UTTRAKHAND "THE LAND OF GODS"

Uttarakhand formerly called Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It also named as “Devbhoomi” means “The Land of God“. Uttarakhand’s name is derived from the Sanskrit words uttara (उत्तर) meaning north, and khaṇḍ (खण्ड्) meaning country or part of a country. The name finds mention in early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of Kedarkhand (present day Garhwal) and Manaskhand (present day Kumaon). Uttarakhand is mainly known for its natural beauty of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai. Uttaranchal is a paradise for nature lover’s and adventure sports enthusiasts. Uttaranchal became the 27th state of the Republic of India on the 9th of November 2000. The State Uttaranchal is carved out of Uttar Pradesh. . Garhwali and Kumaoni are the two main regional languages, whereas Hindi is the most widely spoken language in uttranchal. The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city in the region. The name finds mention in early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of Kedarkhand (present day Garhwal) and Manaskhand (present day Kumaon). Two of the most important rivers in Hinduism originate in the region, the Ganga at Gangotri and the Yamuna at Yamunotri. These two along with Badrinath and Kedarnath form the Chota Char Dham, a holy pilgrimage for the Hindus. The state hosts the Bengal tiger in Jim Corbett National Park, the oldest national park of the Indian subcontinent. The Valley of Flowers, a Unesco World Heritage Site located here, is known for the variety and rarity of the flowers and plants found there.

The region was given the name "UTTRANCHAL" by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and it was seperated from Uttar Pradesh and started a new round of reorganised state in 1998. The name Uttarakhand remained popular in the region, even while Uttaranchal was promulgated through official usage. In August 2006, India's Union Cabinet demands of the Uttaranchal state assembly to rename Uttaranchal state as Uttarakhand. Legislation to that effect was passed by the State Legislative Assembly in October 2006, and the Union Cabinet brought in the bill in the winter session of Parliament. The bill was passed by Parliament and signed into law by the President Abdul Kalam in December 2006, and since 2007, the state is known as Uttarakhand.