Uttarakhand's history dates back toprehistoric times, with archaeological evidence showcasing human habitation. It was part of the ancientKuru and thePanchal kingdoms during theVedic age, and later saw the rise of dynasties like theKunindas and influence ofBuddhism as evidenced byAshokan edicts. Though primarily driven by agriculture andhydropower, the state's economy is now dominated by the service industry. The service sector comprises primarily travel, tourism, and hotel industry. The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Uttarakhand is₹2.87lakhcrore (US$33 billion). The state contributesfive seats to the lower house Lok Sabha andthree seats to the upper house Rajya Sabha.
Uttarakhand's name is derived from theSanskrit wordsuttara (उत्तर) meaning 'north', andkhaṇḍa (खण्ड) meaning 'section' or 'part', altogether simply meaning 'Northern Part'. The name finds mention in earlyHindu scriptures as the combined region of "Kedarkhand" (present dayGarhwal) and "Manaskhand" (present dayKumaon). Uttarakhand was also the ancientPuranic term for the central stretch of the IndianHimalayas.[20]
Archaeological evidence supports the existence of humans in the region sinceprehistoric times.[21] Though initially, it was believed that due to harsh climate and mountainous terrain, this was a barren and uninhabited land. But after various excavations and the study of ancient literature, it is now established that the history of Uttarakhand goes back to Stone Age.[22] Evidences ofStone Age settlements have been found in various parts of Kumaon and Garhwal, particularly notable are the rock shelters atLakhudyar,Almora.[23]
Stone age paintings at Lakhudiyar Caves, Almora
The region formed a part of theUttarakuru Kingdom during theVedic age ofAncient India. Among the first major dynasties of Kumaon were theKunindas in the second century BCE who practised an early form ofShaivism.Ashokan edicts at Kalsi show the early presence ofBuddhism in this region.
Among the first major dynasties of Garhwal and Kumaon were the Kunindas in the second century BCE who practised an early form ofShaivism and traded salt with WesternTibet. It is evident from theAshokan edict at Kalsi in Western Garhwal thatBuddhism made inroads in this region.Shamanic Hindu practices deviating from Hindu orthodoxy also persisted here. However, Garhwal and Kumaon were restored to nominalVedic Hindu rule due to the travels ofShankaracharya and the arrival of migrants from the plains.[citation needed]
Jageshwar Temples Complex are a group of over 100 Hindu temples dated between 7th and 12th century.
Between the 4th and 14th centuries, the Katyuri dynasty dominated lands of varying extents from the Katyur valley (modern-dayBaijnath) in Kumaon. The historically significant temples atJageshwar are believed to have been built by the Katyuris and later remodelled by the Chands. Other peoples of theTibeto-Burman group known asKirata are thought to have settled in the northern highlands as well as in pockets throughout the region, and are believed to be ancestors of the modern dayBhotiya,Raji,Jad, andBanrawat people.[25] During the medieval period, the region was consolidated under theKatyuri rulers of Kumaon also known as 'Kurmanchal Kingdom'.[26] After the fall of Katyuris, the region was divided into theKumaon Kingdom and theGarhwal Kingdom.
In the southern part of Uttarakhand inHaridwar district (earlier part ofSaharanpur till 1988) the dominance and kingship (rajya) was exercises byGurjars, the area was under control of Parmar (Panwar or Khubars) Gurjar chief in easternSaharanpur includingHaridwar in kingship of Raja Sabha Chandra ofJabarhera (Jhabrera). Gurjar of the Khubar (Panwar) gotra held more than 500 villages there in upper Doab, and that situation was confirmed in 1759 in a grant by a Rohilla governor of 505 villages and 31 hamlets to one Manohar Singh Gurjar (written in some records as Raja Nahar Singh son of Sabha Chandra). In 1792Ram Dayal and his son Sawai Singh were ruling the area but due to some family reasons Ramdayal left Jhabrera and went to Landhaura village, now some villages were under the control of Raja Ramdayal Singh atLandhaura, and some under his son Sawai Singh at Jhabrera. Hence, there were two branches of Jhabrera State (riyasat) main branch atJhabrera and the second one atLandhaura, both father and son were ruling simultaneously without any conflicts till the death of Raja Sawai Singh ofJabarhera in 1803. After the death of Sawai Singh total control of powers transferred to Ram Dayal Singh at Landhaura, but some villages were given to descendants of Sawai Singh and her widow to collect revenue.[29][30]
By 1803 the Landhaura villages numbered 794 underRaja Ram Dayal Singh. Raja Ram Dayal Singh died on 29 March 1813.[31] These holdings, at least those in the original grant made by the Rohilla governor, were initially recognised by the British in land settlements concluded with Ram Dayal and his heirs. As the years passed, more and more settlements appear to have been made with the village communities, however, and by 1850 little remained of the once vast estate of the Landhaura Khübars.[32] There are many temples and Ghats on Ganga built by Rajas of Landhaura estate of gujars therefore they also famous as ' Haridwari Rajas' in folk history and literature. FamousDakshamahadev Temple at Kankhal was built by Queen DhanKaur of Landhaura in 1810 A.D.[33]
Next the Timli estate Founded in Dehradun mid-15th century by Chaudhari Ram Singh, a member of theChokar family of HinduGurjars, the estate remained under the rule of this dynasty until its eventual annexation.[34][35] In 1548, two prominentChokar gotra Goojur (Gurjar)chieftains, Pohda Singh and Lal Karan, from the Titron region in Saharanpur district, crossed theSivalik hills, conquered the entire Dehradun area, and established theTimli estate. They also founded a town named Timli Chaudhari Bhagwan Singh have power of magistrate.[36][37][38]
Raja Ranjit Singh Khatana ofSamthar state, born in 1943, was married at a young age to a princess from the Chokar Gurjar family, which ruled in Timli estate inDehradun.[39][40]
After India attained independence from theBritish, the Garhwal Kingdom was merged into the state ofUttar Pradesh, where Uttarakhand composed the Garhwal and Kumaon Divisions.[41] Until 1998, Uttarakhand was the name most commonly used to refer to the region, as various political groups, including theUttarakhand Kranti Dal (Uttarakhand Revolutionary Party), began agitating for separate statehood under its banner. Although the erstwhile hill kingdoms of Garhwal and Kumaon were traditional rivals the inseparable and complementary nature of their geography, economy, culture, language, and traditions created strong bonds between the two regions.[42] These bonds formed the basis of the new political identity of Uttarakhand, which gained significant momentum in 1994, when demand for separate statehood achieved almost unanimous acceptance among both the local populace and national political parties.[43]
Uttarakhand is also well known for the mass agitation of the 1970s that led to the formation of theChipko environmental movement[47] and other social movements. Though primarily alivelihood movement rather than a forest conservation movement, it went on to become a rallying point for many futureenvironmentalists, environmental protests, and movements the world over and created a precedent for non-violent protest.[48] It stirred up the existing civil society in India, which began to address the issues of tribal and marginalised people. So much so that, a quarter of a century later,India Today mentioned the people behind the "forest satyagraha" of the Chipko movement as among "100 people who shaped India".[49] One of Chipko's most salient features was the mass participation of female villagers.[50] It was largely female activists that played pivotal role in the movement.Gaura Devi was the leading activist who started this movement, other participants wereChandi Prasad Bhatt,Sunderlal Bahuguna, and Ghanshyam Raturi, the popular Chipko poet.[51]
Topography map of Uttarakhand, showing elevations shaded from green to brown (higher)
Uttarakhand has a total area of 53,483 km2 (20,650 sq mi),[52] of which 86% is mountainous and 65% is covered by forest.[52] Most of the northern part of the state is covered by highHimalayan peaks and glaciers. In the first half of the nineteenth century, the expanding development of Indian roads, railways, and other physical infrastructure was giving rise to concerns over indiscriminate logging, particularly in theHimalaya. Two of the most important rivers in Hinduism originate in the glaciers of Uttarakhand, theGanges atGangotri and theYamuna atYamunotri. They are fed by myriad lakes, glacial melts, and streams.[53] These two along withBadrinath andKedarnath form theChota Char Dham, a holy pilgrimage for the Hindus.[54][55][56][57]
Uttarakhand lies on the southern slope of the Himalaya range, and the climate and vegetation vary greatly with elevation, from glaciers at the highest elevations tosubtropical forests at the lower elevations. The highest elevations are covered by ice and bare rock. Below them, between 3,000 and 5,000 metres (9,800 and 16,400 ft) are thewestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows. The temperatewestern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests grow just below the tree line. At 3,000 to 2,600 metres (9,800 to 8,500 ft) elevation they transition to the temperatewestern Himalayan broadleaf forests, which lie in a belt from 2,600 to 1,500 metres (8,500 to 4,900 ft) elevation. Below 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) elevation lie theHimalayan subtropical pine forests. TheUpper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests and the drierTerai-Duar savanna and grasslands cover the lowlands along the Uttar Pradesh border in a belt locally known asBhabar. These lowland forests have mostly been cleared for agriculture, but a few pockets remain.[58]
Uttarakhand has atemperate but varies greatly from north to south.[59] The climatic conditions experienced in the state varysubtropical in the southern part toalpine in the upper reaches of the Himalayan mountain in the northern parts. The winter season from December to February, is extreme with temperatures fluctuating anywhere between 5 °C (41 °F) to 20 °C (68 °F). In higher altitudes and mountainous regions, temperatures often drop below freezing point.[59] Cold winds blow across Uttarakhand, especially in the higher altitudes and mountainous regions. These winds bring cold temperatures and often carry moisture, contributing to the heavy snowfall in places like the Himalayan ranges and hill stations.[59]
During Pre-monsoon or hot weather season from March to May, temperature starts to rise and steadily rises till it reaches its peak in May to the middle of June, when the mean maximum temperature in southern parts and valleys of the state is at about 34 °C (93 °F) C to 38 °C (100 °F) and mean minimum temperature is at about 20 °C (68 °F) to 24 °C (75 °F) C.[60] June to September constitutes thesouthwest monsoon season and the period of October and November is of post monsoon season. The state receives rainfall mainly due monsoon depressions originating in theBay of Bengal during thesouthwest monsoon season. The total annual rainfall for the state as a whole is 133 cm and total annual number of rainy days are about 63 cm. Although, rainfall in the state varies from place to place due to its rugged topography. Precipitation is not heavy and occurs in the form of rain and snow. Winds are generally light of the order of 1 to 4 kmph in the valleys and 5 to 10 kmph at elevations of 2 km increasing further with higher altitudes.
In the summer season of 2016, a large portion of forests in Uttarakhand caught fires and rubbled to ashes duringUttarakhand forest fires incident, which resulted in the damage of forest resources worth billions of rupees and death of 7 people with hundreds of wild animals died during fires. During the2021 Uttarakhand forest fires, there was widespread damage to the forested areas in Tehri district.[69]
A number of native plants are deemed to be of medicinal value.[70] The government-runHerbal Research and Development Institute carries out research and helps conserve medicinal herbs that are found in abundance in the region. Local traditional healers still use herbs, in accordance with classicalAyurvedic texts, for diseases that are usually cured by modern medicine.[71]
The native people of Uttarakhand are generally called Uttarakhandi and sometimes specifically eitherGarhwali orKumaoni depending on their place of origin in either theGarhwal orKumaon region. According to the2011 Census of India, Uttarakhand has a population of 10,086,292 comprising 5,137,773 males and 4,948,519 females, with 69.77% of the population living in rural areas. The state is the 20th most populous state of the country having 0.83% of the population on 1.63% of the land. The population density of the state is 189 people per square kilometre having a 2001–2011 decadal growth rate of 18.81%. The gender ratio is 963 females per 1000 males.[74][75][76] The crude birth rate in the state is 18.6 with thetotal fertility rate being 2.3. The state has aninfant mortality rate of 43, amaternal mortality rate of 188 and acrude death rate of 6.6.[77]
Uttarakhand has a multiethnic population spread across two geocultural regions: Garhwal, and Kumaon. A large portion of the population isRajput (various clans of erstwhile landowning rulers and their descendants), including members of the nativeGarhwalis,Kumaonis andGurjars as well as a number of migrants.[78][79][80][81] According to a 2007 study byCentre for the Study of Developing Societies, Uttarakhand has the highest percentage ofBrahmins of any state in India, with approximately 20% of the population.[82] Uttarakhand is among the few Indian states where the historicUpper Caste forms a major share of the population.[82]
The official language of Uttarakhand isHindi,[3] which according to the 2011 census is spoken natively by 43% of the population,[90] and also used throughout the state as a lingua franca.
The major regional languages of Uttarakhand areGarhwali, which according to the 2011 census is spoken by 23% of the population, mostly in the western half of the state,Kumaoni, spoken in the eastern half and native to 20%, andJaunsari, whose speakers are concentrated in Dehradun district in the southwest and make up 1.3% of the state's population. These three languages are closely related, with Garhwali and Kumaoni in particular making up theCentral Pahari language subgroup. The languages have been part of various scattered conservation efforts due to their active decline beginning in the later quarter of the 20th century. The decline is hypothesized to be the result of heavy state-sponsored promotion of Hindi as the official language.[91]
All the languages enumerated so far belong to theIndo-Aryan family. Apart from a few other minority Indo-Aryan languages, likeBuksa Tharu andRana Tharu (of Udham Singh Nagar district in the south-east),Mahasu Pahari (found in Uttarkashi in the north-west), andDoteli,[92] Uttarakhand is also home to a number of indigenousSino-Tibetan languages, most of which are spoken in the north of the state. These includeJad (spoken in Uttarkashi district in the north-west),Rongpo (of Chamoli district), and several languages of Pithoragarh district in the north-east:Byangsi,Chaudangsi,Darmiya,Raji andRawat.[93] Another indigenous Sino-Tibetan language,Rangas, became extinct by the middle of the 20th century. Additionally, two non-indigenous Sino-Tibetan languages are also represented:Kulung (otherwise native to Nepal) andTibetan.[92]
The Indian classical languageSanskrit has been declared a second official language,[94][95] by the BJP government for its allegedly historic association with the region. At present the language has no native speakers and its use is constrained to educational and religious settings.[citation needed]
There are also sizeable populations of speakers of some of India's other major languages:Urdu (4.2%) andPunjabi (2.6%), both mostly found in the southern districts,Bengali (1.5%) andBhojpuri (0.95%), both mainly present in Udham Singh Nagar district in the south-east, andNepali (1.1%, found throughout the state, but most notably in Dehradun and Uttarkashi).[90]
Uttarakhand: mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Census.[90]
More than four-fifths of Uttarakhand's residents areHindus.[24]Muslims,Sikhs,Christians,Buddhists, andJains make up the remaining population, with the Muslims being the largest minority.[24] Hill regions are almost entirely Hindu, while the plains regions have a significant minority of Muslims and Sikhs.[76]
is divided into 13districts under two divisions viz.Kumaon andGarhwal. Each division is administered by adivisional commissioner. Four new districts named Didihat, Kotdwar, Ranikhet, and Yamunotri were declared by then Chief Minister of Uttarakhand,Ramesh Pokhriyal, on 15 August 2011 but yet to be officially formed.[97]
TheGovernment of Uttarakhand is ademocratically elected body in India with thegovernor as its constitutional head and is appointed by thepresident of India for a five-year term. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as thechief minister by the governor, and the council of ministers is appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister. The governor remains a ceremonial head of the state, while the chief minister and his council are responsible for day-to-day government functions. The Council of Ministers consists of Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State (MoS). The Secretariat headed by theChief Secretary assists the council of ministers. The Chief Secretary is also the administrative head of the government. Each government department is headed by a minister, who is assisted by anAdditional Chief Secretary or aPrincipal Secretary, who is usually an officer ofIndian Administrative Service (IAS), the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary serves as the administrative head of the department they are assigned to. Each department also has officers of the rank of Secretary, Special Secretary, Joint Secretary etc. assisting the Minister and theAdditional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary.
For administration, the state is divided into two divisions and 13 districts.Divisional Commissioner, an IAS officer is the head of administration on the divisional level. The administration in each district is headed by aDistrict Magistrate, who is also an IAS officer, and is assisted by several officers belonging to state services. District Magistrate being the head of the district administration, is responsible for maintaining law and order and providing public services in the district. At the block level, the Block Development Officer (BDO) is responsible for the overall development of theblock. TheUttarakhand Police is headed by an IPS officer of the rank ofDirector general of police. ASuperintendent of Police, an IPS officer assisted by the officers of the Uttarakhand Police Service, is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues in each district. The Divisional Forest Officer, an officer belonging to theIndian Forest Service manages the forests, environment, and wildlife of the district, assisted by the officers of Uttarakhand Forest Service and Uttarakhand Forest Subordinate Service.
The judiciary in the state consists of theUttarakhand High Court inNainital, district courts and session courts in each district or Sessions Division, and lower courts at thetehsil level. The president of India appoints the chief justice of the High Court of the Uttarakhand judiciary on the advice of theChief Justice of theSupreme Court of India as well as the governor of Uttarakhand . Subordinate Judicial Service, categorised into two divisions viz. Uttarakhand civil judicial services and Uttarakhand higher judicial service are another vital part of the judiciary of Uttarakhand . While the Uttarakhand civil judicial services comprise the Civil Judges (Junior Division)/Judicial Magistrates and civil judges (Senior Division)/Chief Judicial Magistrate, the Uttarakhand higher judicial service comprises civil and sessions judges.[100]
Among the prominent local crafts iswood carving known asLikhai, which appears most frequently in theornately decorated temples of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand. Intricately carved designs of floral patterns, deities, and geometrical motifs also decorate the doors, windows, ceilings, and walls of village houses. Paintings and murals are used to decorate both houses and temples.
Garwhali Miniature painting is a form of miniature painting that flourished in the region between the 17th and 19th century.Mola Ram is credited as the true father of the Garhwali Branch of the wider Pahari School. Kumaoni art often is geometrical in nature, while Garhwali art is known for its closeness to nature.
Aipan is a GI certified Kumaoni ritual folk art[101] done mainly during special ceremonies, the festival of Diwali, marriages and other religious rituals. Its predominantly female practitioners believe that it invokes a divine power which brings about good fortune and deters evil. The art is special as it is done on empty walls, which are brick-red in colour, calledgeru. The actual art is done with a white paste made ofrice flour.[102]
Jyuti patta is a class of water color paintings done on rituals, called Jyuti. Some scholars also consider Jyuti to be synonymous with the word mother of the world. To give concrete form to the deity, two-dimensional geometry is given expression in the form of frescoes. This is a geometric or decorative semi-graphic structure in which different colours and symbols are used. This structure called Jyuti also gets a new dimension by the use of ochre or biswar of Tepan. Jyunti is prepared on the surface of wall or paper and the composition is given with cotton and a brush of limiter. In this artform, various qualities of a specific deity are shown.[103]
The primary food of Uttarakhand is vegetables with wheat being a staple, although non-vegetarian food is also served. A distinctive characteristic of Uttarakhand cuisine is the sparing use of tomatoes, milk, and milk-based products.
Coarse grain with high fibre content is very common in Uttarakhand due to the harsh terrain. Crops most commonly associated with Uttarakhand areBuckwheat (locally calledKotu orKuttu) and the regional crops,Maduwa andJhangora, particularly in the interior regions of Kumaon and Garhwal. Generally, eitherDesi Ghee orMustard oil is used for the purpose of cooking food. Simple recipes are made interesting with the use of hash seedsJakhya as spice,chutney made ofBhang is also a regional cuisine.
Bal Mithai is a popular fudge-like sweet. Other popular dishes include Dubuk, Chains, Kap, Bhatiya, Jaula, Phana, Paliyo, Chutkani and Sei. In sweets; Swal, Ghughut/Khajur, Arsa,Mishri, Gatta andGulgulas are popular.
Many regional variations ofKadhi calledJhoi orJholi is also popular.[104] Another staple of the Kumaon region is a black soybean dal referred to asBhatt orchudkani. A grinded dalchaisu is also popular in the Garhwal region.
The state has a predominant non-vegetarian population, with some estimates suggesting 75% of the population being non-vegetarian. Various boar, chicken, mutton and hare recipes are popular in the region. A popular mutton dishbhutwa, is made from goat intestine and other offcuts.
The dances of the region are connected to life and human existence and exhibit myriad human emotions. Langvir Nritya is a dance form for males that resembles gymnastic movements. Barada Nati folk dance is another dance ofJaunsar-Bawar, which is practised during some religious festivals. Other well-known dances include Hurka Baul, Jhora-Chanchri, Chhapeli, Thadya, Jhumaila,Pandav, Chauphula, andChholiya.[105][106]
Music is an integral part of the Uttarakhandi culture. Popular types of folk songs include Mangal, Basanti, Khuder and Chhopati.[107] These folk songs are played on instruments includingDhol,Damau, Turri,Ransingha,Dholki, Daur,Thali,Bhankora, Mandan andMashakbaja. "Bedu Pako Baro Masa" is a popular folk song of Uttarakhand with international fame and legendary status within the state. It serves as the cultural anthem of Uttarakhandi people worldwide.[108][109]
Music is also used as a medium through which the gods are invoked.Jagar is a form of spirit worship in which the singer, orJagariya, sings a ballad of the gods, the ballads envoke local deities with allusions to great epics, likeMahabharat andRamayana, that describe the adventures and exploits of the god being invoked.
Kumauni Holi, in forms including Baithki Holi, Khari Holi, and Mahila Holi, all of which start fromVasant Panchami, are festivals and musical affairs that can last almost a month.[citation needed]
Almora Dussehra is a regional variant of Dussehra, dating back to 1936. It is distinct for burning fifteen distinct effigies, each representing the members of the Hindu mythological villain Ravana's entire bloodline. The effigies are all ornate and exquisitely designed. They are paraded through the city of Almora before finally being set on fire to symbolise the triumph of good over evil.[116]
Ramman is an agro-religious festival and ritual masked theatre endemic to the Garhwali People in the Saloor Dungra village of the Painkhanda Valley in the Chamoli district. The festival serves as an offering to the village deity, Bhumichetrapal or Bhumiyal Devta, in the courtyard of the village temple. Every day of the festival, the Devta takes a round of the village. The festival lasts for ten days during which time the local epic of Rama is sung and masked dances depicting different aspects of life take place in the courtyard of the Bhumiyal Devta's temple.
Haridwar Kumbh Mela, one of the majorHindu pilgrimages, takes place in Uttarakhand.Haridwar is one of the four places in India where this mela is organised. Haridwar most recently hosted the PurnaKumbh Mela fromMakar Sankranti (14 January 2010) to Vaishakh Purnima Snan (28 April 2010). Hundreds of foreigners joined Indian pilgrims in the festival, which is considered the largest religious gathering in the world.[117]
Phool-Dei is a folk festival which welcomes the spring season in the state. The festival is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month, Chaitra. In some places, the festival is celebrated as carnival and the celebration goes on for a month. The term 'Dei' refers to a ceremonial pudding which is the key food in this festival that is made from jaggery. White flour and curd are also offered. Young children gather together and go to every house in their village/towns with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves, and flowers. In return, they are presented with blessings and gifts like sweets, jaggery, and money. The wishing and blessing part also include placing flowers and rice on the doorsteps of the houses by the children. People of village sing and dance on their folk songs to celebrate the festival of spring along with exchanging wishes for well being and prosperity of their family and relatives.
Harela is a kumaoni festival hypothesized to date back to the indigenous population. 10–11 days before the Sankranti of Shravan, a bed is made by adding soil in bamboo pots etc. Grains grown during the rainy season like paddy, maize, urad etc. are sown, this is called Hariyala. Harakali Mahotsav, Idols of Gauri Maheshwar, Ganesha and Karkitkeya are made from clay, coloured in them and worshiped with various fruits, flowers, dishes and sweets in a bed of greenery on the night of the month of Sanat. On the second day, the Harela of Uttarang Puja is placed on the head. Sisters and daughters-in-law apply tilak and tilak and put Harela on their heads. They are given gifts.[118]
A woman winnowing rice, an important food crop in Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand state is the second fastest growing state in India.[119] Its gross state domestic product (GSDP) (at constant prices) more than doubled from₹24,786 crore in FY2005 to₹60,898 crore in FY2012. The real GSDP grew at 13.7% (CAGR) during the FY2005–FY2012 period. The contribution of the service sector to the GSDP of Uttarakhand was just over 50% during FY 2012. Per capita income in Uttarakhand is₹ 198738 (FY 2018–19), which is higher than the national average of₹ 126406 (FY 2018–19).[120][121] According to theReserve Bank of India, the total foreign direct investment in the state from April 2000 to October 2009 amounted to US$46.7 million.[122]
Like most of India, agriculture is one of the most significant sectors of the economy of Uttarakhand.Basmati rice, wheat, soybeans, groundnuts, coarse cereals, pulses, andoil seeds are the most widely grown crops. Fruits like apples, oranges, pears, peaches, lychees, and plums are widely grown and important to the large food processing industry. Agricultural export zones have been set up in the state for lychees, horticulture, herbs, medicinal plants, and basmati rice. During 2010, wheat production was 831 thousand tonnes and rice production was 610 thousand tonnes, while the main cash crop of the state, sugarcane, had a production of 5058 thousand tonnes. As 86% of the state consists of hills, the yield per hectare is not very high. 86% of all croplands are in the plains while the remaining is from the hills.[123] The state also holds the GI tag for Tejpatta (Cinnamomum tamala) or Indian bay leaf, which is known to add flavour to dishes and also possesses several medicinal properties.[124]
Other key industries include tourism and hydropower, and there is prospective development in IT, ITES, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and automobile industries. The service sector of Uttarakhand mainly includes tourism, information technology, higher education, and banking.[123]
During 2005–2006, the state successfully developed three Integrated Industrial Estates (IIEs) atHaridwar,Pantnagar, andSitarganj; Pharma City at Selakui; Information Technology Park at Sahastradhara (Dehradun); and a growth centre at Sigaddi (Kotdwar). Also in 2006, 20 industrial sectors in public private partnership mode were developed in the state.[126]
Uttarakhand has 2,683 km (1,667 mi) of roads, of which 1,328 km (825 mi) are national highways and 1,543 km (959 mi) arestate highways.[126] The state has 14 national highways, comprising 2.2% of the total national highways length in India.[127] TheUttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC), established on 31 October 2003 after reorganizing the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC). The corporation provides transportation in the state with connecting services to adjoining states. The UTC buses are the most common and affordable mode of transportation in Uttarakhand. As of 2012, approximately 1000 buses are being plied by the UTC on 35 nationalised routes along with many other non-nationalised routes. There are also private transport operators operating approximately 3000 buses on non-nationalised routes along with a few interstate routes in Uttarakhand and the neighbouring state ofUttar Pradesh.[128] For travelling locally, the state, like most of the country, hasauto rickshaws andcycle rickshaws. In addition, remote towns and villages in the hills are connected to important road junctions and bus routes by share mode of transportation.[citation needed]
As over 86% of state's terrain consists of hills, railway services are very limited in the state and are largely confined to the plains. In 2011, the total length of railway tracks was about 345 km (214 mi).[126] The most important railway station inKumaun Division of Uttarakhand is atKathgodam. Kathgodam is the last terminus of the broad gauge line of North East Railways that connects Nainital with Delhi, Dehradun, andHowrah. Other notable railway stations are atPantnagar,Lalkuan andHaldwani.Dehradun railway station is a railhead of the Northern Railways.[129] Haridwar station is situated on the Delhi–Dehradun and Howrah–Dehradun railway lines. One of the main railheads of the Northern Railways, Haridwar Junction Railway Station is connected by broad gauge line. Roorkee comes under Northern Railway region of Indian Railways on the mainPunjab –Mughal Sarai trunk route and is connected to major Indian cities. Other railheads areRishikesh,Kotdwar andRamnagar linked to Delhi by daily trains.[citation needed]
Uttarakhand has many tourist spots due to its location in the Himalayas. There are many ancient temples, forest reserves, national parks, hill stations, and mountain peaks that draw large number of tourists. There are 44 nationally protected monuments in the state.[131]Oak Grove School in the state is on the tentative list for World Heritage Sites.[132] Two of the most holy rivers inHinduism theGanges andYamuna, originate in Uttarakhand.Binsar Devta is a popular Hindu temple in the area.[133][134]
Uttarakhand has long been called "Land of the Gods"[52] as the state has some of the holiestHindu shrines, and for more than a thousand years, pilgrims have been visiting the region in the hopes of salvation and purification from sin.Gangotri andYamunotri, the sources of the Ganges and Yamuna, dedicated toGanga andYamuna respectively, fall in the upper reaches of the state and together withBadrinath (dedicated toVishnu) andKedarnath (dedicated toShiva) form theChota Char Dham, one of Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious pilgrimage circuits. Haridwar, meaning "Gateway to the God", is a prime Hindu destination.Haridwar hosts theHaridwar Kumbh Mela every twelve years, in which millions of pilgrims take part from all parts of India and the world.Rishikesh near Haridwar is known as the preeminentyoga centre of India. The state has an abundance of temples and shrines, many dedicated to local deities or manifestations of Shiva andDurga, references to many of which can be found in Hindu scriptures and legends.[135] Uttarakhand is, however, a place of pilgrimage for the adherents of other religions too.Piran Kaliyar Sharif nearRoorkee is a pilgrimage site toMuslims,Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, inDehradun,Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib inChamoli district,Gurudwara Nanakmatta Sahib inNanakmatta andGurudwara Reetha Sahib inChampawat district are pilgrimage centres forSikhs.Tibetan Buddhism has also made its presence with the reconstruction ofMindrolling Monastery and itsBuddhaStupa, described as the world's highest atClement Town,Dehradun.[136][137]
The state has 12 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, which cover 13.8% of the total area of the state.[139] They are located at different altitudes varying from 800 to 5400 metres. The oldest national park on the Indian sub-continent,Jim Corbett National Park, is a major tourist attraction.[63]
Vasudhara Falls, nearBadrinath, is a waterfall with a height of 122 metres (400 ft) set in a backdrop of snow-clad mountains.[140] The state has always been a destination formountaineering,hiking, androck climbing in India. A recent development inadventure tourism in the region has been whitewaterrafting in Rishikesh. Due to its proximity to the Himalaya ranges, the place is full of hills and mountains and is suitable for trekking, climbing, skiing, camping, rock climbing, and paragliding.[141]Roopkund is a trekking site, known for the mysterious skeletons found in a lake, which was featured byNational Geographic Channel in a documentary.[142] The trek to Roopkund passes through the meadows ofBugyal.[citation needed]
New Tehri city hasTehri Dam, with a height of 260.5 metres (855 ft) is the tallest dam in India. It is currently ranked No 10 on theList of Tallest Dams in the world. Tehri Lake with a surface area of 52 km2 (20 sq mi), is thebiggest lake in the state of Uttarakhand. It has good options for Adventure Sports and various water sports like Boating, Banana Boat, Bandwagon Boat, Jet Ski, Water Skiing, Para-sailing, Kayaking.[citation needed]
The educational system prevailing in the state's schools specifies an initial 10-year course of study, which is divided into three stages: lower primary, upper primary, and secondary school—known as 4+3+3, which signifies the number of years for each stage. After the first 10 years of schooling, students typically enroll in Higher Secondary Schooling in one of the three major streams—liberal arts,commerce, orscience. Upon completing the required coursework, students can enroll in general or professional undergraduate (UG) degree-college programmes. Schools in the state are either managed by the government or by private trusts. The majority of public schools are affiliated with theUttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE) use Hindi as a medium of instruction. Private schools in Uttarakhand—which use English as the language of instruction—are affiliated to one of three administering bodies,CBSE,CISCE, orICSE.
Due to its mountainous terrain and rivers, Uttarakhand attract tourists and adventure seekers foradventure sports, such asparagliding,sky diving,rafting andbungee jumping.[143] Uttarakhand is home to some of the highest peaks in India, includingNanda Devi andTirsuli, popular for mountaineering expeditions and climbing activities. Traditional sportsMallakhamb (pole gymnastics),Gatka (a form ofmartial arts) andGulli Danda (similar to cricket) are preserved, are preserved but have limited exposure. More recently,golf has also become popular withRanikhet being a favorite destination.[citation needed]
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