 |
| Location |
North India (State is bordered by
Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Tibet and Nepal) |
| Area |
55,845 Sq. Km |
| Population |
70.45 Lakhs |
| Altitude range |
500 Ft.- 25640 Ft. |
| Language |
Hindi, English, Kumaoni, Garhwali |
| Temperature |
Dec-March- -5C to 25C in
lower hills and -5C to 15C in mid hills
April-June- 15C to 35C in lower hills and 10C to 25C
in mid/higher hills
July 15th-Sept- 15C to 30C in lower hills and 10C to
25C in mid/higher hill |
| Rainfall |
1700 mms |
| Languages |
Hindi, Garhwali, Kumaoni, English |
Uttarakhand is a region of outstanding natural
beauty. Nestled between Nepal and China in north, Himachal
in the west and Uttar Pradesh in the south, most of the
northern parts of the state are part of Greater Himalaya
ranges, covered by the high Himalayan peaks and glaciers,
while the lower foothills were densely forested till
denuded by the British log merchants and forest
contractors after independence. Recent efforts in
forestation, however, have been successful in restoring
the situation to some extent. The unique Himalayan
ecosystem plays host to a large number of animals
(including bharal, snow leopards, leopards and tigers),
plants and rare herbs. Two of India's mightiest rivers,
the Ganga and the Yamuna take birth in the glaciers of
Uttarakhand, and are fed by myriad lakes, glacial melts
and streams in the region. The unsurpassed beauty of Uttarakhand hills make it the most sought after
destination for thousands of tourists from all across the
country and abroad. Uttarakhand region is traditionally referred to as
Uttarakhand in old literature and scriptures, which derives
from the Sanskrit for Northern Country. The earliest
historical references to the region are found in the
Vedas. Specific mention of the mountains exists in the
Mahabharata, dated to about 1000 BC, when the protagonists
of the epic, the Pandavas, are said to have ended their
life on earth by ascending the slopes of a peak in western
Garhwal called Swargarohini- literally, the 'Ascent to
heaven’.
The present state of Uttarakhand was earlier as part of
the United Province of Agra and Awadh, which came into
existence in 1902. In 1935, the name of the state was
shortened to the United Province. In January 1950, the
United Province was renamed, as Uttar Pradesh and
Uttarakhand remained a part of Uttar Pradesh before it
came into being on 9 November 2000, the 27th state of
India.
The climate and vegetation vary greatly with elevation.
The highest elevations are covered by ice and bare rock.
The Western Himalayan Alpine Shrub and Meadows ecoregion
lies between 3000-3500 and 5000 meters elevation; tundra
and alpine meadows cover the highest elevations,
transitioning to Rhododendron-dominated shrublands below.
The Western Himalayan sub - alpine conifer forests lie
just below the tree line; at 3000-2600 meters elevation
they transition to the Western Himalayan broadleaf
forests, which lie in a belt from 2600-1500 meters
elevation. Below 1500 meters elevation lie western end of
the drier Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands belt, and the
Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests known as
Bhabhar. The lowland forests have mostly been cleared for
agriculture, but a few pockets remain.
There are a number of national parks in Uttarakhand
including the Jim Corbett National Park (the oldest
national park of India), Valley of Flowers National Park
and Nanda Devi National Park being the main ones.
The state comprises of two regions, the western half known
as Garhwal and the eastern region going by the name of
Kumaon, the two having different chieftains in history and
different lingual and cultural influences due to proximity
and neighbourhood of different cultures. The inseparable
and complementary nature of their geography, economy,
culture, language and traditions, however, has created
strong bondages between the two regions.
Garhwal has been described in the ancient text of
Kedarkhand to extend from Gangadwar (modern day Haridwar)
in the South to the high mountains in the North, and from
the Tamsa (Tons) river in the West to Buddhachal (probably
the Nanda Devi group of peaks between Garhwal and Kumaon)
in the East. Scriptural texts mention a number of tribes
that inhabited the region, such as the Sakas, the Nagas,
Khasas, Hunas and Kiratas. The Nagas were a mysterious
race whose traces are still to be found in the Hills. The
Khasas were the dominant race in the Garhwal and Kumaon
Himalayas till the coming of the Rajputs and Brahmins from
the plains.
Garhwal today remains a land of temples, myth and legend,
where every stone tells a story. Saint Adi Shankaracharya,
a Namboodri Brahmin from Malabar in South India was almost
entirely responsible for the revival of Hinduism in the
early ninth century. At the time that he set out on his
reformist mission, Uttarakhand was a medley of mystic
cults, naga worship, tantric rites and animistic faith. He
established a series of dhams and maths - seats of Hindu
religion - at elevated sites in the midst of the
Himalayas.
Kumaon which lies almost south to the great
Himalayan range, is moderate in its constitution. The lie
of its land is gentler in its undulations, its lore more
lyrical. What permeates the open valleys is a simpler,
singular faith in the presiding deity of Kumaon- Nanda
Devi, the goddess of Bliss. In the last 3-4000 years
Kumaon has given shelter to and is, consequently, an
amalgamation of various people who have come from all
sides. Archaeologists have also discovered many rock
printings, rock shelters, palaeoliths megaliths, cup marks
etc. in the region.
The native people call themselves Garhwali/Kumaoni and
more than 90% of them are Hindus, ethnically belonging to
the Indo-Aryan group. Most of them identify themselves in
the upper castes. Other ethnic communities in the region
include Nepali who have arrived over the past century from
the neighbouring country of Nepal, and the Tibetan
migrants settled called as the Jadh, Marcha and Shauka on
the Indo-Tibetan frontier, collectively known as the
Bhotiya, and nomadic cattle herders known as Gujjar in the
southern Terai region. Many Punjabis after the partition
of India, Bengalis, and Tibetans of Eastern Tibet region (KHAMPA)
have also settled in the southern plains part of the
state.
Kumaoni and Garhwali dialects are spoken is Kumaon and
Garhwal region respectively. Jaunsari and Bhotia are also
spoken in the region by some Tribal Communities. In
various regions a mixture of both Kumaoni and Garhwali is
also spoken. The city population however converse mostly
in Hindi. The majority of people in this state are Rajputs.
HOW TO GET THERE
Garhwal:
| Trains:
Dehradun Shatabdi |
| Delhi- Haridwar- Dehradun |
0655 hrs |
1122 hrs |
1240 hrs |
| Dehradun- Haridwar- Delhi |
1700 hrs |
1808 hrs |
2245 hrs |
| Classes |
Executive
class, chair car |
| Trains:
Jan Shatabdi |
| Delhi- Haridwar- Dehradun |
1525 hrs |
1925 hrs |
2110 hrs |
| Dehradun- Haridwar- Delhi |
0510 hrs |
0618 hrs |
1115 hrs |
| Classes |
Ac chair car,
2nd class |
| Trains:
Mussoorie express |
| Delhi- Haridwar- Dehradun |
2215 hrs |
0535 hrs |
0800 hrs |
| Dehradun- Haridwar- Delhi |
2130 hrs |
2255 hrs |
0720 hrs |
| Classes |
sleeper class,
3rd ac, 2nd ac, 1st ac |
| Flights (Air Deccan): |
| Delhi- Dehradun |
DN 509 |
1055 hrs |
1200 hrs |
| DN 583 |
1340 hrs |
1435 hrs |
| Dehradun- Delhi |
DN 510 |
1220 hrs |
1320 hrs |
| DN 584 |
1450 hrs |
1540 hrs |
Road: Almost all the important places are
connected by all weather metalled roads.
KUMAON:
| Trains: Ranikhet
express train |
| Delhi- Kathgodam |
2240 hrs |
0545 hrs |
| Kathgodam- Delhi |
2040 hrs |
0410 hrs |
| Classes |
sleeper class, 3rd ac, 2nd
ac, 1st ac |
Flights: None
Road: Almost all the important places are
connected by all weather metalled roads.
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