Rangeelo (Colorful) Kumaon

 

 

Kurmanchal  or  Kumaon  includes  Nanital,  Almora,   Pithoragarh   and   newly created  Bageshwar     and    Champawat    Districts.   It   presents  a  blend  of  mesmerizing   view  of  mountains;  marvelous   fertile  valleys;  Pine,  Deodar  ,Burash  (Rhododendron)  and  Oak  forests;  ancient  heritage of  temples and   caves   and   rich   colorful   Kumaoni culture and traditions. It is  also   called   Switzerland   of  India for it’s natural beauty and climate. Vivekananda, Tagore, Gandhi, Nehru, Udai Shankar, Nand Lal Bose, Rahul Sankrityayan, Nicolas Reorich, Guru Datt and lot of others visited these areas and inspired by the celestial   and   scenic   beauty   of these places.  Some of them were so romantically  obsessed with it's beauty that  they   visited  here  again and again  in search  of    new    ideas.    Nature,    Music,    Art,    Colors, Flowers, Puja, Fast, Ceremonies   are   imbibed  in  the culture and traditions of Kumaon and nature   has bestowed it with all gifts, thus, truly called ‘Rangeelo Kumaon’ means Colorful Kumaon. It provided right atmosphere to Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindra Nath Tagore  to write their famous books 'Anasakti Yoga' and 'Geetanjali' respectively.

People of Kumaon region also took active part in freedom struggle of India and produced patriots like Viktor Mohan Joshi, Govind Ballabh Pant and Kumaon Kesari Pt Badri Datt Pande. Famous 'Chayawadi' poet Pt Sumitra Nandan Pant and writer Shivani (Gaura Pant) belong to Kumaon. Kumaonis are in armed forces by tradition and Late General B C Joshi hails from Kumaon.

Mahatma Gandhi spoke highly of the beauty and serenity of the Kumaon hills. In his words " In these hills, nature's beauty of the Himalayas, the bracing climate and soothing green, envelops you. I wonder whether the scenery of these hills and its climate are surpassed or equaled by any of the beauty spots of the world." He wondered why Indians visited Switzerland when they had the Kumaon Hills.