Naukuchiatal

Naukuchiatal[1] or “lake of nine corners” is a small hill station, near Nainital Town in Nainital district of Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. whose chairman is Piyush Palariya.

The lake is 175 feet deep and is situated at 1,220 metres (4,000 ft) above sea level. It is covered in trees and shrubs. It is the deepest of all the lakes in the Nainital region. The length of the lake is 983 metres (3,225 ft), its breadth is 693 metres (2,274 ft) and it has a depth of 40.3 metres (132 ft). Within the valley are opportunities for angling and bird watching. Other activities include parasailing, paragliding, fishing, rowing, paddling or yachting. The lake is fed by an underground perennial spring. Naukuchiatal is also known for the ‘escape festival’ which happens once every year (in the month of May).[2]

Location

The lake is situated 4 km from Bhimtal, and 26 km from Nainital, 320 km from Delhi. The nearest railway station is Kathgodam.
Mythology
It is believed that this lake was created after hard worship (Sanskrit “tap”) of Brahmaji and a small temple dedicated to Brahmaji exists near the KMVN guesthouse. According to locals anyone performing a parikarma of the lake will be blessed by Brahmaji.

Climate
Temperatures range in Summer: 11 C to 26 C, Winter: -2 C to 14 C. The best time to visit Naukuchiatal is between the months of March – June and September – November. The temperature remains comfortable and is apt for sightseeing.

History Of Naukuchital

Naukuchital Located at the foothills of the Kumaon Mountains, Naukuchiatal is perhaps the most picturesque lake in Uttaranchal, surrounded by green slopes and oak forests. At an altitude of 1,219 m and just 24 km from Nainital, Naukuchiatal or the ‘nine-cornered lake’ is fed by an underwater spring. It is believed by the locals that whoever sees all the nine corners of the lake at one shot, attains Nirvana. Pretty views of terraced fields and meadows make this lake destination an enjoyable stopover. Although the lake is the prime attraction here, there are more activities for tourists such as angling, trekking, bird-watching and paragliding.