Nanda Devi Mela Almora 2026

Every year in the golden, mist-laden autumn days of Bhadrapada (culminating on the sacred day of **Nanda Ashtami** in September / celebrated across seven continuous days and nights), the historic ridge-top cultural capital of Kumaon, **Almora** in Uttarakhand, transforms into a vibrant mountain sanctuary of royal devotion: the Nanda Devi Mela.

Goddess Nanda Devi is revered across the central Himalayas not merely as a cosmic manifestation of Parvati or Durga, but as the beloved daughter (*Dhiyani*) and royal guardian deity (*Kuldevi*) of the Kumaon people. The historical foundation of the Almora festival dates to the late 17th century under the illustrious **Chand Dynasty** rulers. In 1678 CE, **Raja Dyot Chand** and later **Raja Baz Bahadur Chand** triumphed over the fortress of Badhangarh in Garhwal, retrieving the sacred idol of Nanda Devi. The deity was ceremoniously installed within the royal palace courtyard of Malla Mahal in Almora, cementing her status as the protector of the sovereign state. During the early 19th century, British Deputy Commissioner George William Traill, after personally experiencing the miraculous healing grace of the Goddess, assisted in relocating the shrine to its current historic seat at the **Nanda Devi Temple Complex** near Lala Bazar.

What makes the Almora celebration uniquely sacred and artistically renowned across India is the ancient liturgical ritual of **Kadali Vriksha (The Sacred Banana Tree Idols)**. Unlike permanent stone sanctum murtis, the living idols of twin sisters **Goddess Nanda** and **Goddess Sunanda** are sculpted freshly every single year from the living trunks of twin banana trees brought down from sacred orchards. Clad in brilliant red-and-gold Pahadi silks, adorned with oversized golden nose rings (**Nath**), and venerated through high-altitude Tantric and Vedic rites, the divine sisters grant audience to over two hundred thousand mountain pilgrims before their ceremonial immersion in sacred streams.

The structured 7-day progression of tree selection, idol sculpting, and mountain immersion:

The ancient warrior dances, community singing circles, and artisanal hill heritage of Almora:

• The Martial Heritage of Chholiya: Originating over a thousand years ago as an escort dance for royal wedding caravans to fend off evil spirits and rival raiders, Chholiya combines swordplay, acrobatic leaps, and rhythmic footwork.
• Jhora & Chanchari Circle Dances: Hundreds of women and men link arms in swaying concentric circles on the temple courtyard, singing rhythmic narrative ballads (*Jhora*) detailing Himalayan lore.
• Traditional Kumaoni Instruments: Music is generated by mountain instruments: the large copper kettle-drum (**Damau**), wooden barrel drum (**Dhol**), hourglass drum (**Hurka**), and the dramatic curving copper trumpet (**Ransingha**).
• Almora Tamta Brass Craft: The mela showcases Almora's historic coppersmith heritage (*Tamta mohalla*), renowned for hand-beaten brass prayer lamps, water pitchers (*Gagars*), and ceremonial cauldrons.

Savor authentic culinary treasures of Almora's historic sweet bazaars:

Almora sits at an altitude of 1,638 meters on a horseshoe-shaped ridge in eastern Uttarakhand:

• By Air: Pantnagar Airport (Station Code: PGH - 120 km / 3.5 hours drive via NH 109) connects scheduled domestic flights from Delhi and Dehradun; taxis are readily available at the terminal.
• By Train: Kathgodam Railway Station (Station Code: KGM - 85 km / 3 hours drive) is the major mainline railhead connected to New Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, and Dehradun by Shatabdi and Ranikhet Express trains.
• By Road: Well-paved Himalayan highways link Almora with Kathgodam, Nainital (65 km), and Ranikhet (45 km); Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) regular and deluxe buses ply frequently from Anand Vihar ISBT in Delhi (360 km).

Plan your holiday for the middle of September to witness the Nanda Ashtami celebrations:

• Key Timetable: Temple darshan opens early at **5:30 AM**; traditional Chholiya and Jhora performances on the temple stage run from **2:00 PM to 8:30 PM**; **the grand Visarjan procession starts at 1:00 PM on the final day**.
• Crisp Autumn Weather: Mid-September marks the transition to clear autumn skies with pleasant daytime temperatures (18°C to 24°C) and brisk, cool nights (10°C to 14°C). Carry light woolens, a windbreaker jacket, comfortable walking shoes for hilly cobblestone slopes, and an umbrella for occasional mountain mist.
• Accommodation: Stay in heritage colonial hotels, colonial estates, or boutique mountain resorts in Almora town, Bright End Corner, or Kasar Devi (8 km away); book rooms **at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance**.

Observe Kumaoni religious protocol when attending the fair:

• Footwear Removal: Deposit shoes at the temple entrance before ascending the stone steps to the Nanda Devi sanctum courtyard.
• Respecting Procession Lines: When the sacred banana trunk idols are carried through the bazaar on palanquins, stand respectfully to the sides; do not touch the palanquins without the priests' consent.
• Photography Decorum: Photography is permitted in the open bazaar and courtyard, but strictly prohibited inside the inner sanctum where the secret Kadali murti sculpting takes place.

Combine Nanda Devi Mela with visits to these ancient stone temples and Himalayan wildlife sanctuaries:

• Katarmal Sun Temple (17 km Northwest): A rare, 9th-century Katyuri dynasty sun temple perched at 2,114 meters, famous for exquisite wooden carvings and 44 subsidiary stone shrines.
• Jageshwar Dham (36 km East): A majestic pilgrimage complex of 124 ancient 8th to 12th-century stone temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, nestled within a sacred deodar pine valley.
• Kasar Devi Temple (8 km Northeast): A renowned 2nd-century shrine situated on the Crank's Ridge, celebrated for its unique geomagnetic field within the Earth's Van Allen radiation belt.
• Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary (30 km North): A pristine oak and rhododendron forest sanctuary offering breathtaking 300-km panoramic vistas of the Himalayan snow peaks (Trishul, Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba).