Legend has it, that the eyes of Parvati Devi (Durga) dropped in the lake while her body was being carried by Lord Shiva to Kailesh Parvat. The spot where Durga’s eyes (or Nain) fell came to be called Nain-tal or “the lake of the eye.” The sheer splendor of this place can only be captured in its true essence, not by a camera, but by the human eyes. Hence, the following pages are nothing but a pale imitation of the breathtaking scenes I witnessed here. When you are in Nainital, it’s all in the eyes…

The Naini Lake from Mallital ( the northern upper reaches )

The Lake from Tallital ( southern side of the lake ) - Almost all of those houses are tourist hotels and sadly, their sudden influx is destroying the serenity of the place.

The town from Adhamtal (middle of the lake.) You can see the signboard of the Zoo, up in the hills (with an uncanny semblence to the Hollywood billboard in LA!!)

              Boating in the Naini Lake, can be quite an experience, and if you are the adventurous type, don’t miss out on an opportunity to exercise a bout of rowing. To be surrounded by the majestic hills, floating on the emerald green water , cool breeze caressing your face with those delts and lats in full swing, will surely give you an unmatched adrenaline high.  At other times, when you are comfortably seated in the boat, while the ferryman rows along, you are bound to be lost in deep contemplation, gazing at the beauty that engulfs you.

That's the contemplation i was talking about!

Twisting by the pool - Dire Straits

The Beauties... (look around and chances are your last girlfriend's name is etched on one of these!)

...and The Beast. ( How about one of these shit boards stuck up ur bum someday, Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla? What an Idea Sir Jee!)

Some believe that the shimmering green waters of the Naini Lake is a reflection of the emerald green eye of Parvati Devi, while others feel that it is the reflection of the lush green hills that engulf the lake. A more probable explanation is perhaps,the dense accumulation of algae, at the bottom.

             All’s not pretty though, for the lake. The Naini lake of Nainital is suffering from the absence of oxygen at its bottom and of excess of oxygen at its top layer. This threatens the survival of the aquatic life of the lake and pollutes the water. Enter Mr Satvinder Pal Singh Randhawa. This dynamic entrepreneur anticipated the dangers and persuaded the Government to get in the act. Armed with the resources, he procured the necessary equipments and started the much needed Aeration Treatment at the lake.

           Since its inception on the 12th September, 2007, the water of the entire lake has been turned around 3.6 times a day and is being done non-stop till then. The result is conspicuous. The lake has become less opaque and its aquatic life has got more space to move around it making the lake livelier. Read the full story here.

Aeration Treatment in progress at the Naini Lake -the air bubbles rise up to the surface.