Ramgarh

Ramgarh, in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, is a small Kumaoni hill town whose modern history begins in the nineteenth century, when the British developed it as a cool-season cantonment and quiet retreat above the Bhabar plains. Earlier, the surrounding hills were inhabited by indigenous Kumaoni communities who farmed terraces, grazed cattle and worshipped local deities in forest shrines. Under British rule, roads and bungalows were built, turning Ramgarh into a modest hill station overlooking the central Himalayas. It became known for orchards of apricot, peach, apple and pear, earning the nickname “Fruit Bowl of Kumaon.” After Independence, the army withdrew, but many colonial cottages remained as dak bungalows and holiday homes, giving the village a distinct heritage character. In the early twentieth century Ramgarh gained fame as a writers’ refuge. Rabindranath Tagore stayed here several times and is believed to have composed parts of Gitanjali and other works on the hill now called Tagore Top. Later, Hindi literary figures such as Mahadevi Verma, Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’ and Agyeya also lived and wrote here, shaping Ramgarh’s identity as a tranquil literary retreat cradled in orchards and pine–oak forests. Today it remains a peaceful village, balancing slow tourism with traditional mountain life.