Within Puranas, the water of Naini Jheel is considered as holy as Mansarovar. At the corner of Naini Jheel is Shree Maa Naina Devi Temple – one of the Shakti Peethas among 51 Shakti Peethas of India.
It is mentioned within the Puranas that Sage Atri, Pulsatya, and Pulah meditated within this valley. It is believed that Nainital was created from the left eye of Devi Sati. Sati’s father, Daksh Prajapati, once organized a grand havan but didn’t invite his son-in-law, Lord Shiva. Thus, Sati – the wife of Lord Shiva was very upset and, with the wish to be born again to be the wife of Lord Shiva, immolated herself by jumping into the havan. This frightful incident shocked Lord Shiva. He left all his duties and, with the charred body of Sati, started roaming the universe aimlessly. Due to this, the balance of the universe was in trouble. Then Lord Vishnu, preserver of the universe, with his Sudarshana Chakra, cut the charred body of Sati into pieces and relieved Lord Shiva from pain and agony. The parts of Sati’s body fell in many places and later were known as Shakti Peetha. The left eye of Sati fell at Nainital, thus a picturesque lake was created.
19th century, when Nainital was discovered, Shri Motiram Shah, whose constructed house Pilgrim Cottage, known as the first house of Nainital, constructed Shree Maa Naina Devi Temple at the corner of the lake. This temple existed earlier somewhere in the middle of the current Boat House Club, Capital Cinema. In 1880, the devastating earthquake and the temple was destroyed. It is said that Naina Devi appeared in the dream of Shri Amarnath Shah, son of Motiram Shah, and narrated the location where the deity was present within the rubble. Motiram Shah, along with friends and relatives, discovered the deity and reconstructed the temple. The temple was finally completed in the year 1883.
After the demise of Amarnath Shah, his son Udaynath Shah and then his grandson Shri Rajendra Nath Shah were taking care of the temple. 21st July 1984, Shree Maa Naina Devi Mandir Amar Uday Trust was registered. Shri Rajendra Nath Shah handed over care to the trust. There are 40 members within the trust.