Nainital Allures – Gurney House, The Erstwhile Residence of Jim Corbett

When in the beautiful city of Nainital, there are multiple places to visit and multiple things to do and relish. Located about 3 km from Mallital, which is a hamlet falling within Nainital, the old colonial house of Jim Corbett is a one fine place to start the exploration of Nainital attractions. It is one of the most oldest structures in the city and is a fine remnant of the past. Visiting the place is one major itinerary to every traveller heading to the city of Nainital. The house is known as the Gurney House and is a passage to the past.

Located in the vicinity to the beautiful Naini Lake, the Gurney House was constructed in 1880 by Jim Corbett's mother Mrs. Mary Jane Corbett. It is a beautiful British cottage that came into existence following the death of Jim Corbett's father, who was then the Postmaster of Nainital. Mrs. Mary Jane Corbett along with her nine children moved from Alma House (their previous residence) to a new place in Ayarpatta hill and then built the Gurney House. After the death of Mrs. Mary Jane Corbett, her daughter Miss Margaret Winifred Corbett became the sole owner of the estate, as mentioned in her mother's will. Miss Margaret Winifred Corbett along with her brother and sisters continued to live in the cottage until 1947. In the same year, she along with Jim Corbett departed from the country to Kenya, as they couldn't continue to live in the place after the death of the others.

Nonetheless, the Gurney House today is still a major attribute of Nainital of which the city takes pride. Meanwhile, the house is still a private cottage and is owned by the granddaughter of Mr. Sharda Prasad Varma, who was then the only youngest barrister in India ever from the Cambridge University, UK. One needs to take appointments to visit the place for the reason that it is privately owned and needs to be preserved. Meanwhile, the good thing is that every Corbett lover is welcomed in the house. A visit to the place is a must do to relish everything that the city has to offer to the tourists. One can trek to the place or hire cabs. Walking is quite preferred as it is pleasing and relaxing. Plus, there are some hotels and lodges from theNainital hotels list,which also provide transportation services to the place.

The Gurney house puts of display of an excellent collection from the British colonial era, the belongings of Jim Corbett in particular. There are trophies won by him, African drum, books, furniture, fishing rod, and boat etc. All these were used by him at some point of time and today are the prime attraction of the house. The house is a treasure stockpile to the Corbett memorabilia and is a passage to the past.

Summer is the best time to visit the Gurney House as the climate remains pleasant in Nainital. Nainital is simply replete of places like Gurney House and other historical remnants. Pick one from the several Nainital holiday packages, book your flight tickets in advance, and get going to this green-cladded hill town to explore Gurney House and other attractions for real.