The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c5.s9.205

c5.s9.205

Kurmachala—Kumaun [*JASB*, XVII, 580, quoting *Skanda P*, *Manushkhanda* (sic) for *Mahesvarakhanda* (Kedara kh)] It was also called by the names of Kurmavana and Kumaravana, the corruption of which is Kumaun Its former capital was Champauti which was also called Kurmachala (Conder's *Modern Traveller*, X, 343), and its present capital is Almora On the western border is the Trisul Mountain as its peaks have the appearance of a trident The celebrated temple of Purna Devi or Annapurna at Purnagiri, visited by pilgrims from all parts of the country, is situated in Kumaun (*JASB*, XVII, 573) Vishnu is said to have incarnated here near Lohaghat as Kurma to support the Mandara mountain (*Ibid*, p 580); see Mandara-giri The Doonagiri mountain is the Droṇāchala of the Purāṇas; the Lodh Moona forest was the hermitage of Garga Ṛishi, and the Gagas river rises in the forest (p. 617) and falls into the Dhauli. The Kūrmāchali Brahmans who reside in Kumaun have evidently derived this name from the country (Sherring’s Hindu Tribes and Castes, pp. 21, 106). See Kartripura, Kārttikeyapura and Umāvana. For the five Prayāgas, see Pañcha-Prayāga. The province of Kumaun is situated in the tract of hills lying between the western branch of the Gagra known as Kālī-nadī and the river Rām-Gaṅgā which divides Garwal from Kumaun (Fraser’s Himala Mountains, pp. 54, 537). For the history of the kings of Kumaun, see JASB., 1844, p. 887.