Kainchi Dham

Kainchi Dham is the ashram of Neem Karoli Baba, also known as Neeb Karori Baba, in a narrow wooded valley on the Nainital to Almora road. It sits on the bank of the Shipra, a small river that joins the Kosi at Khairna. The name comes from the two sharp hairpin bends on the road here, which locals call kainchi. The ashram is about 9 km from Bhowali and 17 km from Nainital.

Neem Karoli Baba set up the ashram in the early 1960s, and its Hanuman temple was consecrated on 15 June 1964. The complex also has shrines to Lakshmi Narayan, Vindhyavasini Devi and other deities, and a temple with Baba's ashes and a life-size statue of him. Western disciples such as Ram Dass made the ashram known abroad, and later visits linked to Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg drew wider attention.

Every year on 15 June, the foundation day is marked with a large bhandara and malpua prasad for devotees. It is the busiest day of the year, and traffic around Bhowali can stand still for hours.

Visitor numbers have climbed sharply. The district administration reported around 24 lakh visitors in 2024, and weekends and long holidays can bring well over 20,000 people a day. For a calmer darshan, go on a weekday and arrive early in the morning. Entry is free.