Uttarkhand Information
Uttarkhand is surround by Himachal Pradesh in the north west and Uttar Pradesh in the South. It shares the international border with Nepal and China. The northern part of the state of Uttarkhand is shrouded by Himalayan ranges and glaciers where as the lower parts of the state are thickly forested.
Situated at the highet of 7816m above the sea level, Nanda Devi in the district of Chamoli is the highest point in the state. Two of the India’a biggest rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna originate in the glaciers of Uttarkhand. The geography of Uttarkhand is such that it is usually divided into two parts, the western half is known as garhwal and the eastern region as Kumaon.
The history of Uttarkhand is actually the two regions, Garhwal and Kumaon. Garhwal was one of the part of Mauryan Empire. In the 15th century king Ajaipal merged the 52 principalities of the Garhwal region to form a new kingdom. Garhwal remained a consolidated kingdom for about 3000 years. The early medieval history of Kumaon started with the Katyuri dynasty that ruled from the 7th to 11th century. In 1791, the Gurkhas took control of kumaon and in 1803, Garhwal also fell to the Gurkhas.
The British annexed the Gurkha Empire in the 19th century. Along with it the area that now forms Uttarkand. Uttarkhand was a part of Uttarpradesh and on 9th November 2000, it became the 27th state of the Indian Union.
The valley of flowers is a National park located in the chamoli district of Uttarkhand. It spreads over an area of 87.5 sq.km, the valley of flowers offers the visitor the memorable sight of over 500 species of wild flowers blooming in all their glory. This unusual valley is flanked in either side by lofty peaks that remain snow-capped round the year. From November to May the valley remains under thick layers of snow.
Uttarkhand General Information
Capital
The capital of Uttarkhand is Dehradun.
Districts
There are 13 districts in this state.
Principal languages
The languages spoken by the people are Hindi, Garhwali, Kumaoni.
State Bird
This state’s bird is Himalayan Monal.
State Animal
Himalayan Musk deer is this state’s animal.
State flower
Brahma Kamal is this state’s flower.
Uttarkhand is offen called as the abode of the gods and it is a popular destination. It is the holiest of all hindu pilgrimage centres as the land is home to four great religious sites. Gangotri, Yamunotrim Badrinath and Kedarnath. This apart, Uttarakhand boasts of pristine natural beauty, stately mluntains, awe inspiring glaciers and gurgling hill brooks, rare wild life and opportunities galore for adventure sports.
Nainital is located in the Kumaon foothills, is one of India’s most picturesque hill stations surrounded by mountains on three sides. Mussorie is located in the Garhwal hills. Dehradwn is widely known as an important base for trekking and adventure activities. Gangotri is a must for every visitors, as it is located at the source of the holy river Ganges. Uttarkhand also has several glaciers and wild life sanctuaries which are very famous like the Jim Corbett National park, Rajaji National park, Moktoli Glacier, Nanda Devi Group of Glacier and Pindari Glacier.
The Nanda Devi National park is one of the most spectacular wilderness areas in the Himalayas. It is dominated by the peak of Nada Devi. It is the habitat of several endangered mammals, especially the snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer and the bharal. The park encompasses the Nanda Devi sanctuary, a glacial basin surrounded by a ring of peaks. The spectacular views, sylvan environment and richness of the biosphere make it quite different from other parks. The park has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.