Kainchi Dham
Kainchi, Nainital district, Uttarakhand
The Himalayan ashram of Neem Karoli Baba, with its Hanuman shrine. In Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master, Sri M's teacher sends him here, and the Baba calls him out of the crowd.
What the texts say
- Lineage text
After their meeting in the Kumaon caves, Sri M's teacher tells him to visit several places, among them Kainchi, to see the avadhoota Neem Karoli Baba.
Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master: A Yogi's Autobiography, Sri M, chapter 38
- Lineage text
Sri M arrives to find that the Baba has come the day before. He describes a large Hanuman image, a shrine to the Mother nearby, and the Baba holding darshan on a raised verandah before a large crowd, repeating the name of Ram. From the back rows, Sri M is picked out, called up and pulled onto the Baba's lap, then sent off with greetings for his teacher. He spends the night at the ashram in deep meditation.
“Babaji ka baccha”
Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master: A Yogi's Autobiography, Sri M, chapter 38
What tradition holds
Kept apart from the texts on purpose. These are held with respect, and they are not the same as a written source.
- Folklore
Many miracle stories about Neem Karoli Baba circulate. Sri M retells one he heard at the ashram and labels it a story he was told that night. We do not repeat such stories as fact.
What you will find today
- Getting there
- On the Nainital to Almora road, 9 km from Bhowali and 17 km from Nainital. The nearest railway station is Kathgodam (43 km) and the nearest airport is Pantnagar (79 km).
- Timings and conduct
- Open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
- Best season
- Incredible India gives March to June, and September to October after the monsoon, as the pleasant seasons for the Nainital area.
Last checked via District Nainital, Government of Uttarakhand (https://nainital.nic.in/tourist-place/kaichi-dham/); Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism (https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/uttarakhand/nainital/kainchi-dham-ashram and https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/uttarakhand/nainital). Conditions change; confirm before you travel.
A practice for this place
This is a place of bhakti, so let the practice be a simple one. Sit near the Hanuman shrine and repeat "Ram" silently with each outgoing breath for fifteen minutes. If your mind wanders, return to the name without any fuss. On the busy days, go early and keep your visit short so others can have their turn.
Read more about this place
You can visit this place on the way during our Adi Kailash Yatra. Details here.