India is considered as a holy land where Gods like Krishna and Rama were born. This is why this land is considered as one of the most holy lands in the World. India has a vast mythological significance with different parts of India. Naimisharanya is one such holy place of India.

Naimisharanya is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh about 90 km from its capital Lucknow in the district of Sitapur. Naimisharanya is situated on the left bank of the river Gomathi, which is a tributary of the river Ganges. Naimisharanya is popularly known as Neemsar or Naimisha. In the Bhagavata Purana it is mentioned: naimishe animisha-kshetre. This means that Naimisha is the abode of Lord Vishnu called by his name Animisha. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama (Sloka 23) describes Lord Vishnu as Animisha, which means the one who is ever awake, ever alert, and ever vigilant. He is the wisest of all:

guruh-gurutamo dhaamah satyah-satya-parakramah

Nimishho-animishhah sragvee vaachaspatir-udaaradeeh

(Vishnu Sahasranama, 23rd verse)

Naimisharanya is also called as Nemisharanya. Nemi means the outer surface of the disc (chakra) and the place where it fell is called by the name of Nemisharanya or popularly called as Naimisharanya. The spot where the Nemi of the chakra fell came to be known as Chakra Tirtha (a holy bathing place in the shape of a chakra) and the surrounding forest area as Naimisharanya. It is believed and said that once upon a time Lord Maha Vishnu had killed demons at this place within a split second – a nimisha (nimisha is a unit of time, the time it takes to blink) and hence forth this area was called as Naimishaaranya.

Naimisharanya has a parikrama (circumambulation) path of 16 km, in which all the sacred places in India are believed to be located. In every ancient literary composition (grantha) – starting from Srimad Bhagavata to the presentation of Sri Ram Charita Manas, the site Naimisharanya has been mentioned and described in each and every one of them.