India Travel Guide > Uttarakhand Travel Guide > Almora Travel Guide

Almora was the seat of power of the Chand Dynasty who ruled the land of Kumaon for almost one thousand years. An interesting fact about the discovery of Almora is that unlike other hill stations, it was not discovered and developed by the British. The Katyuri Dynasty ruled the region around Almora from the 9th century AD. Raja Balo Kalyan Chand made Almora as his new capital in 1568 AD, when he transferred his capital from Champawat to Almora. The Chands occupied Almora till the 19th century AD. The rivers Kosi and Suyal flow through Almora providing a natural barrier. There is an interesting local legend about the discovery of Almora. Raja Kalyan Chand, the ruler of the Chand Dynasty was riding on the horseshoe shaped spur in the pursuit of a prey. The hunted quarry protected its life by taking refuge behind the thick bushes of Kilgore, a local wild bush and revealed the place to the king. The story might not be corroborated by any literary or archaeological evidences but continues to be told by the locals. The Gorkhas captured Almora in 1798 AD and finally British took it over from the Gorkhas after the Gorkha wars of 1814-1815.