Hanuman Garhi Temple

Hanuman Garhi is an exalted spiritual temple perched on a crest at an altitude of 1,951 meters (6,401 feet) above sea level, approximately 3.5 km south of the Tallital bus station in Nainital. Revered by devotees worldwide, this temple shares an intimate, divine connection with Shri Neem Karoli Baba Maharaj Ji, who personally sanctified the grounds in the year 1950. ### The Neem Karoli Baba Connection In the late 1940s, while wandering through the serene Kumaon pine hills, Maharaj Ji chose this serene ridge as an ideal site for penance and worship of his beloved deity, Lord Hanuman. Under Maharaj Ji's guidance and spiritual supervision, local devotees constructed the majestic temple. Maharaj Ji personally oversaw the installation of the magnificent 12-foot-tall idol of Lord Hanuman, depicted standing majestically while tearing open his chest with his golden claws to reveal Lord Rama and Mata Sita enshrined within his beating heart. ### Panoramic Vistas & Sunset Grandeur Beyond its immense devotional resonance, Hanuman Garhi is universally celebrated as the finest sunset viewpoint in Nainital. Facing directly westward towards the rolling valleys of Tarai and the plains of Haldwani, the temple terrace affords breathtaking views of the evening sun casting crimson, amber, and purple hues across mountain horizons. On crystal-clear autumn and winter days, the twilight sky creates a mesmerizing natural backdrop for the temple's saffron flags. ### Adjacent Shrines & ARIES Observatory The temple complex also houses peaceful shrines dedicated to Lord Rama, Mata Sita, and Lord Shiva. Just a short 1 km forested walk uphill from Hanuman Garhi lies the renowned Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), one of India's premier astronomical research institutions housing advanced optical telescopes for sky observation. ### Temple Timings & Daily Pujas - **Morning Opening:** 5:30 AM - **Morning Aarti:** 6:30 AM - **Evening Aarti & Sunset Darshan:** 6:30 PM (Summer) / 5:30 PM (Winter) - **Night Closing:** 8:30 PM - **Tuesdays & Saturdays:** Special congregations gather for collective chanting of the Sundarkand and Sri Hanuman Chalisa, followed by distribution of sacred Boondi and Besan Ladoo prasad.