Kainchi Dham Bhowali Nainital

Kainchi s a placed at an altitude of (1400 MT) On the Nainital - Almora Road, at a distance of 9 Km from Bhowali and 17 Kms from Nainital is a modern pilgrim centre. This place has achieved recognition owing to the ashram of the famous Shri Neem Karoli Baba Maharajji.

Many hundreds of people visit the temples here every day, in season. Each year, during the June 15th Bhandara, reportedly, more than one lakh (100,000) people are fed.

Kainchi is a term used for two sharp hairpin bends of the motor road in local dialect hence the name. It has NO relation with scissors.

Founded by the famous Maharaj Neem Karoli Baba in 1962 and is very well maintained and kept neat and clean.

The concept of this place came into existence in 1942 when Maharaj Neem Karoli along with Shri Poornanand of the Kainchi Village proposed building an Ashram here dedicated to Sombari Maharaj and Sadhu Premi Baba who used to perform yagnas in this very place. Later in 1962, their dream materialised and the forest from this area was cleared and a rectangular platform was constructed. After due permission from the Forest Conservator, Maharaj Ji acquired the lease of this land and constructed a Temple devoted to Lord Hanuman over that rectangular platform and adjacent to it is the Kainchi Temple and an Ashram built for devotees.

The Hanuman temple is built over the platform mentioned above. His devotees started coming from different places and a chain of bhandaras, kirtans, bhajans started. The Pran-Pratishtha of idols of Hanumanji and others was performed on 15th June in different years. Thus, 15th June is celebrated every year as Pratishtha Divas when a large number of devotees come to Kainchi and get Prasad. The number of devotees and the associated vehicular traffic is so large that the district administration has to make special arrangement to regulate the same. Accordingly some changes have been made in the whole complex so that people do not face any difficulty in movement.

Kainchi temple is of a special importance in each and every devotee's life. It was here that Ram Dass and other westerners spent a lot of good time with Maharajji. All devotees should pay a visit to this temple at least once.

There is also a cave beside the temple where Baba Neem Karoli used to spend his time praying and is considered a sacred area.

Neem Karoli Maharaji's Teachings

Maharajji taught many people. These teachings continue today. The teaching was very subtle or literally a knock on the head. Maharajji's teachings seem to have been totally individual. Each devotee would have the answer or the help they needed in the way that was best suited to their needs. When devotees remembered Him, Maharajji would rush to them to help and protect them. This seems to be going on to this day.

Maharajji seems to be continually visiting people and helping them since He "left His body" in Vrindaban in 1973. One devotee said that he thought the greatest miracle was what Maharajji has done since then. Maharajji has visited, helped, guided, fed, and called into service so many in the last twenty-five years. Maharajji never went away. For this we can be grateful.

Construction of Neem Karoli Maharaji's Temple at Kainchi

Babaji left His physical body in the night of 10 September 1973. The Kalash containing his ashes was already installed in Shri Kainchi dham. Then, without any plan and design the construction work of Babas temple began in 1974. All His devotees cooperated (voluntarily)

The artisans and masons engaged in the construction work has an early bath and wearing clean clothes began work, reciting Hanuman Chalissa and chanting "Maharajji Ki Jai" (glory to Maharajji). When the construction work was on, the devotees also recited Hanuman Chalissaand did Kirtan by singing (Shri Rama - Jai Rama - Jai Jai Rama), Mothers also writing "Ramnam" on the bricks passed them on to the workers. The whole atmosphere vibrated with the chanting of "Baba Neem Karoli Maharaj Ki Jai". Influenced by the ardent devotion of the Mothers for Babaji, the workers also developed the same feeling of devotion, faith, reverance and love. It was Babaji's lila that he infused these workers with the qualities of Vishwakarma (the architectof Gods) and they remained busy with the construction work.

Now came 15th June 1976, the day for installation and consecration of Maharajji's murti. Maharajji Himself had fixed June 15th as the consecration of Kainchi Dham.

The Bagvat saptah and yajna etc. were completed before the installation and consecration ceremony. The devotees installed Kalash and hoisted flag on the temple with the sound of bells, gongs, drums and conches. The sky vibrated with the sound of clapping. Kirtan and slogans of glory to Babaji. The atmosphere was ecstatic and everyone had the feeling of Babaji Maharaj's physical presence. Then with recitation of hymns from Vedas and with the specified method of consecration ceremony and worship, Maharajji's murti was installed. In this way, Babaji Maharaj in the form of a murti is seated in Shri Kainchi Dham.

How To Reach Kainchi Dham

Kainchi Dham at a distance of 9 Km from Bhowali.

Kainchi Dham at a distance of 17 Kms from Nainital.

Kainchi Dham is approx. 13 km from Golu Devta Temple (Ghorakhal)

Kainchi Dham is approx. 317 km from Delhi via Kathgodam - Bhimtal - Bhowali