Uttarakhand's Kasar Devi is a village close to Almora. It is renowned for the temple devoted to Kasar Devi and is also named after it. Incidently, the temple building was constructed in the second century CE. In the 1890s, Swami Vivekananda travelled to Kasar Devi with a large group of western seekers. It included Lama Anagarika Govinda and Sunyata Baba Alfred Sorensen. The destination was renowned during the Hippie's movement in the 60's.

Here’s a look at the history of Kasar Devi temple - 

The Kasar Devi Temple honours the Kaushiki-Durga avatar of Goddess Parvati. She killed the two demons Shumbh and Nishumbh at the hill of Kasar Devi. This is according to the Hindu text known as the Devi Bhagawat Puran. Moreover, the impressions of Goddess Durga's lion are apparently still there behind the statue on a rock. The temple was built by King Rudrak and has awesome views of the Himalayas. The location is truly a melting pot of cultures and perspectives.

According to NASA, this temple is situated on the Van Allen Belt of the planet. The area has a large geomagnetic field due to the gaps in the bands of atmosphere. Kasar Devi is therefore blessed with cosmic energy. It is similar to that of Machu Picchu in Peru and Stonehenge in the UK. Lastly, many people think this makes the place so tranquil and pleasant.

Location of the temple 

The roughly 100 steps here lead to the historic temple dedicated to Kasar Devi, an avatar of Goddess Durga. Similarly, following the footsteps of these mystics, poets, writers, and singers, many still do so. At about 2,116 meters, it is not particularly high. But it is positioned on a hilltop near a ridge off the Almora-Bageshwar route that looks out over a settlement (also called Kasar Devi). Tall pine and deodar trees encircle the modest stone temple, which was built in the second century.

Although the fundamental cave-carved rock temple is almost 2,000 years old, the Birla family gave it its current form in 1948. Moreover, a temple dedicated to God Bhairav is located on the same hill. It is just 10-20 steps away from the Kasar Devi temple. It was the precise spot where Swami Vivekananda pondered and wrote about his supernatural encounters in his journals.

The Hosteller Kasar Devi  

The Hosteller Kasar Devi, which is situated directly on the well-known Crank's Ridge, is an ideal travel companion. Enjoy a breathtaking sunrise over the mountains, relax in the lush gardens, fantastic deck area, or the lovely library. The Hosteller Kasar Devi feels like a home away from home with all the modern amenities. One can see the tranquil Crank's Ridge from the hostel. Lastly, a Buddhist meditation centre is located at the centre of this ridge. It's an ultimate paradise for backpackers.

The greatest way to spend a day in Kasar is to relax on hammocks. At night, hang out by a bonfire, or read a good book in a cafe. Almora is not far from the accommodation. Thus it only takes two hours to drive from the hostel to any of the other well-known places. Hence, you can plan a day trip to any of the amazing locations in Uttarakhand. So if you're looking for an offbeat location, Kasar Devi is the perfect destination for you.