# Inside the Uttarakhand Ashram Where Devotees Believe No One Leaves Empty-Handed, and How It Got Its Scissor-Shaped Name > Kainchi Dham, the Nainital ashram of saint Neem Karoli Baba on the Bhowali-Almora road in Uttarakhand, was established in 1964 and takes its name from the scissor-shaped valley it sits in. **Type:** article · **Category:** Religion · **Published:** 2026-09-05 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/religion/nainital-ki-vadiyon-men-chhupa-hai-vo-ashrama-jahan-se-koi-khali-hatha-nahin-lautata-janie-kainchi-dham-nama-parane-ki-vajaha-28063 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Kainchi Dham, Neem Karoli Baba, Nainital, Uttarakhand, Hanuman Temple, Bhowali Almora Road A modest ashram wedged between two forested hills along the Bhowali-Almora road in Uttarakhand's Nainital district has, over six decades, turned into one of India's most visited spiritual retreats, drawing lakhs of devotees who believe that no one who prays here goes back with an empty heart. ## A Valley Shaped Like a Pair of Scissors Local residents say the site earned its name from the terrain itself. The ashram sits in a valley squeezed between two hills where the road bends and curves the way the two blades of a pair of scissors open and close, and that visual resemblance is why people started calling the spot Kainchi Dham. The name has stuck ever since, even as the ashram's fame spread far beyond the hill villages that surround it. ## From Dense Forest to a Sacred Ashram Long before it became a pilgrimage centre, the land here was covered in thick forest. Two ascetics, Somwari Maharaj and Premi Baba, are said to have carried out their own spiritual practice here in relative isolation, away from any crowd. It was only when the saint Neem Karoli Baba, popularly addressed by devotees as Maharajji, arrived at the spot that its character changed for good. He is said to have sensed a distinct spiritual energy in the forest, and a local resident named Purnanand donated the land on which the ashram now stands. The ashram itself was established in the 1960s, in 1964, and its formal inauguration took place on 15 June 1964 amid the chanting of Vedic mantras. That date, falling mid-way through the twentieth century, marked the beginning of what has since become one of the busiest devotional sites in the Kumaon hills. ## The Hanuman Temple and the June Fair The ashram's principal shrine is a temple dedicated to Hanuman ji, and it remains the focal point of devotion for the crowds that visit through the year. Every 15 June, the anniversary of the ashram's founding, a large fair is held on the premises, pulling in devotees from across India as well as from abroad who travel specifically to mark the occasion. For many families, that single date has become almost as significant as the shrine itself, a fixed point on the calendar when the otherwise quiet valley briefly turns into a sea of pilgrims, chants and offerings. ## A Legacy of Simplicity and Service Neem Karoli Baba is remembered for treating simplicity, love and service to fellow human beings as the highest form of religion a person could practise, a message he is said to have repeated to visitors who came seeking his guidance. Stories of miracles attributed to him, along with his teachings, are said to have altered the course of many devotees' lives, and that reputation is a large part of why Kainchi Dham continues to attract people decades after his time there. Set away from the noise of daily life, the site is described by visitors as offering a distinct sense of calm and positive energy, the very qualities that first drew ascetics to these hills long before the ashram ever existed. For anyone travelling through Nainital in search of that stillness, the scissor-shaped valley on the Bhowali-Almora road remains the destination that devotees keep returning to, year after year. ## What this means for you If you are planning a spiritual break or a pilgrimage trip, Kainchi Dham could be a meaningful stop on that route. - **Across India:** Devotees from every part of the country travel to Kainchi Dham's foundation-day fair on 15 June each year, so anyone planning to join should book travel and stay well in advance. - **In Nainital:** Sitting on the Bhowali-Almora road, the ashram sustains local pilgrimage tourism, giving hotels, roadside eateries and transport businesses in the surrounding villages steady footfall through the year. - **Trip planning:** The site lies on a hill route, so check road and weather conditions before travelling during the monsoon or winter months. - **Crowd timing:** Footfall peaks around 15 June, so visiting outside that period makes for a quieter, less crowded darshan. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Where is Kainchi Dham located? It is located on the Bhowali-Almora road in Uttarakhand's Nainital district. ### 2. Why is it called Kainchi Dham? The road bends between two hills the way the blades of a pair of scissors open and close, which is why the site is called Kainchi Dham. ### 3. When was the ashram established? The ashram was established in the 1960s, in 1964, and was formally inaugurated on 15 June 1964. ### 4. What is the main temple at Kainchi Dham? The main shrine there is a temple dedicated to Hanuman ji. ### 5. When is the annual fair held? A large fair is held every year on 15 June, the ashram's foundation day. ### 6. Who donated the land for the ashram? Local resident Purnanand donated the land on which the ashram now stands. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._