Uttarakhand m
One near the Rawksdale and the other just outside the southern
-end of the lake."
The first building to be constructed in Nainital was of the "St.
John in Wilderness." Few buildings were constructed later,
.amongst which Victoria Hotel was prominent but unfortunately
it was washed away in the cloud burst of 1880. Amongst the
•early settlers of Nainital were the Shah's of Almora who caused
to be constructed most of the existing bungalows at Nainital. The
selection of Nainital as the summer seat of the government in
1856 was instrumental for large scale construction after which
extensive construction activity started on all sides.
Nainital, like other towns of India, is getting over-crowded due
to extensive and unplanned constructions. Today, Nainital is
not all that beautiful as it used to be with its spacious bazars and
"by lanes.
Yiew from China Peak
Nainital is surrounded from all sides with a chain of mountain
peaks which provide excellent scenic views of the down town and
the Himalayas which lie across the mountain ranges, one piled
after another, but the best view of Nainital is from the China
Peak about which what Sir John Stratchey wrote there in 'Cal-
cutta Review' holds good even today. "Let us suppose that we
Iiave ascended the first range of hills that rises above the plains,
in Kumaon, to the lofty peak of Cheena, which overhangs the
lake and station of Nainital. From this point, the elevation of
which is about 8700 feet, an observer can obtain an admirable
idea of the structure of this part of the Himalaya. Over horizon-
tal distance from the foot of hills is only about five miles. We
look down over the beautiful wooded mountains of Gagar range,
-covered thickly with oak and pine, mingled with the gorgeous
rhododendron, to the Bhabar forest, which lies almost at our feet,
700 feet below, and beyond to the Terai and the great plain.
Turning to the North, we have before us a scene which the pain-
ter and poet can alone describe, but which can never pass from
the mind of one who has once behold it. A chaotic mass of
mountains lies before us, wooded hills, and deep ravines, and
dark blue ranges rising one above another, and behind all, piled
up into the sky, the snowy peaks of the great Himalaya. He