Kainchi Dham temple is located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. This temple is also known as Neem Karoli Baba’s Ashram. The distance of Kainchi Dham Temple from Nainital is 19.6 km and the distance from Bhowali city is only 9 km.
The Hanuman temple located in Kainchi Mandir of Nainital is today famous all over the world by the name of Karoli Baba, the maker of luck. Neem Karoli Baba is also said to be a form of Hanuman.
This ashram of Neem Karoli Baba is the abode of modern times. Lord Hanuman Ji is mainly worshiped here.
The temple is surrounded by high mountains from all sides and apart from Hanuman Ji, there are also small temples of Lord Rama and Sita Mata, and Goddess Durga Ji. But Kainchi Dham is mainly famous for the glory of Baba Neem Karoli and Hanuman Ji. On coming here one can get solutions to all their problems.
History of Kainchi Dham
The praise of Neem Karoli Baba is unique. If the devotees believe, then by Baba’s grace all the bad things are gone. This is the reason why devotees throng all the temples built by Baba. Many interesting stories are prevalent regarding the making of Neem Karoli Dham.
It is said that in 1962 when Baba set foot on this land, he surprised the public with his miracles. According to a legend, there was a shortage of ghee during the Vishal Bhandara held on 15th June. Then on the orders of Baba, water from the nearby river was filled in canisters, and prasad was prepared. The water automatically turned into ghee as soon as it was put in the Prasad. The devotees were bowed down by this miracle. Since then his faith and belief have been built towards Neem Karoli Baba.
According to the local people, Laxmi Narayan Sharma (Real Name), born in 1964 in Akbarpur village of Firozabad near Agra, came here to do penance. This temple was saved by his efforts.
He had done hard penance in Neeb Karori (misspelt as ‘Neem Karoli’ at times) village of Farrukhabad and he came to be known as Baba Neem Karoli.
Kainchi Dham Ashram is located on the banks of the Bhawali-Almora/Ranikhet National Highway in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. On May 24, 1962, Baba placed his holy feet on the land where the Kainchi temple is presently situated. The idol of Hanuman Ji was consecrated in the temple on June 15, 1964, and since then June 15 is celebrated as the consecration day.
Why Neem Karoli Baba’s Ashram is Popular?
It is a sacred temple surrounded by mountains and trees with a river flowing in front of it. You can feel the powers of Hanuman Ji inside the ashram. This temple is famous for the ashram of Neem Karoli Baba.
Apple company owner Steve Jobs also used to come among the devotees of Baba. Today Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and Hollywood actress Julia Roberts are devotees of Baba. Presently Baba has taken samadhi but it is said that this temple of Hanuman Ji makes one’s fortune. Thousands of people from all over the country and abroad come here to rectify their bad fortune.
On September 27, 2015, when the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was at Facebook’s headquarters and talks were going on, Zuckerberg said that when he was in confusion whether Facebook should be sold or not, Apple’s founder Steve Jobs asked him to Was advised going to a temple in India. From there he got a new mission for the company. Zuckerberg had told that he stayed in India for a month. During this also went to that temple. That temple is the Kainchi Hanuman temple where Apple founder Steve Jobs asked Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg to go. Today the temple is also known as Kainchi Dham of Neem Karoli Baba.
Some trustees of the temple say that “former director of Google, Larry called the ashram and informed that a boy named Mark Zuckerberg is coming to the Kainchi ashram and will stay here for a few days.” And when Mark came here, he only had one book. When Zuckerberg came, it was for a day, but due to bad weather, he stayed there for two days.
On September 27, in San Jose, Modi met Tim Cook, the current CEO of Apple. Cook had told Modi, “Our founder Steve Jobs had gone to India for inspiration. Jobs had come to India in 1974 with some of his friends in search of spiritual knowledge to meet Neem Karauli Baba. By then Baba had passed away. But Jobs stayed in the ashram only for a few days.
“Temple officials say, Julia Roberts, Dr. Richard Alpert who researches the effects of the drug LSD and famous author Daniel have also been here”.
Celebrities who visited Kainchi Dham?
There are a number of celebrities across the world who visited the ashram or temple. Below are a few knowing personalities who visited Kainchi Dham Ashram.
- Apple founder Steve Jobs visited the Kainchi Dham temple in 1974.
- Mark Zuckerberg founder of Facebook
- Julia Roberts, Dr. Richard Alpert (the great doctor who researched the effects of the drug LSD)
- Daniels, Rosser (famous author)
- Spiritual leaders Ma Jaya, Ram Dass
- Musicians Jai Uttal and Krishna Das
- Humanitarian Larry Brilliant
- Scholar and writers Yvette Rosser and Daniel Goleman
- Virat Kohli & Anushka Sharma with their child visited in November 2022.
How to Reach Kainchi Dham?
By Rail – The nearest railway station to Kainchi Ashram is Kathgodam. Kainchi Dham to Kathgodam distance -36.9 Km
By Air – Pantnagar Airport is the nearest airport. Distance from Kainchi Dham to Pantnagar – 71.2 Km
By Road – Kainchi Dham Temple You can come by your personal car or taxi. Distance of Kainchi Neem Karoli Baba’s shram from different places in India.
- Distance from Kainchi Dham to Haldwani – 44.4 Km
- Distance from Delhi to Kainchi Dham -332.8 Km
- Distance from Dehradun to Kainchi Dham -311.4 Km
- Distance from Ranikhet to Kainchi Dham -38 Km
- Distance from Bangalore to Kainchi Dham -2258.2 Km
- Distance from Dwarahat to Kainchi Dham -71.7 Km
Photos of Kainchi Dham Neem Karoli Baba Ashram
Places to Visit Near Kainchi Mandir
- Nainital Lake
- High Altitude Zoo
- Ghorakhal Golu Devta Temple
- Naukuchiatal Lake
- Bhimtal Lake
- Sattal Lake
- Hanuman Garhi
- Pangot and Kilbury Bird Sanctuary
- Khurpa Taal
- Corbett Falls
- Mukteshwar
Important FAQs
On May 24, 1962, Baba placed his holy feet on the land where the Kainchi temple is presently situated. The idol of Hanuman Ji was consecrated in the temple on June 15, 1964, and since then June 15 is celebrated as the consecration day.
15th June, every year on 15th June a fair is held in Kainchi Dham. The idol of Hanuman ji was consecrated in the temple on June 15, 1964, and since then June 15 is celebrated as the consecration day.
Laxmi Narayan Sharma was the real name of Neem Karoli Baba. He was born in 1964 in Akbarpur village of Firozabad near Agra.
Kosi River
Yes, but you have to ask permission from the manager of the ashram for your stay.
You can call at this number 09536118278 or can visit Kainchi Dham’s official website – https://www.shrikainchidham.org/
Yes, sometimes in winter you can see the snow around the temple.