Mukteshwar

Mukteshwar, in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, is a small hill town whose history blends mythology, science and colonial-era development. The place gets its name from the 350-year-old Mukteshwar Dham temple of Lord Shiva; local legend says Shiva slew a demon here and granted him mukti (salvation), hence “Mukteshwar” – the giver of liberation.

Until the late 19th century, Mukteshwar (earlier called Muktesar) was known mainly as a cluster of shrines and this hilltop temple. In 1893 the British government chose the site to relocate the Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory from Pune, seeking an isolated, cool place to research cattle plague. The lab, completed in 1898, was rebuilt after a fire and eventually evolved into the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) hill campus, giving the village a scientific and institutional role.

Nobel laureate Robert Koch visited the laboratory; old equipment and a rock-cut cold room from around 1900 still survive as heritage features. Over time, orchards, forest guest houses and road links turned Mukteshwar into a quiet Himalayan retreat, today known for its Shiva temple, IVRI campus, bird-rich forests and dramatic views of Nanda Devi and other central Himalayan peaks.