DISTRICTS OF UTTRANCHAL

A district of Uttarakhand state is an administrative geographical unit, headed by a Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate, an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service. The district magistrate or the deputy commissioner is assisted by a number of officers belonging to Uttarakhand Civil Service and other Uttarakhand state services. A Superintendent of Police, an officer belonging to the Indian Police Service is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues of the district. He is assisted by the officers of the Uttarakhand Police Service and other Uttarakhand Police officials. A Deputy Conservator of Forests, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service is responsible for managing the Forests, environment and wild-life related issues of the district. He is assisted by the officers of the Uttarakhand Forest Service and other Uttarakhand Forest officials and Uttarakhand Wild-Life officials. Sectoral development is looked after by the district head of each development department such as PWD, Health, Education, Agriculture, Animal husbandry, etc. These officers belong to the various State Services. Uttaranchal is made up of 13 districts which are divided into 2 regions i.e. Garhwal and Kumaon.....

Districts of Garhwal:

 1. Chamoli: If mother nature has ever smiled on earth, it must have been in Chamoli – that enchanting land in the arms of the Himalayas.  Chamoli also referred as the "Abode of Gods" has a strong link with Hindu myths and legends. It is noted for its several shrines and temples. Chamoli is also the birth place of the renowned Chipko movement. Chamoli is known for villages and people rich in culture. The region of Chamoli is rich in varied flora and fauna. Chamoli hosts a variety of destinations of pilgrim and tourists' interest. Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, Valley of Flowers and Auli.

Chamoli, the district of “Garhwal’’ the land of forts. Today’s Garhwal was known as kedar-khand in the past. In puranas kedar-khand was said to be abode of God. It seems from the facts vedas puranas, Ramayna and Mahabharat that these Hindu scriptures are scripted in kedar-khand. It is believed that God Ganesha first script of vedas in Vayas gufa situated in the last village Mana only four km. from Badrinath.





According to Rigveda (1017–19) after Inundation (Jalprlya) Sapt-Rishis saved their lives in the same village Mana. Besides there the roots of vedic literature seems to be originated from Garhwal because the Garhwali language has a lot of words common with Sanskrit. The work place of vedic Rishis are the prominent pilgrim places in Garhwal specially in chamoli like Atrimuni Ashram in Anusuya about 25 km from chamoli town and work place of Kashyap Rishi at Gandhmadan parwat near Badrinath. According to Aadi-Puran, vedvyasa scripted the story of Mahabharata in Vyas Gufa near Badrinath. Pandukeshwar, a small village situated on the Rishikesh Badrinath high-way from where Badrinath is just 25 km away is regarded as Tapsthali of king Pandu. In Kedar-khand Puran this land is regarded the land of lord Shiva.


2. Uttarkashi: Uttarkashi, meaning kasha of the north, is a town in Uttrakhand, India. The holy town of Uttarkashi is set on the banks of river Bhagirathi at an altitude of 1158 metres, about 145 kms from Rishikesh on the main route to Gangotri. It is considered to have similar religious importance as Kashi. Uttarkashi is home to a number of ashrams and temples and also to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. The name of the town reflects its similarity to and location (as north of) the city of Kashi (Varanasi). Similar to Varanasi, town of Uttarkashi is situated on the Ganges, lies next to a hill named Varun Parvat, on confluence of two rivers Varuna and Asi, has a ghat called Manikarnika Ghat and has a temple dedicated to Shiva (Kashi Vishwanath Temple) in the center of the town. This district has one degree college affiliated to Garhwal University. There are two intercollege for boys and girls besides many schools. For higher education in technology there is polytechnich institute situated in joshiyara around 3-4 km away from main city.

Uttarkashi district was created on February 24, 1960 out of what then constituted the parganas of Rawain and Uttarkashi of Rawain tahsil of erstwhile Tehri Garhwal district.  The hill tribes namely Kiratas, Uttara Kurus, Khasas, Tanganas, Kunindas and Pratanganas find references in the Upayana Parva of Mahabharata. The land of Uttarkashi district has been held sacred by Indians since ages where the seers and sages had found solace and spiritual aspirations and performed penances and where devas performed their sacrifices and Vedic language was better known and spoken than elsewhere. People came here for learning Vedic language and speech.

 According to an account given in the Mahabharata, Jada Bharatha a great sage performed penances at Uttarkashi. the Kedar Khand of Skanda Purna refers Uttarkashi and the rivers Bhagirathi, Jahanavi and Bheel Ganga. The district of Uttarkashi was part of Gharwal Kingdom ruled by Garhwal dynasty that carried the cognomen `Pal' which was changed to Sah during 15th century conferred by Sultan of Delhi perhaps Bahlul Lodi. In 1803 Gorkhas of Nepal invaded Garhwal and Amar Singh Thapa was made Governor of this region. The Gorkhas came into contact with the British power in 1814 as their frontiers in Gharwal became determinous with those of the British. The border troubles prompted the Britishers to invade Garhwal. In April, 1815 Gorkhas were ousted from Garhwal region and Garhwal was annexed as British district and was split up into eastern and western Garhwal. The eastern Garhwal was retained by the British Government. The western Garhwal, lying to the west of the Alaknanda river with the exception of the Dun was made over to the heir of Garhwal dynasty Sudarshan Sah. This state came to be known as Tehri Garhwal and it was merged with the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949 after India attained independence in 1947.

3. Rudraprayag : Rudraprayag is a town and a municipality in Rudraprayag district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Rudraprayag is one of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of Alaknanda River, the point of confluence of rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini. Kedarnath, a Hindu holy town is located 86 km from Rudraprayag. The famous man eating Leopard of Rudraprayag hunted and written about by Jim Corbett dwelled here.

Rudraprayag District was established on 16th September1997. The district was carved out from the following areas of three adjoining districts. 1. Whole of Augustmuni & Ukhimath block and part of Pokhri & Karnprayag block from Chamoli District. 2. Part of Jakholi and Kirtinagar block from Tehri District. 3. Part of Khirsu block from Pauri District. Rudraprayag lies at the confluences of two rivers Alkananda and Mandakini. It was said that Narad was blessed by Lord Shiva in this place and appeared in Rudra Avatar.

Rudraprayag is one of the Panch Prayags or five confluences of Alkananda river. The entire region is blessed with immense natural beauty, places of religious importance, lakes and glaciers. The place is best decribed as "Abode of Gods" with majestic Himalayas, gushing water of scared rivers and a rich vriety of flora and fauna.



4. Tehri Garhwal: Tehri Garhwal is one of the largest districts in the hill state of Uttarakhand, India. Its administrative headquarters is at New Tehri. The name Tehri has been derived from Trihari, signifying a place that washes away the three types of sins – sins born out of Mansa, Vacha and Karmana or thought, word and deed, respectively. Garh in Hindi means fort. The district of Tehri Garhwal stretches from the snow clad Himalayan peaks of Thalaiya Sagar, Jonli and the Gangotri group all the way to the foothills near Rishikesh. The gushing Bhagirathi which runs through seems to divide the district into two, while the Bhilangna, Alaknanda, Ganga and Yamuna rivers border it on the east and west.Its neighbouring districts are Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag and Dehradun.

Lying on the southern slopes of outer Himalayas, Tehri Garhwal is on of the sacred hilly districts of Uttarakhand State. Before the creation of universe, Lord Brahma is said to have meditated on this sacred land. Muni-ki-Reti and Tapovan of the district are the places of penance for the ancient Rishis. Its hilly terrain and lack of easy communications have helped it to preserve its culture almost intact. Tehri and Garhwal are the two words combined for naming the district as Tehri Garhwal.   



5. Dehradun: Dehradun is the capital city of the state of Uttarakhand in the northern part of India. Dehradun is in the Doon Valley on the foothills of the Himalayas nestled between two of India's mightiest rivers — the Ganges on the east and the Yamuna on the west. The city is famous for its picturesque landscape and slightly milder climate and provides a gateway to the surrounding region. It is well connected and in proximity to popular Himalayan tourist destinations such as Mussoorie, Nainital and Auli and the Hindu holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh along with the Himalayan pilgrimage circuit of Char Dham.

Dehradun is one of the oldest cities of India and is also known as the ‘Adobe of Drona’, Dehradun has always been an important center for Garhwal rulers which was captured by the British. The headquarters of many National Institutes and Organizations like ONGC, Survey Of India, Forest Research Institute, Indian Institute of Petroleum etc are located in the city. Dehradun is made up of two words: 'Dehra' is derived from the word "dera", deriving from griha and meaning home. "Doon" is a term for the valley that lies between the Himalayas and the "Shivaliks". When Ram Rai Ji, son of Guru Har Rai Ji, came to this region with his followers, he established a camp here for them. Around this time, the modern city of Dehradun started to develop. This is when the word dehra was linked to doon, and thus the city was named Dehradun. Some historians believe that the word dehra can be regarded as a term for camping

The history of the city of Uttarakhand, Dehradun (nicknamed "Doon Valley") is linked to the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is believed that after the battle between Ravan and Lord Ram, Lord Ram and his brother Laxman visited this site. Dronacharya, the legendary Royyal guru to the Kauravas and Pandavas in the epic Mahabharata, is believed to have been born and resided in Dehradun. Evidence such as ancient temples and idols have been found in the areas surrounding Dehradun which have been linked to the mythology of Ramayana and Mahabharata. These relics and ruins are believed to be around 2000 years old. Furthermore, the location, the local traditions and the literature reflect this region's links with the events of Mahabharata and Ramayana. Even after the battle of Mahabharata, the Pandavas had influence on this region as the rulers of Hastinapur with the descendants of Subahu ruled the region as subsidiaries. Likewise, Rishikesh is mentioned in the pages of history when Lord Vishnu answered the prayers of the saints, slaughtered the demons and handed the land to the saints. The adjoining place called Chakrata has its historical impression during the time of Mahabharata.

In the seventh century this area was known as Sudhnagar and was described by the Chinese traveler Huen Tsang. Sudhnagar later came to be recognised as the name of Kaalsi. Edicts of Ashoka have been found in the region along the banks of river Yamuna in Kaalsi indicating the wealth and importance of the region in ancient India. In the neighbouring region of Haripur, ruins were discovered from the time of King Rasala which also reflect the region's prosperity.

6. Pauri Garhwal : The Land of Pauri Garhwal is blessed with splendid view of snow-bound peaks of Himalayas, scenic valleys & surround ings, meandering rivers, dense forests and hospitable people with a rich culture. Pauri Garhwal district is surrounded by the Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Almora and Nainital districts on three sides. The southern boundary of Pauri Garhwal district borders the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. This district lies partly in the Gangetic plains and partly in the Himalayan North.

 Pauri Garhwal district was a part of the erstwhile Garhwal Kingdom ruled by the Pal (Shah) dynasty. The throne of the King was at Srinagar. In 1803 Gurkhas, after many unsuccessful attempts, finally succeeded in capturing Garhwal by defeating the army of King Pradyumna Shah. In 1816, the British defeated the Gurkhas in the Anglo-Nepalese War, and the Garhwal Kingdom was re-established in Tehri.

Tourism in Pauri Garhwal District includes a number of exploring options. Pauri Garhwal is considered nature's paradise and attracts people through its charm and magnificence. The beautiful valleys, snow clad mountain peaks, and amazing features of nature are key components that attract travellers. Moreover,tourism in Pauri will be considered incomplete without paying a visit to its ancient temples.

7. Pithoragarh : Pithoragarh is a small town, which gives its name to the district. It lies in the centre of the western half of the Soar Valley which resembles the Kashmir valley on a miniature scale. It is prettily dotted with villages, generally placed on eminences. The view from some of the higher altitudes in Pithoragarh captures the snow-capped peaks of Panch Chulhi, Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot. Pithoragarh, is known as the gateway to the Himalayas from the north, as pilgrims trek through this town to the Kailash, Lake Manasarovar, and Om Parvat.

Once the bastion of the Chand rulers, Pithoragarh town is littered with temples and forts belonging to that era. The town is set in a valley popularly known as and lies in the centre of four hills Chandak, Dhwaj, Kumdar and Thal Kedar, and stretches in the southern flank to Jhulaghat demarcated by the Kali river adjoining the barren peaks of Nepal Hills. It is snuggled in the folds of four kots Bhatkot, Dungerkot, Udaikot and Unchakot. During the reign of the Chand Rajas of Kumaon, one Piru, also called Prithvi Gosain, built a fort here and named it Prithvigarh which, in course of time, got changed into Pithoragarh.

Once the bastion of the Chand rulers, Pithoragarh town is home to many temples and forts belonging to that era. The town had two forts, one of which has been demolished, its place being taken by the Government Girls’ Intermediate College building. The building of the other fort houses the treasury and the tahsil.
Other places of interest in Pithoragarh are Patal Bhuvaneshwar (Gangolihat), Chandak, Dewalthal, Dharchula, Munsiyari and Kali Mandir of Gangolihat. Kumaon University College is the main educational institution in the district for higher studies.
About 5 km. from the place there is a small and beautiful place named Chandag which houses an asylum for lepers. It is said that a goddess killed two devils, Chand and Mund, at this place. The episode gave the place the name Chandghat, Chandag appearing to be its corruption.
Pithoragarh Fort is set atop a hill on the outskirts of the town. The fort was built by the Gorkhas in 1789.

8.Bageshwar: Bageshwar is a city and a municipal board in Bageshwar district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.  The town is situated on the confluence of Gomti river with Sarju river which is a tributary of Sharda or Kali river and joins Kali at Pancheswar. (This Sarju river is not the same Sarayu river on whose bank Ayodhya is situated. This Gomti river is also not the same Gomti river on whose bank Lucknow is situated.) The name has been derived from "Byagreshwar". 'Byagra' is tiger and 'Ishwar' is God. Therefore the name would mean Tiger God.

Situated at the confluence of rivers Saryu, Gomti and latent Bhagirathi, lies the holy township of Bageshwar; also revered as the pious land associated with Lord Sadashiva, the redeemer of all sins. As the puranas state, this undoubtedly is a place capable of liberating one from the eternal bondage of births & deaths. With the east and west flanked by the Bhileswar and Nileshwar mountains and surrounded by Suraj Kund in the north and Agni Kund in the south, this land of Lord Shankar is of great religious, historic and political significance.

There are many places of tourism and historic importance in Bageshwar. There are many old temples dating back to tenth century. Among them are the Baijnath temple and Bagnath temple; the latter is situated in the middle of the town just across the confluence of Saryu and Gomti. Chandika and Neeleshwar temples are other important temples in the district. kakara and kholi village are the beautiful villages in bageshwar These are on the top of the city (hills) and provide a nice glimpse of the city.
Other important shrines in and around Bageshwar are - Haru mandir kakara and gopeshwar mandir, Ram Ghat temple, Agnikund temple, Kukuda Mai temple, Shitla Devi temple, Trijugi Narayan temple, Hanuman temple, Nileshwar Dham, Swarg Ashram, Ramji temple, Loknath Ashram, Ashram of Amitji, Jwala Devi temple, Veni Mahadev temple, Radha Krishna temple, Bhileshwar Dham, Suraj Kund, Siddartha Dham, Gopeshwar Dham, Golu temple and Praktishwar Mahadev.



9.Almora: Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Nearest railway station is Kathgodam 85 km from city bus station. Almora, a picturesque district in the Kumaun region, East of Uttarakhand in India, with a breathtaking panoramic view of Himalayas, summons tourists worldwide to its alluring grandeur of natural beauty. Famous for its rich cultural heritage, unique handicrafts, sumptuous cuisine and magnificent wildlife, coupled with an easy accessibility, Almora promises its tourists a visit full of fun and unforgettable moments.   It is located on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills of the Himalaya range. In the shape of a horse saddle shaped hillock, it is surrounded by thick forests of pine and fir trees. Flowing alongside the city are rivers of Koshi, (Kaushiki), and Suyal (Salmale). The snow-capped Himalayas can be seen in the background. Almora got its name from "Kilmora" a short plant found nearby region., which was used for washing the utensils of Katarmal Temple. The people bringing Kilmora were called Kilmori and later "Almori"and the place came to be known as "Almora".

The ancient town of Almora, before it's establishment was under the possession of Katyuri king Baichaldeo. He donated major part of this land to a Gujrati Brahmin Sri Chand Tiwari. Later on when Chand kingdom was founded in Baramandal, the town of Almora was founded at this centrally located place in 1560 by Kalyan Chand. In the days of the Chand Kings it was called Rajapur. The name 'Rajpur' is also mentioned over a number of ancient copper plates. The town of Almora is situated over a horse saddle shaped ridge of a mountain. The eastern portion of the ridge is known as Talifat and the western one is known as Selifat. The market is at the top of the ridge where these two, Talifat and Selifat jointly terminate.

Almora has many noted temples, including Kasar Devi, Nanda Devi, Doli Daana, Shyayi Devi, Khakmara, Asht Bhairav, Jakhandevi, Katarmal (Sun Temple), Pataal Devi,

Raghunath Mandir, Badreshwar, Banari Devi, Chitai, Jageshwar, Binsar Mahadev, Garhnath and Baijnath. Kasar Devi temple was visited by Swami Vivekananda and this area also has a Chabad House. Rudreshwar Mahadev Temple, near Sanara Ganiya, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is situated beside the river Ram Ganga. A sun temple (only the second in the world) is located at Katarmal within a short distance from the town. The famous temple of Manila Devi, Devi Maa, the family goddess of the Katyuri clan, lies around 85 km from Ranikhet. Udaipur a famous temple of Golu devta is situated 5 km. from Binta near Dwarahat. Dunagiri has the highly revered temple of Shakti or Mother Goddess. Dunagiri is also known as the birthplace of modern day Kriya Yoga.

10.Champawat: The district of Champawat constituted in the year 1997. Champwat is believed to the place where the Kurmavtar (the turtle incarnation of Lord Vishnu) took place. Champawat was formerly the capital of the Chand dynasty rulers. The Baleshwar Temple built by the Chand rulers in the 16th century is an excellent monument with marvelous stone carving works. The place is famous for its historical, archaeological and sculptural significance. A small fort and the temples of Baleshwar, Champadari, Ratneshwar and Durga embellish the city. Champawat was home to the Champawat Tiger.

The long chain of mountain in southwestern region acts as a border between the district

Champawat and Nainital district. It is important from the defence point of view as in the east Kali river acts the international border between Nepal and India. The Terai areas of the district are very hot, whereas the hilly ranges are relatively cooler. Around 65 percent area of Champawat is sheltered with flora and fauna. Rest of the areas is made up of agricultural land, residential land and meadows. The plains of Champawat are covered with plenty of exotic and traditional species of plants, like Amla, Ayur, Ecliptus, Babool, Teak, Sagon, Jamun, Bans, Bail and Madar.

There are numerous famous temples situated near Champawat, like Narsinh Danda, Hingla Devi, Hidimba Ghatotkach Temple, Maneshwar, Karanteshwar and Sun Temple (at village Ramak). Other than this, the area is known for the magnificent scenic vista it offers. Situated at 1,615 meter above the sea level, Champawat boasts of a topography that varies from Terai areas to the high mountain ranges.

11.Nainital: Nainital is a popular
hill station in Uttarakhand. Dotted with lakes , Nainital has earned the epithet of ' Lake District ' of India . The most prominent of the lakes is Naini lake ringed by hills . Nainital has a varied topography . Some of the important places in the district are Nainital , Haldwani , Kaladhungi , Ramnagar , Bhowali , Ramgarh , Mukteshwar , Bhimtal , Sattal and Naukuchiatal . Nainital’s unending expense of scenic beauty is nothing short of a romance with awe-inspiring and pristine Mother nature.

It is believed that Nainital figures in some ancient myths of India. In the Manas Khand of the

Skand Puranas, Nainital Lake is called Tri-Rishi-Sarovar, hinting at the story of three sages (or rishis), Atri, Pulastya and Pulaha, who, upon finding no water in Nainital, dug a large hole at the location of the present day lake (sarovar = lake) and filled it with water from the holy lake Manasarovar in Tibet. According to lore, a dip in Naini Lake, "the lesser Manasarovar," earns merit equal to a dip in the great lake.
It is also believed that The Naini Lake is one of the 64 Shakti Peeths, or religious sites where parts of the charred body of Sati (Parvati) fell on earth while being carried by Lord Shiva. The spot where Sati's eyes (or Nain) fell, came to be called Nain-tal or lake of the eye. The goddess Shakti is worshipped at the Naina Devi Temple on the north shore of the present day lake.


12.Udham Singh Nagar: In the vicinity of the spectular Kumon lies the district of UDHAM SINGH NAGAR which was a part of district NAINITAL before it gained the identity of a separate district in October 1995.Udham Singh Nagar is basically an industrial district and many industry related professions are prevalant here, it is perfect example of 'Unity in Diversity' for which India is so widely known, on the other hand different cultures, religions and life styles are blended in absolute harmony.

The fertile land lends itself to different forms of agriculture giving rise to

agriculture related activities and industry making this land a green place which has resulted into prosperity all around. Pantnagar university is a leading temple of learning in the fields of agriculture and technology with one of the finest bulit university all around the world.This place has rare sight seeing as it is surrounded by Kumaon Himalayas on one side and Nepal on the other (Tanakpur touches the Khatima border which is in Champawat district).

As of 2011 it is the third most populous district of Uttarakhand (out of 13), after

Haridwar and Dehradun.
G.B. Pant University, noted for its engineers & agriculture scientists, is located 5 km from Rudrapur.

Udham Singh Nagar district was named after Saheed Udham Singh, a great freedom fighter, who killed General Dyer and took revenge for the Jalianwala Bagh massacre. The district is also called as the 'Gateway to Kumaon hills'. There are three main sub-divisions - Rudrapur, Kashipur and Khatima; four tehsils Kashipur, Kichha, Khatima, Sitarganj and two sub-tehsils - Bajpur and Gadarpur.


13. Haridwar : Haridwar is city in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand state in India. Haridwar is place where the river Ganges enters in plain areas north India after flowing 250 kms from its origin Gaumukh (Gangotri Glacier). 

Haridwar is the place where people from across the India visit for pilgrimage and to take a holy dip into the holy river Ganges. Haridwar is an ancient city & it is one of the most sacred cities in India. The diverse nature of the Hindu religion has attracted foreign visitors from all around the world. Foreigners always attracted to Haridwar because here they can closely experience India's complex culture, various Hindu rituals and the ancient civilization.

Haridwar is created with two words "Hari" means "God" and "Dwar" means "Gate". In this way Haridwar means the gateway to the God. 

Haridwar has been a typical place to start a pilgrim's journey in order to reach Mount Kailash, the eternal abode of Lord Shiva, Kedarnath, the northernmost Jyotirlinga and one of the sites of the smaller Char Dham pilgrimage circuit and Gaumukh, the source of River Ganga. Har ki Pauri or footsteps of Lord Shiva is considered the most sacred site in Haridwar.  

Haridwar is also known as the home of Devi Sati and the palace of her father Daksha. In ancient times, the town was also referred to as Gangadwára (गंगाद्वार), the place where the Ganges descends to the plains.

Haridwar is divided in several small areas such as Mayapur, Ranipur, Jwalapur, Har Ki Pauri, Motichur, Devpura, Bhupatwala, Haipur Kalan, Shivalik Nagar, & Brhampuri. Haridwar is also one of the four places where Kumbh Mela occurs after rotation of every twelve Years and Ardh Kumbh after every six years. It is said that drops of Amrit (Elixir) fell in to the Brahmkund of Har-Ki-Pauri, therefore considered that a dip in the Brahmakund.