Uttarakhand was formed on 9 November 2000 as Uttaranchal. It took the name Uttarakhand in 2007. It has two capitals, Dehradun and Gairsain. It holds the Char Dham shrines and the start of the Ganga.
At a glance
Four key facts on this topic
Contents
How did Uttarakhand begin, and what is it like?
How was Uttarakhand formed?
1.1 When did the state begin?
Uttarakhand was formed on 9 November 2000. Its first name was Uttaranchal. The Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 split it from Uttar Pradesh.
1.2 Why did it change its name?
On 1 January 2007 the state was renamed Uttarakhand. This gave back the name the region used before statehood. The Ministry of Culture still lists the old name for its heritage sites.
Think it through: Which name is the original: Uttaranchal or Uttarakhand?
Uttaranchal was the name at formation in 2000. Uttarakhand was the older name for the region, and it came back in 2007.
What is the state like?
2.1 How big is it?
Uttarakhand covers 53,483 sq km. That is 1.6 percent of India. The state has 13 districts, 78 tehsils and 95 blocks. About 1.01 crore people lived here in 2011.
The literacy rate was 79.63 percent in the same census. It is above the national average.
2.2 Which districts sit in which region?
The 13 districts fall in two divisions. These are Garhwal and Kumaon. Garhwal has seven districts. Kumaon has six.
| Region | Districts | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Garhwal | Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Dehradun, Haridwar | 7 |
| Kumaon | Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Almora, Pithoragarh, Champawat, Bageshwar | 6 |
Count the districts in each region. Dehradun and Haridwar are in Garhwal.
2.3 Who are its neighbours?
China and Nepal lie across its international border. Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh touch it inside India.
Which cities are its capitals?
3.1 Where does the government sit?
Uttarakhand has two capitals. The state lists Dehradun as its temporary capital. It lists Gairsain as its summer capital.
| Capital | Status | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Dehradun | Temporary capital | Dehradun district |
| Gairsain | Summer capital | Chamoli district |
The state calls Dehradun its temporary capital.
3.2 How did Gairsain become the summer capital?
On 4 March 2020 the Chief Minister announced it. The assembly session was meeting in Gairsain at the time. The Governor gave assent on Monday, 8 June 2020. The notice named Gairsain in Chamoli district.
Many people had wanted Gairsain to be the permanent capital for over two decades.
Think it through: Was Gairsain declared on 4 March or on 8 June 2020?
Both dates matter. The announcement came on 4 March. The Governor’s assent on 8 June made the declaration formal.
What makes the state sacred?
What are the Char Dham?
4.1 Which four shrines make up the Char Dham?
The Char Dham are four holy Hindu temples in Uttarakhand. They are Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
Other holy places in the state include Panch Kedar, Panch Badri, Panch Prayag and Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh gurdwara.
4.2 Why is Haridwar called a gateway?
Haridwar is called the Gateway to Gods. It is also an entry point to Dev Bhoomi and the Char Dham. Dev Bhoomi means Land of the Gods.
Sources
How does the Ganga begin?
5.1 Where does the river start?
The Bhagirathi is the source stream of the Ganga. It comes out of the Gangotri Glacier at Gaumukh. Gaumukh is 3,892 m high.
Other headwater streams are the Alaknanda, Dhauliganga, Pindar, Mandakini and Bhilangana.
5.2 Where does it become the Ganga?
At Devprayag the Alaknanda joins the Bhagirathi. From there the river is called the Ganga. At Haridwar it opens onto the plains. Its whole course to the Bay of Bengal is 2525 km.
The Tehri dam stands on the Bhagirathi and makes hydropower.
Think it through: Which two rivers meet to form the Ganga?
The Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda. They meet at Devprayag.
What is protected, and by whom?
Which places are protected?
6.1 What is special about Corbett?
Corbett National Park was set up in 1936. It is called the first National Park of the Asian mainland. Project Tiger was launched here on 1 April 1973.
| Place | Fact | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Corbett National Park | First National Park of the Asian mainland | 1936 |
| Corbett National Park | Project Tiger launched here | 1 April 1973 |
| Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve | India’s second Biosphere Reserve | 1988 |
| Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers | World Heritage Site | Inscribed 1988; boundaries changed 2005 |
Two different 1988 events: a Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage listing.
6.2 What is at Nanda Devi?
Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve was set up in 1988. It is India’s second Biosphere Reserve. Nanda Devi and the Valley of Flowers are also World Heritage Sites. The Ministry of Culture gives 1988 as the inscription date and 2005 for a boundary change.
Nanda Devi National Park surrounds India’s second-highest peak.
Think it through: Why do two different 1988 facts appear for Nanda Devi?
One is the Biosphere Reserve, set up in 1988. The other is the World Heritage inscription, also 1988. Read the question to see which one it asks about.
What was the Chipko movement?
7.1 Where and when did it start?
The Chipko movement began in Chamoli district in 1973. Chipko comes from a word meaning embrace. Villagers hugged the trees to stop them being cut down.
7.2 Who was Gaura Devi?
Gaura Devi headed the Mahila Mangal Dal in Reni village. On 26 March 1974 she went to the forest with 20 women and seven girls. Labourers had come there to fell trees. The women told them not to cut it.
The Reni resistance gave the Chipko agitation a clear shape.
Which institutions started here?
8.1 What is the Forest Research Institute?
The Forest Research Institute is in Dehradun. It has roots in the Imperial Forest Research Institute and College of 1906.
8.2 What is the story of IIT Roorkee?
Roorkee College began working on 1 January 1848. IIT Roorkee lists this date in its own history.
Exam Practice
Exam traps
9.1 Which pairs get confused?
- Capitals: Dehradun is temporary. Gairsain is summer.
- Dates: formed 9 November 2000. Renamed 1 January 2007.
- Rivers: Bhagirathi plus Alaknanda meet at Devprayag.
- 1988: Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage listing for Nanda Devi.
- Char Dham: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri.
Remember this
- 9 Nov 2000: formed as Uttaranchal.
- 1 Jan 2007: renamed Uttarakhand.
- Capitals: Dehradun (temporary), Gairsain (summer).
- Devprayag: Alaknanda meets Bhagirathi; the Ganga is named.
- 1973: Chipko begins in Chamoli.
Explain it back: Say why Uttarakhand has two capitals and two names.
Check your understanding
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