Also known as the Badaditya temple, the Surya or Sun temple is located 19 km. from Nainital’s Almora district in a village called Katarmal. At an elevation of 2116 meters above sea level, the temple is one of the biggest and tallest temples of the Kumaun region that is sited in a hilly region. The temple was made roughly between the 9th and the 13th centuries by King Katarmalla, the medieval king of the Katyuri dynasty who ruled the central Himalayan region. Beautiful architecture, stone sculptures, and splendidly carved wooden doors, panels with pillars of the temple make Katarmal Sun Temple the second most magnificent shrine in India after Konark Sun Temple (Orissa).

The primary idol of the temple is the Sun deity known as Burhadita or Vraddhaditya. In the main shrine beside the statue of Vraddhaditya, a statue of Shiva with other god goddesses are also there. And this main shrine is surrounded by 45 miniature shrines in different groups clustering around. It is said that the main shrine of the temple was made in one night only and seems that it was built at a different period the other small shrines were constructed.

Once a 10th-century idol was stolen from the temple, since then the wooden doors and panels, with fine carvings, were shifted to National Museum in Delhi and now the doors are in the display of the National Museum’s art gallery. The temple is a protected monument of Archeological Survey of India, Dehradun under the protection of ‘Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958’. The most important aspect of the sun temple is that especially in October and February through a hole the rays of the Sun directly fall to the Vraddhaditya idol situated in the main shrine. In the center of the temple premises, a big round-shaped black stone is situated. From the temple complex, one can have a wonderful view of the valley.

With so much attraction and beauty, still, the temple sees fewer tourists and visitors as a few foreigners and some local devotees come to the place.