Pithoragarh district
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Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the
Etymology
Some attribute the name to King Prithvi Pal (Had his empire to Nainital & parts of UP) / Piru Gusain (Gusain refers to the younger son of a King), here the younger son of King of Askote (Pal)/ Pithora Shahi/ Pithora Chand from the Chand Dynasty, who built a fort named Pithora Garh in the Saur Valley.
History
Pals (Branch of Katyuri kings)
After its conquest by Bhartpal, the
Bam Dynasty
According to a Tamra Patra (inscribed copper or brass plaque) from 1420, the Pal dynasty, based out of Askot, was uprooted by Chand kings. Vijay Brahm (of the Brahm dynasty from Doti) took over the empire as King. Following the death of Gyan Chand, in a conflict with Kshetra Pal, the Pals were able to regain the throne.
Chand Dynasty
It is believed that Bharti Chand, an ancestor of Gyan Chand, had replaced Bams, the ruler of Pithoragarh, after defeating them in 1445. In the 16th century, the Chand dynasty again took control over Pithoragarh town and, in 1790, built a new fort on the hill where the present Girls Inter College is situated. The Chand rule, at its zenith, is seen as one of the most prominent empires in Kumaon. Their rule also coincides with a period of cultural resurgence. Archaeological surveys point toward the development of culture and art forms in this period.
Modern history
British rule began on 2 December 1815 when Nepal was forced to sign the
The
In 1997, part of the Pithoragarh district was cut out to form the new Champawat district.
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1901 | 135,083 | — |
1911 | 156,541 | +1.49% |
1921 | 157,943 | +0.09% |
1931 | 173,716 | +0.96% |
1941 | 204,684 | +1.65% |
1951 | 230,180 | +1.18% |
1961 | 274,226 | +1.77% |
1971 | 313,747 | +1.36% |
1981 | 365,141 | +1.53% |
1991 | 416,647 | +1.33% |
2001 | 462,289 | +1.04% |
2011 | 483,439 | +0.45% |
source:[4] |
According to the
Native tribes in the district include the
Languages
Kumaoni, with its several dialects, is the most widely spoken language.[8] Hindi is the common language between the locals and outsiders, and English is spoken by some people, especially teachers, lecturers, and students in tertiary education.
Several
]Pithoragarh district: mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Indian Census.[8]
| |||
---|---|---|---|
Mother tongue code | Mother tongue | People | Percentage |
002007 | Bengali | 414 | 0.1% |
004001 | Dogri | 396 | 0.1% |
006102 | Bhojpuri | 1,654 | 0.3% |
006195 | Garhwali | 1,634 | 0.3% |
006240 | Hindi | 35,590 | 7.4% |
006340 | Kumauni
|
423,862 | 87.7% |
006439 | Pahari | 653 | 0.1% |
013071 | Marathi | 281 | 0.1% |
014011 | Nepali | 7,259 | 1.5% |
016038 | Punjabi | 383 | 0.1% |
022015 | Urdu
|
1,224 | 0.3% |
031001 | Bhotia (also called "Jad")
|
1,325 | 0.3% |
046003 | Halam
|
5,623 | 1.2% |
103003 | Rai
|
263 | 0.1% |
– | Others | 2,878 | 0.6% |
Total | 483,439 | 100.0% |
Assembly Constituencies
- Dharchhula
- Didihat
- Pithoragarh
- Gangolihat (SC)
Climate
Pithoragarh town, being in a valley, is relatively warm during summer and cool during winter. During the coldest months of December and January, the tropical and
Seasons
- Winter (cold weather): December–March
- Summer (hot weather): March–June
- Season of general rains: North–West monsoon – mid-June to mid-September
- Season of retreating monsoon: September–November
Glaciers of Pithoragarh
Locally, glaciers are known as Gal. Some important glaciers of the district are as follows:
- Milam Glacier
- Namik Glacier
- Ralam Glacier
- Meola Glacier
- Sona Glacier
- Panchchuli Glacier
- Balati Glacier
- Shipu Glacier
- Rula Glacier
- Kalabaland Glacier
- Lawan Glacier
- Northern Lwanl
- Middle Lwanl
- Lower Lwanl
- Bamlas Glacier
- Baldimga Glacier
- Terahar Glacier
- Poting Glacier
- Talkot Glacier
- Sankalpa Glacier
- Lassar Glacier
- Upper Lassar
- Lower Lassar
- Middle Lassar
- Dhauli Glacier
- Baling Golfu Glacier
- Dhauli Glacier
- Sobla Tejam Glacier
- Kali Glacier
- Kuti Glacier
- Yangti Basin Glacier
- Lower Dhauli
- Middle Dhauli
- Upper Dhauli
- Lower Kali
- Upper Kali
Himalayan peaks of Pithoragarh
Peak | Height (m) |
---|---|
Sunanda Devi | 7,434 |
Hardeol | 7,151 |
Trishuli |
7,099 |
Rishi Pahar | 6,992 |
Panchchuli II |
6,904 |
Nanda Kot | 6,861 |
Chiring We | 6,559 |
Rajrambha | 6,537 |
Chaudhara | 6,510 |
Sangthang | 6,480 |
Panchchuli V |
6,437 |
Nagalaphu | 6,410 |
Suj Tilla West ) |
6,374 |
Suj Tilla East | 6,393 |
Panchchuli I |
6,355 |
Bamba Dhura | 6,334 |
Burphu Dhura | 6,334 |
Panchchuli IV |
6,334 |
Changuch | 6,322 |
Nanda Gond | 6,315 |
Panchchuli III |
6,312 |
Nanda Pal | 6,306 |
Suli Top | 6,300 |
Kuchela |
6,294 |
Nital Thaur | 6,236 |
Kalganga Dhura | 6,215 |
Jonglingkong or Baba Kailash |
6,310 |
Om Parvat | 6,191 |
Lalla We | 6,123 |
Kalabaland Dhura | 6,105 |
Telkot | 6,102 |
Bainti | 6,079 |
Ikualari | 6,059 |
Nagling | 6,041 |
Menaka Peak | 6,000 |
Trigal | 5,983 |
Yungtangto | 5,945 |
Sankalp | 5,929 |
Laspa Dhura | 5,913 |
Sahdev | 5,782 |
Ralam Dhura | 5,630 |
Gilding Peak | 5,629 |
Shivu | 5,255 |
Tihutia | 5,252 |
Draupadi Peak | 5,250 |
Rambha Kot | 5,221 |
Panchali Chuli | 5,220 |
Gelding | 50,29 |
Dunkhan | 5'035 |
Halsyun | 5'105 |
Lalla We | 6'123 |
Adi Kailash | 6'321 |
Rajrambha | 6'537 |
Deo Damia | 6'632 |
Bamchhu | 6'302 |
Syakaram | 6'258 |
Mangron | 6'565 |
Latu Dhura | 6'389 |
Bati ka Dhura | 5'858 |
Nanda Lapak | 5'782 |
Kalchhu Dhura | 5'421 |
Mapa Dhura | 5'206 |
Mountain passes of Pithoragarh
International passes to Tibet
Pass | Height (m) |
---|---|
Lampiya Dhura | 5,530 |
Lipu-Lekh pass |
5,450 |
Lowe Dhura | 5,562 |
Mangshya Dhura | 5,630 |
Nuwe Dhura | 5,650 |
Kungri Bingri Pass |
5,564 |
Intra-district Himalayan passes
Pass | Height (m) |
---|---|
Ghantesh Baba | 5,164 |
Nama pass |
5,500 |
Sinla pass |
5,495 |
Ralam pass | 5,630 |
Keo Dhura | 5,439 |
Belcha Dhura | 5,384 |
Kalganga Dhura | 5,312 |
Traills pass |
5,312 |
Gangchal Dhura | 5,050 |
Birejrang Dhura | 4,666 |
Ghatmila Dhura | |
Unta Dhura |
5,350 |
Yangkchar Dhura | 4,800 |
Rur Khan | 3,800 |
Bainti Col | 5,100 |
Longstaff Col | 5,910 |
Valleys of Pithoragarh
- Vyas valley (includes Kalapani River)
- Kuti-Yangti Valley : Kuti-Yangti valley has 112 glaciers. The passes of Kuti valley Lampiya Dhura (5,553 m), Nuwe Dhura (5,650 m)
- Chaudans valley
- Darma Valley
- Goriganga valley : Goriganga has 128 glaciers with largest Milam glacier having 18 km in length.
- Dhauliganga valley : Those are source of several streams and rivers. Maximum 135 glaciers found in the Dhauliganga valley.
- Johar Valley
- Kalabaland valley
- Kali valley : Lipu Lekh Pass (5,122 m) (India, Tibet, Nepal)
- Lassar Yangti valley
- Ralam valley
- Saur valley
- Ramganga valley :There are 7 glaciers in Ramganga valley and Namik is largest with 2.4 square Km in size.
- Saryu /Sarju Valley
- Gori Gunkha valley : Belcha Dhura pass (5,384 m), Kungri Bhingri Pass (5,564 m), Keo Dhura pass (5,439 m)
Flora
A wide variety of
- Abies pindrow
- Aconitum heterophyllum
- Berberis aristata (Kirmod)
- Betula utilis (Himalayan birch or Bhoj Patra)
- Cedrus deodara (Deodar Cedar)
- Cypripedium cordigerum
- Dendrobium normale
- Myrica esculenta (Kafal)
- Nardostachys grandiflora(Jatmasi)
- Pedicularis punctata
- Picrorhiza kurroa (Kutki)
- Pinus roxburghii (Salla or Chir)
- Pinus wallichiana (Blue Pine or Raisalla)
- Prunus cornuta
- Prunus puddum
- Quercus dilatata
- Quercus incana
- Quercus leucotricophora (Banjh)
- Quercus semicarpifolia
- Rhododendron barbatum (Burans)
- Rhododendron campanulatum
- Rubus ellipticus (Hisalu)
- Saussurea obvallata (Brahm Kamal)
- Saussurea simpsonia
- Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan yew)
- Vanda cristata
- Zanthoxylum armatum (Timur)
- 10–15 kinds of cactus
- Aadu
- Different type of pulses like red and green lentils
- Figs
- Green apples
- Himalyan pears
- Mulberry
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Red apples
- Rye (a local staple)
- Simal
- Soy beans
- Yellow plums
Tourist attractions
- Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary is a 599.93 km2 wildlife sanctuary located around Askot near Didihat, in Pithoragarh district of the Himalaya of Kumaon in Uttarakhand, India.
- Berinag is a hill station located 102 km from Pithoragarh at an altitude of 2010 m.[10]
- Chaukori is a hill station located 10 km from Berinag, also with an altitude of 2010 m.
- Munsyari is a hill station in the northern part of the Pithoragarh district. The valley from Munsyari to Milam is known as Johar Valley.
- Pithoragarh Fort is set atop a hill on the outskirts of the town and now serves as a museum.
- Mostamanu Temple is a hindu temple dedicated to Mosta, an avatar of Lord Shiva.[11]
Notable people
- Anjali Tatrari - Television actress
- General Bipin Chandra Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, ADC - 17th Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army
- Dan Singh Bisht - businessman and philanthropist
- Lucky Bisht - NSG commando and spy
- Nain Singh Rawat - explorer
- Prakash Pant - politician
- Ratan Singh Raypa - anthropologist
- Shekhar Pathak - historian, editor, travel writer, activist
- Unmukt Chand - cricketer
- Vinod Kapri - filmmaker, journalist, and author
See also
- Kumaoni people
- Kumaon Regiment
- Shauka - Johar
- Chand Kings
- Rung Community
References
- ^ "सीमांत जिले पिथौरागढ़ में पहली बार महिला जिलाधिकारी तैनात, बागेश्वर में भी महिला डीएम, देखें किसे मिली कमान". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-8039-9325-9: "The river Kaliganga forms a natural boundary between India and Nepal. It has two headwaters: the eastern one Kalapani is a collection of springs, and the western one Kutiyankti [Kuthi Yankti] rises from the snow fields of the Himadri near Kuti, the last Bhotiya village in Vyas."
- .
- ^ Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
- ^ "Table C-01 Population by Religion: Uttarakhand". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
- ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
Suriname 491,989 July 2011 est.
- ^ "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ a b c "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Uttarakhand". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
- ^ Eberhard, David M.; Simons, Gary F.; Fennig, Charles D., eds. (2019). "India – Languages". Ethnologue (22nd ed.). SIL International.
- ^ "Berinag Travel Guide - Berinag Uttarakhand Tourism, Travel Tips". www.euttaranchal.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ "Mostamanu Temple Pithoragarh | Mosta Manu Mandir Travel Guide". www.euttaranchal.com. Retrieved 14 February 2022.