Binsar

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Himalayas on top of the Jhandi Dhar hills. It is about 33 km north of the Almora town in Uttarakhand, India. From a place called Zero Point in Binsar one can see the Himalayan peaks like Kedarnath Peak, Shivling, Trisul and Nanda Devi. Binsar was the summer capital of the Chand Kings, who ruled over Kumaon from the 11th to 18th centuries AD. Binsar was established in 1988 for the conservation and protection of the shrinking broad leaf oak (Quercus) forests of the Central Himalayan region, and it has over 200 bird species.

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Himalayas on top of the Jhandi Dhar hills. It is about 33 km north of the Almora town in Uttarakhand, India. From a place called Zero Point in Binsar one can see the Himalayan peaks like Kedarnath Peak, Shivling, Trisul and Nanda Devi. Binsar was the summer capital of the Chand Kings, who ruled over Kumaon from the 11th to 18th centuries AD. Binsar was established in 1988 for the conservation and protection of the shrinking broad leaf oak (Quercus) forests of the Central Himalayan region, and it has over 200 bird species.

Binsar has a museum about the flora and fauna of the region. Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its wide variety of flora ranging from 25 types of trees and 24 types of bushes to seven varieties of grasses. The higher altitudes of sanctuary are covered with oak and rhododendron trees. March and April are the months when flowers, especially ruby red rhododendron, are in full bloom. The mammals include leopard (Panthera pardus), Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral), chital (Axis axis), musk deer (Moschus spp.), Sumatran serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), jungle cat (Felis chaus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), black bear (Ursus thibetanus), pine marten (Martes martes), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), gray langur (Presbytis entellus), rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), red giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista), and Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak). It has over 200 species of birds including tits, forktail, nuthatches, blackbirds, parakeets, laughingthrush, magpies, kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelana), monal, koklas, eagles, woodpeckers, and Eurasian jays. Binsar is also home to many reptiles and a wide range of butterflie.

History

Binsar has a rich, diverse and fascinating history that can be traced back to the ancient times. Binsar was the summer capital of the Chand Dynasty that ruled over the Kumaon region between the 7th and 18th centuries. The rulers of Chand Dynasty, the Chand Raj Kings, visited Binsar in summers to enjoy the pleasant weather and peaceful scenery amidst the hills and mountains in this quiet town. Binsar has also witnessed a mythological warfare between Golu Devta and the King of Binsar. Golu Devta, who is believed to be the incarnation of Gaur Bhairava or Lord Shiva, is a legendary mythological and historical God in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. As an outcome of miscommunication, Golu Devta was beheaded, and his trunk fell at the Gairad Dana Golu, near the now Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, and his decapitated head fell at Kaparkahan. Both these places still house temples dedicated to Lord Golu.

Binsar is a scenic, sleepy and a cut-off travel destination, situated in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state, which will bring you much closer to the nature. Located at an elevation of 2,412 mts above the sea level, Binsar is situated amidst Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. The main attraction of Binsar is the 300 kms of majestic and panoramic view of Himalayan peaks from Zero point.

It was the capital of rulers of Chand Dynansty, which ruled over Kumaon, from 11th to 18th centuries AD and enjoyed their summers at Binsar. Binsar is also noted for mythological warfare between King of Binsar and Golu Devata. Due to some confusion Golu Devata was beheaded and his trunk fell at Gairad Dana Golu, near Binsar national Park and his head felled at Kaparkahan near Binsar. Both these places have ancient temples of Lord Golu.

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary was setup in 1988, is spread over an area of 45.59 km and is situated at an altitude varying 900 to 2500 metres with an average height of 2412 mts. Binsar is rich in its flora and fauna due to the proximity with Binsar Wild Life Sanctury. The slopes have a varying expanse and the terrain has been shaped by the action of running water. The sanctuary has been declared an ‘Important Bird Area by Bird Life International‘. as there are more than 200 species of birds in the sanctuary, including Forktail, Blackbirds, Laughing Thrush, Kalij Pheasant, Nuthatches, Parakeets and Monal. The dense Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is the home of 200 bird species, Barking Deer, Himalayan bear, leopard, fox, musk deer, langur, porcupine, flying squirrel, chital, jungle cat etc.