Introduction

In the centre of South Asia is located the loftiest mountain chain on earth, the Himalayas which have stood as a natural wonder for ages. These mountain ranges have been an important part of our heritage and culture since the birth of our civilization. In the heart of these majestic mountains lies the state of Uttarakhand with the Kumaon hills in its east and the Garhwal hills in the west.

Nature has endowed this region with so much beauty and spiritual bliss that the place is also known as 'Dev Bhoomi' or the Abode of Gods. Blessed with magnificent glaciers, sparkling and joyful rivers, gigantic and ecstatic Himalayan peaks, natural biosphere, valley of flowers, skiing slopes and dense forests, this Abode includes many shrines and places of pilgrimage. The four most sacred and revered Hindu temples, namely Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are nestled in these Mighty Mountains.

The lofty Himalayas, the rugged terrains, the impenetrable forest covers and the challenging rivers offer endless opportunities for the adventure seekers. Mountaineering can be enjoyed around the Gangotri Glacier and the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. The peaks of varying heights, between 6500-7000 m, offer quite a thrilling adventure. The region has many fascinating treks in the pithoragarh and almora region. It is also blessed with a huge range of flora and fauna . Along with the world-famous Corbett National Park, Uttaranchal has quite a lot of awesome destinations for wildlife tourism. These are the Rajaji National Park, Govind Pashu Vihar, Asan Barrage, Chilla and Saptarishi Ashram, the last four being a delight for bird watchers. .

Apart from these the valley of flowers is another destination for nature lovers. In the past few years another adventure activity has been quite popular in the region and that is white water rafting.

Uttarakhand though a newly formed state has become a major attraction for adventure seekers because of its geographical location and the plethora of adventure activities that take place in the state.


Historical Background

Uttaranchal is the 27th state of the Republic of India and was formed on 9th Nov 2000. It was carved out of Uttar Pradesh after a long struggle of the Uttaranchali people. Together Garhwal and Kumaon form a sizable wedge in the Central Himalayas, joining Himachal Pradesh in the northwest, Uttar Pradesh in the south and international borders with Nepal and China. The city of Dehradun has been declared as the interim capital of the new state. According to Hindu mythology it is the domain of the ascetic Lord Shiva, the destroyer and re-creator. The earliest historical references to the region are found in the Vedas, paeans to the purity of the Himalayas. The famous epic Mahabharata also mentions about this region as the place where the pandavas took their last journey to heaven. In 330 AD the Guptas institutes an imperialistic tradition in the region. This was followed by the Vardhanas in the 5th century AD. The ultimate downfall of the Vardhana Empire saw the emergence of a number of small kingdoms controlled by petty chiefs. Subsequently, during the time of the Turkish onslaught on the plains they were subject to change in size and power. The saint Adi Shankaracharya, revived Hinduism in early 9th century AD. He established a series of dhams and maths (seats of Hindu religion) at elevated sites in the midst of the Himalayas.


People and Cultures

The native people of Uttaranchal call themselves Paharis (hill people), the majority of whom are Hindus. Other ethnic communities in the region include Gujjars, Sikhs and Nepalis. Religious festivals and fairs have always attracted people for miles. The women dazzle with their gay clothes, nose-rings and ear-rings, and colorful head scarves. And the jangle of the jewelry can be sensed during the traditional Garhwali dances. All the while, songs describing the hills and streams float through the air. The most popular and holy fair is the kumbha mela which is held after every 12 years in Haridwar. Kumbha Mela is attended by millions of people on a single day. A ritual bath at a predetermined time and place is the major event of this festival. There are quite a lot of local fairs and festivals like Jhanda Mela, Surkanda Devi Mela, Magh Mela, Nanda Devi Mela, Chaiti Mela, Purnagiri Mela, Piran Kaliyar Mela, Joljivi Mela and Uttarayani Mela, are a huge potential for cultural tourism for the state.