaon division|Kumaon]] Hills at an altitude of 2171<ref>{{Cite web|title = NAINITAL TOURISM 1000 Pages Since 1999 - Mukteshwar {{!}} Mukteshwar Tourism {{!}} Mukteshwar Temple {{!}} Mukteshwar Travel Guide {{!}} Mukteshwar Nainital India {{!}} Camping In Mukteshwar {{!}} How To Reach Mukteshwar {{!}} Mukteshwar Weather {{!}} Mukteshwar Distance Chart {{!}}|url = https://www.highwaymonks.com/trip-to-mukteshwar-how-to-reach-and-things-to-do/831/|website = www.highwaymonks.com|access-date = 2016-01-27|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170208033159/https://www.highwaymonks.com/trip-to-mukteshwar-how-to-reach-and-things-to-do/831/|archive-date = 8 February 2017|url-status = dead}}</ref> meters (7500 feet), 51 km from [[Nainital]], 72 km from [[Haldwani]], and 343 km from Delhi.

==Local attractions==
[[File:House made on hill at Mukteshwar.jpg|thumb|left|A House made on hill at Mukteshwar]]
Mukteshwar gets its name from a 350-year-old temple of [[Shiva]], known as ''Mukteshwar Dham'', situated atop the highest point in the town, on the veterinary institute's campus. Close to it lie the overhanging cliffs, locally known as ''Chauli-ki-Jali'', used for rock climbing and rappelling, with an excellent view of the valleys below. ''Mukteshwar famously know for its breezy waterfalls houses some famous waterfallas such as ''The Bhalu Ghaad, Tarikhet waterfalls, Rudradhari waterfall and The Dhokaney waterfall''. The sunrise point is at the government-run PWD guest house. Another tourist attraction is the small Satoli Village, situated just 21 km from Mukteshwar.<ref>https://www.onepartridgehill.com/about-us</ref> One can also visit the [[Indian Veterinary Research Institute]] (IVRI). Mukteshwar is the abode of a saint — Shri Mukteshwar Maharaj ji — who lived at the Top Cottage Temple where his samadhi is. One of his disciples, Swami Sanshudhanand Ji, now stays there.

[[File:Mukteshwar- LOve point.jpg|thumb|left|Love Point at Mukteshwar]]
Some of the edifices of this town are the IVRI laboratories (experiments on tiny rats, gold-plated books, cattle-sheds), orchards of the Central Institutes of Temperate Horticulture-Regional Station, an expansive deodar forest (Himalayan cedar) measuring 15 square miles, 22 pristine snow-peak views, and the adventure of living among wildlife such as tigers and bears are. The charm of visiting Mukteshwar lies in enjoying nature, listening to air gushing through deodar forests, bird watching, meditation, and seeking peace. The cleanliness, solitude, and nature attract people escaping urban life.

Mukteshwar is also home to a post office founded in 1905 which finds mention in Jim Corbett's writing.

==History==
[[File:IBL Mukteshwar people.jpg|thumb|left|IVRI Mukteshwar c.1910]]
[[File:View of Himalayas from the top of Mukteshwar.jpg|thumb|View of Himalayas from the top of Mukteshwar]]
Mukteshwar was previously known as '''Muktesar''' (as mentioned in [[Jim Corbett]]'s book "The Temple Tiger"); the name changed after 1947. Many locals still call it Muktesar in their local language. Until 1893 the place was known for its shrines and temple before it was selected for serum production to protect animals from cattle plague.<ref name="ReferenceA">Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 18, Page 18</ref> On the recommendation of the Cattle [[pandemic|Plague]] Commission, the Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory had its genesis on 9 December 1889 at [[Pune]] and relocated to Mukteshwar in 1893<ref>[http://nainital.nic.in/mukteshwar.htm Mukteshwar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621085305/http://nainital.nic.in/mukteshwar.htm |date=2008-06-21 }} Official website of [[Nainital district]]</ref> to facilitate segregation and [[quarantine]] of highly [[Contagious disease|contagious]] [[organisms]]. Initially the laboratory at Mukteshwar was completed in 1898 but destroyed by fire in 1899. It was resurrected in 1901. Then annual expenditure on research was Rs. 50,000.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Later it was developed into the [[Indian Veterinary Research Institute]] (IVRI), which later moved its headquarters to [[Izatnagar]]. Still Mukteshwar serves as the hill campus of IVRI, including facilities such as an experimental [[goat]] farm.<ref>[http://ivri.nic.in/about/evolution.html Evolution of IVRI] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208150353/http://ivri.nic.in/about/evolution.html |date=2009-02-08 }} [[Indian Veterinary Research Institute]] Official website.</ref><ref>[http://ivri.nic.in/about/campuses/campuses.htm Campuses] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201034242/http://ivri.nic.in/about/campuses/campuses.htm |date=2009-02-01 }}, [[Indian Veterinary Research Institute]] official website.</ref>

The noted Nobel winner scientist Robert Koch visited this place on the request of the government of India. The microscope used by him and other historical articles are kept in the museum maintained by IVRI. A hill carved cold room dating back to 1900 once used to store biological materials is now a tourist attraction.

[[Jim Corbett]], a well-known author and hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards visited Mukteshwar. He wrote about Mukteshwar in his book ''The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon''. He wrote about the various adversities faced by the people inhabiting the villages in remote areas of the Northern hills.

==Rock Climbing & Rappelling in Mukteshwar==
Fruit orchards, coniferous forests, lush green trails and narrow lanes make Mukteshwar a special destination for trekking. Apart from trekking, camping, paragliding; Mukteshwar is also known for rock climbing and rappelling. The region is full of hard rocky hills, which are suitable for rock climbing. Exotic travelers visit here to experience these activities. Rocky hills of Mukteshwar are quite strong. However, this adventure sport may be a little risky in the rainy days. Here are some of the popular trails in Mukteshwar:
* Peora to [[Almora]]
* Peora to Mukteshwar,
* Arta Trek from [[Binsar]]

==Geography==
[[File:MonkeyFaceStone-Mukteshwar.jpg|thumb|left|Monkey Face Stone at Mukteshwar]]
{{Climate chart
|Mukteshwar
|1.6 |10.5 |54
|2.3 |11.5 |56.5
|.8 |15.9 |49.7
|10.1 |20.7 |35.3
|12.9 |23.4 |58.3
|14.2 |23.3 |157.2
|14.2 |20.9 |307.4
|13.9 |20.2 |299.4
|12.5 |20.1 |202.3
|9.5 |18.9 |60.9
|5.9 |15.8 |8.8
|3.4 |12.8 |23.1
|float = right
|source=World Weather Information Service (1901-2000)<ref>{{cite web|title=World Weather Information Service|url=http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1609|website=worldweather.wmo.int|accessdate=16 November 2016}}</ref>
}}
Mukteshwar is located at {{coord|29.4722|N|79.6479|E|}}.<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/39/Mukteshwar.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Mukteshwar]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It has an average elevation of 2,171 metres (7,500 feet). Mukteshwar is situated in [[Nainital district]] at a distance of 51 km from [[Nainital]], the district's administrative headquarter and 72 km from [[Haldwani]], the largest city in Nainital.

Mukteshwar is rich in scenic beauty, with magnificent views of the Indian [[Himalayas]] including India's second-highest peak, [[Nanda Devi]]. Because of the hilly topography, agriculture in the area consists chiefly of [[potato]] fields and fruit orchards on terraces cut into the hillsides.

===Climate===
[[File:Sunset at Mukteshwar 1.jpg|thumb|left|Sunset at Mukteshwar]]
Mukteshwar has a [[subtropical highland climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cwb''). The pattern of seasons is similar to that in other parts of northern India, with distinct summer, monsoon and winter seasons. However, due to its high elevation, Mukteshwar is spared the intense heat of lower-lying towns and cities. Mukteshwar has cold winters and relatively cool summer with drastically escalated rain, in relation with lower altitudes, and frequent fog. Summers are warm with moderate rainfall, while the monsoon season is slightly cooler and features much heavier rain. Winters can be quite cool, and temperatures below freezing are not unusual. Snowfall occurs occasionally in December and January, though it is sparse, while the heavy rainfall events occurs during the monsoon season stretching from July to September.

{{Weather box
|location = Mukteshwar (1981–2010, extremes 1901–2012)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
| Jan record high C = 23.0
| Feb record high C = 24.2
| Mar record high C = 28.5
| Apr record high C = 31.5
| May record high C = 31.1
| Jun record high C = 32.5
| Jul record high C = 30.6
| Aug record high C = 27.9
| Sep record high C = 26.8
| Oct record high C = 25.5
| Nov record high C = 23.1
| Dec record high C = 22.5
| year record high C = 32.5
| Jan high C = 12.3
| Feb high C = 13.4
| Mar high C = 17.4
| Apr high C = 22.2
| May high C = 23.7
| Jun high C = 23.6
| Jul high C = 21.5
| Aug high C = 20.8
| Sep high C = 20.7
| Oct high C = 19.8
| Nov high C = 17.0
| Dec high C = 14.2
| year high C = 18.9
| Jan low C = 1.7
| Feb low C = 2.3
| Mar low C = 5.4
| Apr low C = 9.5
| May low C = 11.7
| Jun low C = 13.4
| Jul low C = 13.8
| Aug low C = 13.6
| Sep low C = 12.2
| Oct low C = 9.1
| Nov low C = 5.6
| Dec low C = 3.3
| year low C = 8.5
| Jan record low C = -7.6
| Feb record low C = -7.8
| Mar record low C = -5.9
| Apr record low C = -1.7
| May record low C = 2.3
| Jun record low C = 5.9
| Jul record low C = 4.6
| Aug record low C = 9.8
| Sep record low C = 1.3
| Oct record low C = 0.8
| Nov record low C = -2.3
| Dec record low C = -5.7
| year record low C = -7.8
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 46.7
| Feb rain mm = 65.2
| Mar rain mm = 52.9
| Apr rain mm = 46.0
| May rain mm = 69.4
| Jun rain mm = 140.2
| Jul rain mm = 277.1
| Aug rain mm = 277.7
| Sep rain mm = 236.9
| Oct rain mm = 39.5
| Nov rain mm = 10.9
| Dec rain mm = 22.0
| year rain mm = 1284.4
| Jan rain days = 3.0
| Feb rain days = 4.1
| Mar rain days = 3.8
| Apr rain days = 3.4
| May rain days = 5.8
| Jun rain days = 9.3
| Jul rain days = 13.8
| Aug rain days = 14.1
| Sep rain days = 10.4
| Oct rain days = 1.8
| Nov rain days = 0.8
| Dec rain days = 1.4
| year rain days = 71.7
|time day = 17:30 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| Jan humidity = 63
| Feb humidity = 63
| Mar humidity = 60
| Apr humidity = 46
| May humidity = 59
| Jun humidity = 69
| Jul humidity = 88
| Aug humidity = 90
| Sep humidity = 86
| Oct humidity = 74
| Nov humidity = 69
| Dec humidity = 62
|year humidity = 69
|source 1 = [[India Meteorological Department]]<ref name=IMDnormals>
{{cite web
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205040301/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| archivedate = 5 February 2020
| url = http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| title = Station: Mukteswar (Kumaun) Climatological Table 1981–2010
| work = Climatological Normals 1981–2010
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = January 2015
| pages = 507–508
| accessdate = 15 February 2020}}</ref><ref name=IMDextremes>
{{cite web
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042509/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| archivedate = 5 February 2020
| url = http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| title = Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = December 2016
| page = M226
| accessdate = 15 February 2020}}</ref>
}}

==Kumaon Vani radio service==
[[File:Sunset at Mukteshwar.jpg|thumb|left|Sunset at Mukteshwar]]
[[File:Mukteshwar 2008.jpg|thumb|right|Mukteshwar in 2008]]
With the aim to create a common platform for local communities of Supi in [[Uttarakhand]], [[The Energy and Resources Institute|TERI]] launched 'Kumaon Vani', a community radio service on 11 March 2010. Uttarakhand governor [[Margaret Alva]] inaugurated the radio station, the first in the state. The 'Kumaon Vani' aims to air programmes on environment, agriculture, culture, weather and education in the local language and with the active participation of the communities. The station covers a radius of 10 km reaching out to almost 2000 locals around Mukteshwar.<ref>http://news.oneindia.in/2010/03/13/terilaunches-kumaon-vani-community-radio-service.html</ref>

==New development==
[[File:Where the sky meets the mountains.jpg|thumb|left|Mukteshwar at night]]
[[File:Mukteshwar, a view of the Himalayas.jpg|right|thumb|Mukteshwar, a view of the Himalayas.]]
There is a 'Renewable Park' developed by [[The Energy and Resources Institute|TERI]]. The renewable park uses solar electricity for most of its electricity needs. Recently, the town has experienced some construction activity and townships have begun to mushroom in and around Mukteshwar. Many people are buying holiday homes here to escape large chaotic cities.

==Transport==
The [[Pantnagar Airport|nearest airport]] is at [[Pantnagar]] and [[Kathgodam railway station|the nearest railway head]] is at [[Kathgodam]], 65 km from the town, from where vehicular transport is easily available for neighbouring towns of [[Bhimtal]], [[Bhowali]],[[Haldwani]] and [[Nainital]].

The other means of road transport in the city include [[Share taxi]]s, regionally known as Jeeps, on-call metered taxis and tourist taxis. The state transportation bus service is available from Nainital.

==References==
{{reflist}}
<ref>{{cite web |last1=Joshi |first1=Bhartendu |title=Mukteshwar Tourism, Climate and Local Attractions |url=https://bugyalvalley.com/uttarakhand-tourism/nainital/mukteshwar/ |website=Bugyal Valley}}</ref>

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline}}
*[https://traveltear.com/magical-mukteshwar-breathing-the-mountain-goodness/1255/ Magical Mukteshwar – Breathing The Mountain Goodness]
{{Nainital district}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Nainital district]]
[[Category:Tourism in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Hill stations in Uttarakhand]]

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Mukteshwar