Chaukhutia

Chaukhutia
Town
Chaukhutia town along the banks of Ramganga; Picture from Chaukhutia bridge
Chaukhutia
Location in Uttarakhand, India
Chaukhutia
Chaukhutia (India)
Coordinates: 29°53′05″N 79°21′05″E / 29.88472°N 79.35139°E / 29.88472; 79.35139
Country India
StateUttarakhand
DivisionKumaun
DistrictAlmora
Languages
  OfficialKumaoni
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationUK 01
Websiteuk.gov.in

Chaukhutia is a town in Almora district of Uttarakhand. It is located on the bank of the river Ramganga, and derives its name from a Kumaoni word "Chau-khut" which means four feet. In Chaukhutia's context, 'four feet' means four ways or directions. The first way is towards Ramnagar, second towards Karanprayag, third towards Ranikhet and Almora and the fourth way is towards Tadagtaal, Kheera.

A group of small temples dating back to 9th century AD were found in Chaukhutia, during an excavation in 2016-17. The temples, according to traditions of the architecture, were constructed around 9000 years ago. Some of the temples didn't have roofs, but shivalingas inside the temples were still intact. These temples were considered to be a part of a large group of temples that were buried, perhaps, by debris of landslide long back.