Kasar Devi is a quaint little village situated at 9 Kms from Almora, Uttarakhand..I got to know about this place from a friend of mine who was at the village earlier. When I first arrived here I had no idea what to expect. On my way up to Kasar Devi I spotted a shy leopard, so I consider myself lucky to have seen it. They have to climb up and down the mountains to meet their daily needs. Water is scarce here and is treated preciously.
People of Kasar Devi are very simple and hard working . Main occupation of the people of Kasar Devi is agriculture. Men have various kinds of jobs while women generally run the households, take care of kids and work in the fields too. Most women here are married at anearly age and have children by the time they are 20-22 years old. Schools are located at a distance from the village and teach English. Most tourists who visit Kasar Devi are here for the panoramic view of the Himalayas and thepeace and calm that it offers. I wasn’t lucky enough to see the Himalayas due to bad weather but I kept looking hard at the silhouettes of the Himalayas when the skies cleared a little bit. Temperatures drop really low in winters as they do experience some snow and summers can get pleasantly warm. Most cottages here have their own kitchen so you can cook, I however relied on my host to feed me some nice home cooked Kumaoni food.
Kasar Devi is known for its temple which is a 2000 year old cave structure atop Kasar Devi Hill. It was given the shape of a temple in 1948. On this solitary cave, Swami Vivekananda performed spiritual practices in September 1890. It is believed that as he reached the climax of his spiritual experiences he came out of his spiritual bliss to serve the mankind.
Cranks hill is another attraction that’s called a magnetic hill due to its electromagnetic activity. There is some sort of mystery to this place that has led many people to give up their lives elsewhere and settle down here.
Cost:
Travel – I took a bus from Rishikesh costing me Rs400. Almora can be reached from Delhi as well. A shared taxi will cost you Rs30 to come up the hill. Private cabs can charge you anywhere between Rs150 to Rs200.
Stay – I can say I am lucky to have got this British cottage to myself for Rs300. It had a 180 degree panoramic view of the mountains. Most guest houses here cost about Rs500.
Food – Food is relatively cheap and a decent meal can cost you between Rs50 and Rs80
Activities – Soak in the Kumaoni culture, people and food. Sit at a café and make conversations with other travelers and locals.