Nainital, the Lake District of India, located in the Himalayan belt amongst the Kumaon hills, is a paradise for nature lovers. A splendid holiday spot with a rich treasure of lakes and hills, Nainital is a destination for the young and the old alike.

Nainital is referred to as the lake of three sages, or the Tri Rishi Sarovar as mentioned in the Manas Khand chapter of the Skanda Purana. As recorded in history, the three sages, Atri, Pulastya, and Pulaha stopped over at Nainital on their pilgrimage, to quench their thirst. Finding no water, they dug a hole and transferred some water into it from the sacred lake of Tibet, Mansarovar. Thus the famous lake of Nainital came into existence. Another legend has it that the left eye or Nain of Lord Shiva’s wife Sati fell in this center and formed an emerald eye shaped lake and thus emerged the city of Nainital.

Recent history records reveal that Nainital was brought into limelight by P. Barron, a British sugar merchant, in 1839. The beauty of Nainital with the central lake cushioned among the forests attracted this person to build a house named Pilgrim’s Cottage and settle in Nainital. Barron gave way to the trend of settling down in Nainital and soon the city became an important administrative town. Nainital is known for its famous landslide of 1880 which leveled out the entire city.