Uttarakhand’s name is derived from the Sanskrit words uttara meaning ‘north’, and khanda meaning ‘land’, altogether simply meaning ‘Northern Land’. The name finds mention in early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of “Kedarkhand” (present day Garhwal) and “Manaskhand” (present day Kumaon). Uttarakhand was also the ancient Puranic term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas.
—————————————————————————————-
Uttarakhand (‘Northern Land’), also known as Uttaranchal (the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the “Devbhumi” (literally ‘Land of the Gods’) due to its religious significance and numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. Uttarakhand is known for the natural environment of the Himalayas, the Bhabar and the Terai regions. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, the Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal to the east, the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh to the south and Himachal Pradesh to the west and north-west. The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts. The winter capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city of the state, which is a rail head. Bhararisain, a town in Chamoli district, is the summer capital of Uttarakhand. The High Court of the state is located in Nainital.
—————————————————————————————-
The native people of Uttarakhand are generally called Uttarakhandi and sometimes specifically either Garhwali or Kumaoni depending on their place of origin in either the Garhwal or Kumaon region.
—————————————————————————————-
List of Districts in Uttarakhand
1.Haridwar
2.Dehradun
3.Udham Singh Nagar
4.Nainital
5.Pauri Garhwal
6.Almora
7.Tehri Garhwal
8.Pithoragarh
9.Chamoli
10.Uttarkashi
11.Bageshwar
12.Champawat
13.Rudraprayag
—————————————————————————————-
Uttarakhand state is divided into two administrative divisions namely Kumaon and Garhwal. Garhwal region has 7 districts and Kumaon region has 6 districts. There are 13 districts in all in Uttarakhand.
Garhwal Division
Dehradun, Haridwar, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Pauri Garhwal
Kumaoun Division
Almora, Nainital, Pithoragarh, U S Nagar, Bageshwar, Champawat
—————————————————————————————-
Land Of Gods
Called Devbhoomi (Land of the gods), Uttarakhand is home to one of the highest Lord Shiva temples in the world, the Char Dham (four revered sites), the Panch Kedar (five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva), the Panch Badri (five temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu) and the Panch Prayag (five confluences of the holy Ganges river).
—————————————————————————————-
Adventure Hub
From white water rafting to paragliding, from bungee jumping to trekking and from skiing to mountain biking there is no dearth of adventure activities to be had and experienced in Uttarakhand. While Auli is known as the skiing paradise of India, Rishikesh hosts India’s highest bungee platform!
—————————————————————————————-
Yoga Capital Of The World
The city of Rishikesh. located on the banks of the River Ganges, is popularly called the Yoga capital of the world. Every year around March, it hosts the International Yoga Festival, which is attended by yoga enthusiasts, practitioners and gurus from across the world in large numbers.
—————————————————————————————-
Char Dham Yatra
This annual pilgrimage to four temple destinations in Uttarakhand – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath is considered to be one of the most sacred in Hinduism, and draws millions of devotees.
—————————————————————————————-
6 National Parks
Uttarakhand boasts 6 National Parks (including India’s first national park Jim Corbett), 7 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 4 Conservation Reserves and 1 Biosphere Reserve.
—————————————————————————————-
Unesco World Heritage Site
Nestled high in the Himalayas, the Valley of Flowers National Park is renowned for its meadows of alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. It is also one of India’s most popular and one of the oldest known treks. Visit it in between June and September.
—————————————————————————————-
Where The Beatles Prayed
Take a trip down memory lane at the Beatles Ashram, where members of the British rock band The Beatles stayed during their visit to India in 1968. A popular tourist spot in Rishikesh, the ashram, also known as Chaurasia Kutir, is located inside the Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR).
—————————————————————————————-
