Places of Tourist Interest

An account of an English traveler of the 1830s, while describing the incomparable beauty of Ramgarh, has written, ".singularly striking and seems to give reality a vision drawn from eastern romance." This is more than enough evidence of the spectacular bounty of this Uttarakhand hill station . Nature's bounty apart, the place also showcases some interesting monuments and temples, reviving the aura of the contemporary historical period.

Chhatris

The most beautiful structure in Ramgarh is perhaps the opulent Ram Gopal Poddar Chhatri. As its name suggests, it was built by the Poddars. Built in 1872, it has some great murals, especially in the dome. The scenes fall into three broad groups - the Ramayana, the life of Krishna and Ragamala paintings (illustrating the musical notes). Chhatris, usually consisting of a cluster of pavilions, are a common sight in princely Rajasthan where they were built to commemorate a dead hero. But the Poddar Chhatri is so elaborate that it could very well pass for a palace and incredible though, there are a whopping 500 murals all over it! The Ramayana Chhatri is more modest, but richer in paintings. It has a beautiful collection of murals in maroon and blue, depicting scenes from the Ramayana.

Exquisite Havelis

Thanks to the wealthy Poddars and their inflated ego, Ramgarh is also blessed with over a dozen beautiful havelis (mansions). Constructed in the glorious 1830s, the Bashashwarlal Poddar Haveli, showcases amazing ochre paintings of floral designs. Lying close by, is the haveli of the extravagantly prosperous family of Tarachand Ghanshyamdas Poddar, which has a beautifully painted room. The Anant Ram Poddar Double Haveli, the two Ruia Havelis the Jagannath Poddar Double Haveli are also worth-watching.

Temple Attractions

The Uttarakhand hill station of Ramgarh features some great temples too. The Ganga Temple is the finest one here, built by a Poddar, costing as much as 32,000 rupees! The Hanuman Temple was built by the Ruias in about 1885. It is an interesting building with a passage running under it. Locals often call the temple, the Lal Kuan Mandir (the Red Well Temple ), probably because of a well somewhere in the premises, which was painted red. The Natwar Niketan, Ram-Lakshman Temple and the Surekha Dharamshala are some of the other monuments that interesting spots in Ramgarh.

Being a small place, this splendid Indian hill station is not difficult to explore. Its leisurely atmosphere, in combination with the placid calm, attracts more and more tourists across the world to undertake a tour to Uttarakhand .