One of the largest fair of Kumaun region, the Uttraini festival of Bageshwer, is organized in the month of January for a period of one week and is frequented by Almora traders, on barter or money lending intent, and by the Bhotiyas from the snows, as well as by a great multitude of people from the surrounding villages. The town of Bageshwer, 90 km from Almora town, is a junction of two rivers, namely Saryu and Gomti. At the junction of these rivers stands a large temple with it's conical tower. Here is the shrine of Bageswar or Vyagreswar, the, "Tiger Lord", an epithet of Lord Siva. This temple was erected by the Kumaun king, Laxmi Chand, about 1450 A.D., but there is an interesting Sanskrit inscription there of a far earlier date. The chief articles of merchandise are : ponies, goats, sheep, furs, yak tails, musk pods, borax, salt horns, books, shoes, fruit dried and fresh. The Bhotiyas bring down excellent ponies, which breed in a wild or semi-wild state over the Tibetan border.
Other FestivalsIn addition to these, various other local festivals are organized in this region, which are religiously or otherwise associated with the heritage, art and culture of this region. Out of these very famous are
Srikrishna Janmasthami Festival,Ranikhet,Nanda Devi Festival of Nainital and Ranikhet,Autumn Festival Nainital and Ranikhet,Syaldey - Bikhauti Mela, Dwarahat,Somnath Mela, Masi,Mahashivratri Festivals of Binsar Mahadev, Sauni;Hedakhan, Chiliyanaula ; Bhikiyasain;Punyagiri Navratri Maila,Devidhura Raksha Bandhan Mela,Doonagiri Mela,Mustamanu Fair,Kapileshwar Fair,Krishnajanmashtami Fair of Kalapani GunjiKanardevi fair at Baram at Gori ValleyHonkara Devi Fair at BirthiDhanlekh Fair at Askot LaccherFair of Naini Patal.
