Ghorakhal
In a fold of deodar forest above Bhowali stands the Golu Devta temple at Ghorakhal — one of Kumaon's most beloved shrines, where devotees tie thousands of brass bells and hand-written petitions in thanks for wishes granted. It's a short, easy hop from Blessed Aura.
The bell temple where prayers are answered
Golu Devta — worshipped across Kumaon as the god of justice, a form of Gaur Bhairav — has his most famous seat here at Ghorakhal. Pilgrims come from all over the hills to lay their troubles and their wishes before him.
Those whose prayers are answered return to tie a brass bell and a written note of thanks. Over the years the courtyard has filled with thousands upon thousands of bells and red ribbons, so the whole shrine shimmers and rings in the mountain breeze.
What to see at Ghorakhal
The bell-hung shrine
Thousands of brass bells, big and small, cover every wall and rail of the temple — the sight Ghorakhal is famous for.
Written petitions
Devotees leave letters and applications to the 'god of justice', pleading their cases and giving thanks on stamped paper.
Offer a bell
Buy a bell and a red ribbon at the stalls by the gate and tie your own wish among the many.
Deodar forest setting
The temple sits in cool cedar woods off the Bhowali–Almora road — quiet, shaded and fragrant with pine.
Sainik School Ghorakhal
The well-known military school nearby occupies a handsome colonial-era estate on the ridge.
Easy to combine
Fold it into a Bhowali or Nainital day, or pair it with Kainchi Dham on the same drive.
Getting there
About 15 km via Bhowali — roughly 40 minutes of easy forest driving from Blessed Aura.
Best time to visit
Open year-round; weekday mornings are calmest. Saturdays and festival days draw the biggest crowds.
Good to know
Remove footwear at the shrine. You can buy a bell and ribbon to offer at the stalls near the entrance.
Make Blessed Aura your base
Ghorakhal is an easy morning from Blessed Aura — tie your bell among the thousands, then be back for a hill-mist lunch on the terrace.