Uttarakhand State is also known as Devbhoomi which means God’s Land. Uttaranchal is the old name of Uttarakhand which is the 27th state of India. It was formed on the 9th of November 2000, when it was carved out of northern Uttar Pradesh.
Uttarakhand located at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain ranges, it is largely a hilly State, having international boundaries with Tibet (China) in the north and Nepal in the east.
On its north-west lies Himachal Pradesh (HP), while on the south is Uttar Pradesh (UP). It is rich in natural resources especially water and dense forests with many glaciers, rivers, and snow-clad mountain peaks.
Chota Char Dhams, the four most sacred and revered Hindu temples of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri are nestled in the mighty mountains. It’s truly God’s Land also known as Dev Bhoomi in Hindi.
In this article, we have compiled detailed information about the state of Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand State at a Glance
Here are the major facts and profiles of the State of Uttarakhand.
Founded/Statehood | 9 November 2000 |
Other Name | Uttaranchal, Devabhumi or Devbhoomi |
Capital | Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer) |
Chief Minister (CM) | Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP) |
Governor | Baby Rani Maurya |
Districts | 13 |
Tehsils | 109 |
Population (2011) | 10,086,292 |
Literacy (2011) | 79.63% |
Sex Ratio (2011) | 963 ♀/1000 ♂ |
State Code | 05 |
Official Website | https://uk.gov.in |
Uttarakhand History & State Formation
In 1947, when India attained independence from the British rule, the Garhwal & Kumaon Kingdom (Now Uttarakhand) was merged into the state of Uttar Pradesh.
After Independence, Kingdoms were merging in States, that is why the term “Kingdom” vanished and Uttarakhand emerged which is composed the Garhwal and Kumaon Divisions.
Until 1998, Uttarakhand was the name most commonly used to refer to both regions, as various revolutionary and political groups, including the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, 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, art & culture, language, and traditions created strong bonds between the two regions.
Uttarakhand State Movement
This was the time when people felt the new political identity of Uttarakhand, which gained significant momentum in 1994 when demand for separate statehood achieved almost unanimous acceptance among both the regions and national political parties.
Uttarakhand movement is termed to the events of statehood activism within the state Uttar Pradesh, which ultimately resulted in a new separate hilly state of Uttarakhand. On 9 November 2000, Uttarakhand became a separate state of Uttar Pradesh.
It is notable that the formation of Uttarakhand State was achieved with a very long struggle and heavy sacrifices. The first demand of Uttarakhand arose in 1897 and there had gradually been a rising demand for a separate state several times. In 1994, the demand for statehood eventually took the form of mass movement that resulted in the forming of the 27th state of the Republic of India.
Capital of Uttarakhand
Dehradun and Gairsain are the two capitals in Uttarakhand State. Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer). Dehradun is the winter capital of Uttarakhand state. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the sub mountain tracts of northern India, known for its scenic surroundings. Dehradun district lies in the Dun or Doon Valley, on the watershed of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. Gairsain is the summer capital of the state. Gairsain is a town located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
Trivendra Singh Rawat is the eighth and current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He assumed office on 12 March 2017. Rawat was a member of the RSS from 1979 to 2002. Rawat joined the right-wing organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1979 before becoming its Pracharak (apostle) for the Dehradun region in 1985. Subsequently, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the political party associated with it.
Governor of Uttarakhand
Baby Rani Maurya serving as the seventh governor of Uttarakhand since 26 August 2018. She entered politics as a worker for the BJP in the early 1990s. She was the first woman mayor of Agra Municipal Corporation from 1995 to 2000.
Uttarakhand State Subdivisions
There are 2 Administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, Garhwal, and Kumaon. Both divisions have their own identities. Uttarakhand Administration department controls both divisions from their separate offices.
GARHWAL DIVISION, Office Of Commissioner Garhwal, Pauri
KUMAON DIVISION, Office Of Commissioner Kumaon, Nainital
- There are 13 districts in Uttarakhand.
- There are 109 tehsils in the 13 districts of Uttarakhand.
- There are 95 community development blocks in the 13 districts of Uttarakhand.
- There are 8 Municipal Corporations in Uttarakhand.
- There are 41 Municipal Councils in Uttarakhand
- There are 43 Nagar Panchayats in Uttarakhand
- There are 9 Cantonment Boards in Uttarakhand
Districts in Uttarakhand
There are 13 districts in the state of Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand is basically a hilly state which has divided into two parts. Garhwal and Kumaon Division (Mandals). There are 7 districts in Garhwal Division and 6 districts in Kumaon Division.
GARHWAL DISTRICTS | KUMAON DISTRICTS |
---|---|
1. Dehradun 2. Haridwar 3. Chamoli 4. Rudraprayag 5. Tehri Garhwal 6. Uttarkashi 7. Pauri Garhwal | 8. Almora 9. Nainital 10. Pithoragarh 11. Udham Singh Nagar 12. Bageshwar 13. Champawat |
Tehsils in Uttarakhand
There are 109 Tehsils in 13 districts of Uttarakhand state. Here we have compiled a complete list of 109 tehsils with their name and district. The number of tehsils in each district in Uttarakhand is also mentioned in the list Following.
DISTRICTS | NO. | TEHSILS |
---|---|---|
Dehradun | 7 | Chakrata, Dehradun, Doiwala, Kalsi, Rishikesh, Tyuni, Vikasnagar |
Haridwar | 4 | Bhagwanpur, Haridwar, Laksar, Roorkee |
Chamoli | 10 | Adi Badri, Gairsain, Ghat, Gopeshwar, Jilasu, Jyotirmath, Karnaprayag, Narayanbagar, Pokhari, Tharali |
Rudraprayag | 4 | Basukedar, Jakholi, Rudraprayag, Ukhimath |
Tehri Garhwal | 14 | Balganga, Devprayag, Dhanaulti, Gaja, Ghansali, Jakhanidhar, Kandisaur, Kirtinagar, Madannegi, Nainbagh, Narendranagar, Pavki Devi, Pratapnagar, Tehri |
Uttarkashi | 8 | Barkot, Bhatwari, Chinyalisaur, Dhauntari, Dunda, Joshiyara, Mori, Purola |
Pauri Garhwal | 10 | Chakisain, Chaubattakhal, Dhumakot, Kotdwar, Lansdowne, Pauri, Satpuli, Srinagar, Thalisain, Yamkeshwar |
Almora | 11 | Almora, Bhanoli, Bhikiyasain, Chaukhutia, Dwarahat, Jainti, Lamgara, Ranikhet, Salt, Someshwar, Syalde |
Nainital | 9 | Betalghat, Dhari, Haldwani, Kaladhungi, Khansyu, Koshyakutauli, Lalkuan, Nainital, Ramnagar |
Pithoragarh | 12 | Bangapani, Berinag, Devalthal, Dharchula, Didihat, Ganai, Gangolihat, Kanalichhina, Munsiari, Pithoragarh, Tejam, Thal |
Udham Singh Nagar | 9 | Bajpur, Gadarpur, Jaspur, Kashipur, Khatima, Kichha, Nanakmatta, Rudrapur, Sitarganj |
Bageshwar | 6 | Bageshwar, Dug Nakuri, Garur, Kanda, Kaphaligair, Kapkot |
Champawat | 5 | Barakot, Champawat, Lohaghat, Pati, Purnagir |
TOTAL | 109 |
Uttarakhand Legislative
There is the unicameral state legislature and bicameral center Legislature in Uttarakhand.
- There are 70 seats of Legislative assembly.
- There are 3 seats of Rajya Sabha.
- There are 5 seats of Loksabha.
Legislative Assembly in Uttarakhand
Here is the list of 70 Legislative Assembly seats in Uttarakhand.
1. Purola (SC) 2. Yamunotri 3. Gangotri 4. Badrinath 5. Tharali (SC) 6. Karnaprayag 7. Kedarnath 8. Rudraprayag 9. Ghansali (SC) 10. Devprayag 11. Narendranagar 12. Pratapnagar 13. Tehri 14. Dhanaulti 15. Chakrata (ST) 16. Vikasnagar 17. Sahaspur 18. Dharampur 19. Raipur 20. Rajpur Road (SC) 21. Dehradun Cantt 22. Mussoorie 23. Doiwala | 24. Rishikesh 25. Haridwar 26. BHEL Ranipur 27. Jwalapur (SC) 28. Bhagwanpur (SC) 29. Jhabrera (SC) 30. Piran Kaliyar 31. Roorkee 32. Khanpur 33. Manglaur 34. Laksar 35. Haridwar Rural 36. Yamkeshwar 37. Pauri (SC) 38. Srinagar 39. Chaubattakhal 40. Lansdowne 41. Kotdwar 42. Dharchula 43. Didihat 44. Pithoragarh 45. Gangolihat (SC) 46. Kapkot | 47. Bageshwar (SC) 48. Dwarahat 49. Salt 50. Ranikhet 51. Someshwar (SC) 52. Almora 53. Jageshwar 54. Lohaghat 55. Champawat 56. Lalkuan 57. Bhimtal 58. Nainital 59. Haldwani 60. Kaladhungi 61. Ramnagar 62. Jaspur 63. Kashipur 64. Bajpur (SC) 65. Gadarpur 66. Rudrapur 67. Kichha 68. Sitarganj 69. Nanakmatta 70. Khatima |
Constituencies in Uttarakhand
There are 3 seats of Rajya Sabha and 5 seats of Loksabha in Uttarakhand.
Here is the list of 5 Lok Sabha Parliamentary Constituencies seats in Uttarakhand.
- Tehri Garhwal
- Garhwal
- Almora
- Nainital–Udhamsingh Nagar
- Haridwar
Demographics
Here are the answers to some most frequently asked questions like what is the population of Uttarakhand? And many more about Caste, Religion & languages in Uttarakhand.
Population in Uttarakhand
According to the 2011 Census of India,
- The Population of Uttarakhand State is 10,086,292 (1 Crore).
- In which 5,137,773 are males and 4,948,519 are female.
- The gender ratio in Uttarakhand is 963 females per 1000 males.
- Uttarakhand State Literacy rate is 79.63%
Ethnicity in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand has a multiethnic population spread across both regions, Garhwal, and the Kumaon. A large portion of the population is Rajput, including members of the native Garhwali, and Kumaoni as well as a number of migrants from Nepal.
- Rajputs/Khasiya (40–45%)
- Brahmins (20%)
- Scheduled Castes (18.76%)
- Scheduled Tribes (2.89%)
- Others (5-10%)
According to a 2007 study by Centre for the Study of Developing Societies,
Uttarakhand has the highest percentage of Brahmins of any state in India, with approximately 20% of the population being Brahmin.
18.76% of the population belongs to the Scheduled Castes.
2.89% of the population belongs to the Scheduled Tribes such as the Jaunsari, Bhotiya, Tharu, Buksa, Raji, Jad and Banrawat.
Religions in Uttarakhand
According to Census 2011, Percentage of Religion in Uttarakhand are:
- Hinduism (82.97%)
- Islam (13.95%)
- Sikhism (2.34%)
- Christianity (0.37%)
- Buddhism (0.15%)
- Jainism (0.09%)
- Others or not religious (0.13%)
More than 4 out of the 5th of Uttarakhand’s residents are Hindus.
Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, and Jains make up the remaining population with the Muslims being the largest minority.
Languages in Uttarakhand
According to Census 2011, Percentage of Languages in Uttarakhand are:
- Hindi (43%)
- Garhwali (23%)
- Kumaoni (20%)
- Urdu (4.2%)
- Punjabi (2.6%)
- Bengali (1.5%)
- Jaunsari (1.3%)
- Nepali (1.1%)
- Bhojpuri (0.95%)
The official language of Uttarakhand is Hindi, which is spoken natively by 43% of the population, and also used throughout the state as a common language. Additionally, the classical language Sanskrit has been declared a second official language by the Govt. of Uttarakhand.
The other major regional languages of Uttarakhand are Garhwali, which is spoken by 23% of the population mostly in the western half of the state also called the Garhwal Division.
Kumaoni, spoken in the eastern half mostly Kumaon Region and native to 20%, and Jaunsari, whose speakers are concentrated in the Dehradun district in the southwest and makeup 1.3% of the state’s population.
There are also sizeable populations of speakers of Urdu (4.2%) and Punjabi (2.6%), both mostly found in the southern districts, Bengali (1.5%) and Bhojpuri (0.95%), both mainly present in Udham Singh Nagar districts in the south-east, and Nepali (1.1%, found throughout the state, but most notably in Dehradun and Uttarkashi).
Uttarakhand State Symbols
The following is a list of symbols of the Uttarakhand State.
State Emblem | Diamond Shield |
State Flower | Brahma Kamal (Saussurea obvallata) |
State Bird | Himalayan Monal |
State Animal | Kasturi Mrig (Alpine musk deer) |
State Fruit | Kaphal |
State Vegetable | Kandali (Stinging nettle) |
State Sports/Game | Football |
State Tree | Burans (Rhododendron arboreum) |
State Sweet | Bal Mithai |
State Song | “Uttarakhand, Devabhumi, Matribhumi” |
State Instrument | Dhol, Damau |
State Languages | Hindi, Sanskrit |
Education in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand is very famous for its schools and Institutions. Lakhs of students come to cities like Dehradun, Roorkee, Haridwar, and Rishikesh to pursue their academics education. Especially, Dehradun is very popular for Boarding schools.
Schools in Uttarakhand
The peaceful environment and Prestigious Schools is the reason which makes Uttarkhand best for studies. As we talk earlier, Dehradun is known for its Top Class Boarding Schools like The Doon School, The Asian School, Welham Girls’ School.. etc.
Mussoorie is also famous for schools like Woodstock School, Wynberg Allen School, and St. George’s College.
Many parents from different states of India visit Dehradun every year for the school admissions of their children. That’s why you also heard many celeb kids also studying in Boarding Schools in Uttarakhand.
Colleges in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand is one of the best choices to pursue graduation and higher studies. More than lakhs of students take admissions in Colleges in Uttarakhand. Dehradun is a hub of Education whether it is elementary education or higher studies.
HNB Garhwal University is most popular for the regular graduation courses like BA, B.Sc and B.Com. While Graphic Era University is popular for professional courses like B.Tech, MBA and many others.
Famous Institutions
From Management to Technology and Defence To Research, Uttarakhand is Popular for so many well-known Government Institutions. Here are some of the prestigious Academies and Research Institutes With their Full Form.
FRI Dehradun (Forest Research Institute)
IIM Kashipur (Indian Institute of Management)
NIT Srinagar (National Institute of Technology)
IIT Roorkee (Indian Institute of Technology)
IMA Dehradun (Indian Military Academy)
LBSNAA Mussoorie (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration)
IIP Dehradun (Indian Institute of Petroleum)
WII Dehradun (Wildlife Institute of India)
Survey of India Dehradun
RIMC Dehradun (Rashtriya Indian Military College)
IGNFA Dehradun (Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy)
ICFRE Dehradun (Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education)
IIRS Dehradun (Indian Institute of Remote Sensing)
ZSI Dehradun (Zoological Survey of India)
NIM Uttarkashi (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering)
WIHG Dehradun (Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology)
AIIMS Rishikesh (All India Institute of Medical Sciences)
BSI Dehradun (Botanical Survey Of India)
GKV Haridwar (Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya)
GBPUAT Pantnagar (Govind Ballabh Pant University Of Agriculture and Technology)
Weather in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand weather is ideal for traveling, trekking, and camping. The temperature in Uttarakhand remains mostly perfect for summer, especially in hill stations. Many tourists visit places like Mussoorie and Nainital in summer to beat the heat.
In Winters, weather in Uttarakhand may not be suitable in places like Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. But Mussoorie is the best hill station for snowfall lovers in the winter season.
Tourism in Uttarakhand
Tourism is a major source of income for local people. Uttarakhand Government also generates thousand of crore revenue by tourism and related activities.
Uttarakhand is also known as Devbhoomi which means God’s Land. And there are many Hindu pilgrimage sites like Kedarnath and Badrinath that are the major attraction for devotees.
Places To Visit in Uttarakhand
Char Dham temples, famous hill stations like Mussoorie-Nainital and cities like Dehradun, Haridwar, and Rishikesh are also the main attraction for travelers.
Dehradun is famous for its pleasant climate which attracts many travelers. There are many beautiful tourist spots like Robers Cave, Dehradun Zoo, Buddha Temple, Har ki doon Trek, Tapkeshwar Temple, Rajaji National Park.., etc. Dehradun is easily accessible by road or train from major cities in India.
Rishikesh is also known as the world capital of Yoga. Lakhs of students including foreigners visit yoga centers in Rishikesh every year. Rishikesh is also a major attraction for adventure activities like River Rafting, Bungee Jumping, trekking, and Camping.. etc. Other than this, Thousands of people gather to see Ganga Aarti in the evening every day.
Haridwar is also very famous for its Ashrams and Ghats for the holy Ganga bath. Many people visit Haridwar for spiritual healing and they do meditation near the bank of River Ganga.
Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand
Millions of devotees visit Uttarakhand during Char Dham Yatra season every year. Chota Char Dham yatra consists of 4 major divine temples of Uttarakhand. These are Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Hemkund sahib is also one of the major pilgrimage sites for the Sikh community.
lakhs of Shivbhakts (devotees of lord shiva) visit Shiv temple-like Neelkanth Mahadeva during Mahashivratri and Kanwad Yatra every year.
Hill Stations in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand is a hilly state covered by Himalayan mountain ranges. These mountains are truly god gift to nature lovers and sightseeing travelers. Many people plan their trip to hill stations like Mussoorie, Nainital, Tehri, Kedarnath, and Vally of flowers every year.
The best time to visit Mussorie and Nainital is when the snowfall occurs. The snowfall season in Mussoorie starts from the last week of December and remains until the last week of January.
Thank you for reading about Uttarakhand State.
Here on OkUttarakhand, We are dedicated to providing valid and useful information about Uttarakhand.
If you liked this article, kindly do share it with your friends!!
[…] source […]
[…] Kedarnath is a holy Hindu town located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It is one of the Chota Char Dhams located in the Northern Himalayas. The height of Kedarnath is […]
[…] Char Dham temples are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath and all are situated in Uttarakhand. That is why it is also known as “Chota Char Dham Yatra of […]