Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand, also known as Uttaranchal, is a state in northern India. The state is bordered by Himachal Pradesh to the northwest, Tibet to the north, Nepal to the east and Uttar Pradesh to the south. Uttarakhand has a total area of, equal to 1.6% of the total area of India. Dehradun serves as the state capital, with Nainital being the judicial capital. The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts. The forest cover in the state is 45.4% of the state's geographical area. The cultivable area is 16% of the total geographical area. The two major rivers of the state, the Ganges and its tributary Yamuna, originate from the Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers respectively. Ranked 6th among the Top 10 Greenest States in India with Best AQI.
Uttarakhand's history dates back to prehistoric times, with archaeological evidence showcasing human habitation. It was part of the ancient Kuru and the Panchal kingdoms during the Vedic age, and later saw the rise of dynasties like the Kunindas and influence of Buddhism as evidenced by Ashokan edicts. Though primarily driven by agriculture and hydropower, the state's economy is now dominated by the service industry. The service sector comprises primarily travel, tourism, and hotel industry. The Gross State Domestic Product of Uttarakhand is. The state contributes five seats to the lower house Lok Sabha and three seats to the upper house Rajya Sabha.
Inhabitants of the state are called either Garhwali or Kumaoni depending on their region of origin. Hinduism is practiced by more than three-fourths of the population, with Islam being the next-largest religious group. Hindi is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state, along with native regional languages include Garhwali, Jaunsari, Rongpo, Bhotia, Gurjari and Kumaoni. The state is often referred to as the "Devabhumi", due to its religious significance and numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. Along with several historical, natural and religious tourist destinations, including Char Dham, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Panch Kedar, Himalayas, and Sapta Badri. Uttarakhand is also home to two World Heritage sites.
Etymology
Uttarakhand's name is derived from the Sanskrit words uttara meaning 'north', and khaṇḍa meaning 'section' or 'part', altogether simply meaning 'Northern Part'.The name finds mention in early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of "Kedarkhand" and "Manaskhand". Uttarakhand was also the ancient Puranic term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas.
History
Archaeological evidence supports the existence of humans in the region since prehistoric times. Though initially, it was believed that due to harsh climate and mountainous terrain, this was a barren and uninhabited land. But after various excavations and the study of ancient literature, it is now established that the history of Uttarakhand goes back to Stone Age. Evidences of Stone Age settlements have been found in various parts of Kumaon and Garhwal, particularly notable are the rock shelters at Lakhudyar, Almora.The region formed a part of the Uttarakuru Kingdom during the Vedic age of Ancient India. Among the first major dynasties of Kumaon were the Kunindas in the second century BCE who practised an early form of Shaivism. Ashokan edicts at Kalsi show the early presence of Buddhism in this region.
Ancient rock paintings, rock shelters, paleolithic age stone tools, and megaliths provide evidence that the mountains of the region have been inhabited since prehistoric times. There are also archaeological remains that show the existence of early Vedic practices in the area. The Pauravas, Khasas, Kiratas, Nandas, Mauryas, Kushanas, Kunindas, Guptas, Karkotas, Palas, Gurjara-Pratiharas, Katyuris, Raikas, Chands, Parmars or Panwars, Mallas, Shahs and the British have ruled Uttarakhand in turns.
Among the first major dynasties of Garhwal and Kumaon were the Kunindas in the second century BCE who practised an early form of Shaivism and traded salt with Western Tibet. It is evident from the Ashokan edict at Kalsi in Western Garhwal that Buddhism made inroads in this region. Shamanic Hindu practices deviating from Hindu orthodoxy also persisted here. However, Garhwal and Kumaon were restored to nominal Vedic Hindu rule due to the travels of Shankaracharya and the arrival of migrants from the plains.
Between the 4th and 14th centuries, the Katyuri dynasty dominated lands of varying extents from the Katyur valley in Kumaon. The historically significant temples at Jageshwar are believed to have been built by the Katyuris and later remodelled by the Chands. Other peoples of the Tibeto-Burman group known as Kirata are thought to have settled in the northern highlands as well as in pockets throughout the region, and are believed to be ancestors of the modern day Bhotiya, Raji, Jad, and Banrawat people. During the medieval period, the region was consolidated under the Katyuri rulers of Kumaon also known as 'Kurmanchal Kingdom'. After the fall of Katyuris, the region was divided into the Kumaon Kingdom and the Garhwal Kingdom.
By the medieval period, the region was consolidated under the Garhwal Kingdom in the west and the Kumaon Kingdom in the east. During this period, learning and new forms of painting developed. Modern-day Garhwal was likewise unified under the rule of Parmars who, along with many other Rajputs and Brahmins, also arrived from the plains. In 1791, the expanding Gorkha Empire of Nepal overran Almora, the seat of the Kumaon Kingdom. It was annexed to the Kingdom of Nepal by Amar Singh Thapa. In 1803, the Garhwal Kingdom also fell to the Gurkhas. After the Anglo-Nepalese War, this region was ceded to the British as part of the Treaty of Sugauli and the erstwhile Kumaon Kingdom along with the eastern region of Garhwal Kingdom was merged with the Ceded and Conquered Provinces. In 1816, the Garhwal Kingdom was re-established from a smaller region in Tehri as a princely state.
In the southern part of Uttarakhand in Haridwar district the dominance and kingship was exercises by some local Hindu rulers, the area was under control of Parmar chief in eastern Saharanpur including Haridwar in kingship of Raja Sabha Chandra of Jabarhera. The Panwar clan held more than 500 villages there in upper Doab, and that situation was confirmed in 1759 in a grant by a Rohilla governor of 505 villages and 31 hamlets to one Manohar Singh. In 1792 Ram Dayal and his son Sawai Singh were ruling the area but due to some family reasons Ramdayal left Jhabrera and went to Landhaura village, now some villages were under the control of Raja Ramdayal Singh at Landhaura, and some under his son Sawai Singh at Jhabrera. Hence, there were two branches of Jhabrera State main branch at Jhabrera and the second one at Landhaura, both father and son were ruling simultaneously without any conflicts till the death of Raja Sawai Singh of Jabarhera in 1803. After the death of Sawai Singh total control of powers transferred to Ram Dayal Singh at Landhaura, but some villages were given to descendants of Sawai Singh and her widow to collect revenue.
By 1803 the Landhaura villages numbered 794 under Raja Ram Dayal Singh. Raja Ram Dayal Singh died on 29 March 1813. These holdings, at least those in the original grant made by the Rohilla governor, were initially recognised by the British in land settlements concluded with Ram Dayal and his heirs. As the years passed, more and more settlements appear to have been made with the village communities, however, and by 1850 little remained of the once vast estate of the Landhaura Khübars. There are many temples and Ghats on Ganga built by Rajas of Landhaura estate, therefore they also famous as ' Haridwari Rajas' in folk history and literature. Famous Dakshamahadev Temple at Kankhal was built by Queen DhanKaur of Landhaura in 1810 A.D.
Next the Timli estate Founded in Dehradun mid-15th century by Chaudhari Ram Singh, a member of the Chokar Hindu family, the estate remained under the rule of this dynasty until its eventual annexation. In 1548, two chieftains, Pohda Singh and Lal Karan, from the Titron region in Saharanpur district, crossed the Sivalik hills, conquered the entire Dehradun area, and established the Timli estate. They also founded a town named Timli Chaudhari Bhagwan Singh have power of magistrate.
Raja Ranjit Singh of Samthar state, born in 1943, was married at a young age to a princess from the Chokar family, which ruled in Timli estate in Dehradun.
After India attained independence from the British, the Garhwal Kingdom was merged into the state of Uttar Pradesh, where Uttarakhand composed the Garhwal and Kumaon Divisions. Until 1998, Uttarakhand was the name most commonly used to refer to the region, as various political groups, including the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, began agitating for separate statehood under its banner. Although the erstwhile hill kingdoms of Garhwal and Kumaon were traditional rivals the inseparable and complementary nature of their geography, economy, culture, language, and traditions created strong bonds between the two regions. These bonds formed the basis of the new political identity of Uttarakhand, which gained significant momentum in 1994, when demand for separate statehood achieved almost unanimous acceptance among both the local populace and national political parties.
The most notable incident during this period was the Rampur Tiraha firing case on the night of 1 October 1994, which led to a public uproar. On 24 September 1998, the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council passed the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, which began the process of forming a new state. Two years later the Parliament of India passed the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 and thus, on 9 November 2000, Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of India.
Uttarakhand is also well known for the mass agitation of the 1970s that led to the formation of the Chipko environmental movement and other social movements. Though primarily a livelihood movement rather than a forest conservation movement, it went on to become a rallying point for many future environmentalists, environmental protests, and movements the world over and created a precedent for non-violent protest. It stirred up the existing civil society in India, which began to address the issues of tribal and marginalised people. So much so that, a quarter of a century later, India Today mentioned the people behind the "forest satyagraha" of the Chipko movement as among "100 people who shaped India". One of Chipko's most salient features was the mass participation of female villagers. It was largely female activists that played pivotal role in the movement. Gaura Devi was the leading activist who started this movement, other participants were Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Sunderlal Bahuguna, and Ghanshyam Raturi, the popular Chipko poet.