Sitlakhet and Syahi Devi - A winter tale in Kumaon

Himalaya at Sitlakhet - from the foliage

Sitlakhet is a sleepy serene mountain village in Kumaon, just 32 kms away from Ranikhet. Its only during the peak season, when people come here to stay in the KMVN bungalow, unable to find a room in some other famous places, but this place certainly deserves more attention from the nature lovers.

 In winter Sitlakhet is as beautiful as some of the other well-known places like Kausani or Ranikhet. Or perhaps it is even more. With the 400 kms Himalayan snow peaks dominating its sky line, and its sylvan settings, it’s certainly a place to relax and rejuvenate.

Himalaya at Machod - my driver Diwan Singh 

We started our journey towards Sitlakhet after staying a night in KMVN Mohaan. The route from Mohaan towards Sitlakhet is a dream to drive. The route goes past Mohaan-Machod-Tarikhet-Ranikhet-Majkhali-Kathpuriya-Sitlakhet. The 74 km stretch between Mohaan and Ranikhet has very little traffic, and the most important part is just after crossing Machod, which is about 35 kms from Mohaan, the Himalayan snow peaks will accompany you for the next 70 kms, till you reach Sitlakhet.

Machod is a very nice place enroute. It boasts of a view of both the Gahrwal and Kumaon ranges. As we reached Machod, we were completely awestruck with the view it offered. We could see the entire Gahrwal and Kumaon range starting from Kedarnath peak on the Gahrwal range in the left and till Panchachulli peak of Kumaon range in right. Just to enjoy the view, we halted there for half an hour. A halt like these has to be spiced up with some hot beverages in winter. A cup of piping hot Pahari Chai made in the wood fire was readily available in the local tea shop, which felt like a bliss.

Enroute Binsar Mahadev

After Machod, our next stop was Binsar Mahadev, which is a beautiful temple complex situated in the midst of pine forest. The place is on an undulating valley, and with the sunlight peeping through the foliage it created a very romantic setting. One can walk for hours in the pine forest. The temple complex is squeaky clean and divine in its atmosphere. We paid our homage to the almighty and continued our journey.

Himalayan view at Majkhali

 We drove past the beautiful cantonment city of Ranikhet, its famous golf course and reached Majkhali. Majkhali is also famous for its Himalayan view, and it didn’t disappoint. Against the clear blue winter sky we could see the entire Kumaon range in front of us. Leaving Majkhali we reached Kathpuriya shortly. Here we took a detour from the Ranikhet-Kosi road, and started our uphill climb towards Sitlakhet.

The road that connects Sitlakhet with Kathpuriya is beautiful. Canopied with pine trees, the route climbed its way uphill. In between we were crossing small little Himalayan hamlets with 10-15 houses, and some step farming on the hills. The area near Sitlakhet is famous for its orchards, and one can find peaches, and plums hanging from the branches in summer. There was a heavy snowfall in Kumaon a week ago, so as we gained elevation we could see some proof of it. The step farms were covered with snow. With the snow covered hillside, and mighty Himalayan snow peaks on the distance, the route certainly looked awesome.

Snowfall at Sitlakhet

Kathpuriya to Sitlakhet is a mere 12 km drive, so we reached Sitlakhet, within the next half an hour by 4 p.m. The only accommodation available here is the KMVN rest house, which stands on a hill commanding mesmerizing Himalayan view. We checked into the deluxe room in first floor, which has direct terrace access. From the terrace one could see the Himalayan range starting from Nandaghunti in left to Panchachulli in right in all its glory. Against the crystal clear winter skyline they were dazzling like silver crowns.

Sunset at Sitlakhet

If Darjeeling hills are known for its sunrise, Kumaon is famous for its sunset. The reflection of the setting sun, paints the Himalayan peaks in myriad hues. So after getting refreshed and refueled with some hot veg pakora and Pahari cha, we gathered ourselves into the viewing terrace for the sunset. The snow peaks had already started appearing golden, and for the next 15 minutes we saw a mastery artist painting its warm colors in the Himalayan canvas. As we approached sunset, the snow peaks turned tangerine, then red, and for the last time before turning white until next morning, it appeared pink for couple of minutes.

As soon as the sun set, the ambience changed completely. The ’nip in the air‘ suddenly became a chill, and we decided to get into the room. The reminder of the day would be spent with adda reflecting on the day’s activity amidst the silence of Sitlakhet.

Trishul at Sunset - Himalaya from KMVN Sitlakhet

Next morning we wake up with a surprise. Sitlakhet is famous for Syahi Devi temple, which is 3 km uphill trek from Sitlakhet. In the wee hours in morning, the temple started playing bhajan - ‘Govinda Bolo Hari Gopal Bolo’. In the tranquil dawn, that divine chant in the air, and the Himalayan snow peak in the horizon really made us realize why Himalaya is called the abode of God.

Himalaya - from the Syahi Devi Tempremises

A trip to Sitlakhet is not complete without a visit to Syahi Devi temple. Post breakfast we started our hike towards Syahi Devi temple. It’s a 3 km complete uphill trek though the thickly wooded slopes of Sitlakhet. A cobbled stone pathway has been created for the ease of devotees to identify the route better. Otherwise in the deep forest it is not very easy to find the proper way. Syahi Devi temple is very popular among the locals, so in spite of the 3 km arduous trek, we could see a lot of local people on the trek route. Especially it’s a must for the parents to come with newly born baby. As we climbed uphill the Himalayan views got better and better. The higher altitude also brought us some more snow to enjoy. 

Syahi Devi Temple Premises - with my wife

It took us almost a couple of hours to reach the mountain top. On the top of the mountain there is a small village, probably of the priest’s family, and the divine Syahi Devi temple. The temple is simple in its architecture, but the beauty and the grandeur of the Himalayan peaks in front has made this place special for us. We were standing on the highest mountaintop in Sitlakhet. In front of us there was no obstruction. All we could see   is the entire Kumaon range in its dazzling white attire. We entered the temple sanctum sanctorum and offered our prayer. There was no hustle and bustle inside the sanctum sanctorum. The beauty of the Himalaya and the surrounding peace would have made even the most atheists of us fall in love with the almighty. The chimes of bell created a perfect symphony on that divine atmosphere.

The trek down the temple is relatively easy. We came back to our guest house in an hour, and after a sumptuous meal with home style chicken curry and rice, all we could think of was a siesta.

Nandadevi at Sunset - Himalaya from KMVN rooftop Sitlakhet

The sunset was as spectacular as the last evening, and as we approached our last few hours in Sitlakhet, we decided we will certainly return to this lovely village on a future winter trip. Till then let’s hope that it keeps its pristine beauty alive!