Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is a state in northern India. It has been craved out on November 9th, 2000 of Uttar Pradesh to become the 27th state in India. This Himalayan state is known as the “Land of Gods” as numerous revered pilgrim sites are there in the state.

The state is 93% mountainous and sixty per cent forest.

Uttarakhand comprises 13 districts. A group of districts creates division. There are two divisions: Kumaon (includes six districts) and Garhwal (includes seven districts).

Uttarakhand shares international boundaries with Tibet to the north and Nepal to the east.

Dehradun is the capital and largest city of Uttarakhand, located in the Doon Valley and on the north-western side of the fertile IndoGangtic Plains. It is surrounded by the Himalayas in the North, Sivalik Hills in the south, the Ganges River in the east and the Yammua River in the west.

Baba Ram Rai, the elder son of seventh Sikh Guru Har Rai, founded Dehradun in the early eighteenth century.

Hindi and Sanskrit are the official languages of Uttarakhand.

There are many reputed government and PSU organisations in Dehradun, including ONGC (Oil & Natural Gas Corporation), Geological Survey of India, Forest Research Institute, Forest Survey of India, Wildlife Institute of India and Survey of India.

Gairsen in Uttarakhan is a mooted site for Uttarakhand’s future capital by the supporters demanding a separate Indian state of Uttarakhand for long. It is a village in Chamoli district, bordering the Garhwal and Kumaon regions.

Nainital is located in the Kumaon foothills of the outer Himalayas. P. Barron, a sugar trader from Shahjahanpur, founded in 1841.

Almora is another beautiful district of the state. It is a cantonment town located next to the rivers Kosi and Suyal. Katyui king Baichaldev founded Almora.

Several wild animals, including bharal, snow leopards, leopards and tigers are there in Uttarakhand. The state is home to India’s first national park, Jim Corbett National Park . Various other parks like Valley of Flowers National Park, Nanda Devi National Park and Gangotri National Park are also there in Dehradun.

Uttarakhand plays a prominent role in leisure, adventure and religious tourism. The state tourism department promotes immense tourist prospects with allowing travellers to revel in various activities like Mountaineering, rock climbing, river rafting and hiking. Utarakhand encourages eco-tourism, agro-tourism and rural tourism in India.

The state conserves four Hindu dhams (the holiest pilgrim spots): Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yammunotri and Gangotri.

Uttarakhand is well connected by rail, road and air. There are six airports: Jolly Grant Airport at Deharadum, Pantnagar Airport at Pantnagar, Naini-Saini Pitoragrah at Pitoragarh, Uttar Kashi, Gochar Airport at Chamoli and Agastyamuni Airport at Rudrapryag.