Pauri Garhwal

Pauri Garhwal (or simply Garhwal) is a district in the State of Uttarakhand in India. The district is spread in an area of 5230 sq km and situated between 29° 45’ to 30°15’ Latitude and 78° 24’ to 79° 23’ E Longitude.

The district is bounded by the districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag & Tehri Garhwal in the North, Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh & Udhamsingh Nagar in the South, Almora & Nainital in the East and Dehradun & Haridwar in the West.

Pauri is the headquarter of Pauri Garhwal district.

As per 2001 census, the total population of the district is 6,97,078.

The District is administratively divided into nine tehsils, viz., Pauri, Lansdown, Kotdwar, Thalisain, Dhumakot, Srinagar, Satpuli, Dhumakot & Yamkeshwar and fifteen developmental blocks, viz., Kot, Kaljikhal, Pauri, Pabo, Thalisain, Bironkhal, Dwarikhal, Dugadda , Jaihrikhal, Ekeshwer, Rikhnikhal, Yamkeswar, Nainidanda, Pokhra & Khirsu.

History

Katyuri was the first historical dynasty.

In later period after the downfall of Katyuri’s, it is believed that Garhwal region was fragmented in more than sixty-four principalities ruled by the Chieftain, one of the principal Chieftainship was Chandpurgarh, which was ruled by descendent of Kanakpal.

In the mid of 15th century Chandpurgarh emerged as a powerful principality under the rule of Jagatpal (1455 to 1493 A.D.), who was a descendent of Kanakpal. In the fag end of 15th century Ajaypal enthroned the Chandpurgarh and succeeded in unifying and consolidating various principalities on the region with in a Kingdom and his Kingdom came to known as Garhwal.

King Ajaypal and his successors ruled the Garhwal for nearly three hundred years.

After subjugating Doti and Kumaon, Gorkhas attacked Garhwal and reached as far as Langoorgarh despite stiff resistance put up by the Garhwali forces. But in the meantime, news came of a Chinese invasion and the Gorkhas were forced to lift the siege. However, in 1803, they again mounted an invasion. After capturing Kumaon, they attacked Garhwal in three columns. Five thousand Garhwali soldiers could not stand the fury of their attack and the King Pradyumna Shah escaped to Dehradun to organize his defense. Garhwali soldiers suffered heavy casualties and the King himself was killed in the battle of Khudbuda. The Gorkhas became the masters of entire Garhwal in 1804 and ruled the territory for twelve years.

Gorkha ruled in the Garhwal area ended in 1815 when the British drove the Gorkhas to the West of Kali river, despite stiff resistance offered by them. After defeat of Gorkha army, the Britishers on 21 April 1815, decided to establish their rule over the eastern, half of the Garhwal region, which lies east of Alaknanda & Mandakini river, later on, known as ‘British Garhwal’ and Dun of Dehradun. The remaining part of the Garhwal in the west was restored to King Sudershan Shah who established his capital at Tehri. Initially the administration was entrusted to the commissioner of the Kumaon and Garhwal with his headquarters at Nainital, but later Garhwal was separated and formed into a separate district in 1840 A.D. under an assistant commissioner with his headquarter at Pauri.

At the time of independence, Garhwal, Almora and Nainital districts were administered through commissioner of Kumaon division. In early 1960, Chamoli district was curved out of Garhwal district. In 1969 Garhwal division was formed with its headquarter at Pauri. After curving out of seventy-two villages of Khirsu block of district Pauri Garwhal in 1998 for creation of new district of Rudraprayag, the district is reached in its present form.

Politics

Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies and their areas after delimitation order of 2008

36 Yamkeshwar Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 7-Yamkeshwar Tehsil; KC Silogi, PCs 41-Langur Palla-3, 42-Langur Palla-4 & 43-Seela-1 of Lansdowne KC of 5-Lansdowne Tehsil; KC Pokhal, PCs 77-Seela-1, 78-Seela-2, 79-Seela-3, 80-Seela-4, 81-Seela-5, 82-Langur Palla-1, 83-Langur Palla-2, 84-Langur Palla-3, 85-Langur Palla-4 of Dogadda KC & Dogadda MB of 6-Kotdwar Tehsil.

37 Pauri Vidhan Sabha Constituency (SC) - KCs Pauri, Kot, Nahsain, Mundneshwar, Agrora & Pauri NP of 2-Pauri Tehsil; PCs 232-Rawatsyun, 233-Bangarsyun & 234-Edwalsyun-1 of Srinagar KC of 1-Srinagar Tehsil.

38 Srinagar Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 229-Katulsyun-1, 230-Katulsyun-2, 231-Katulsyun-3, 235-Chlansyun-1, 236-Chlansyun-2, 237-Chlansyun-3, 238-Chlansyun-4 of Srinagar KC & Srinagar MB of 1-Srinagar Tehsil; KCs Chakisain & Thalisain of 3-Thalisain Tehsil; PCs 164-Ghurdaursyun-1, 165-Ghurdaursyun-2, 166-Ghurdaursyun-3, 169-Bidolsyun, 170-Balikandarsyun-1, 171-Balikandarsyun-2, 172-Balikandarsyun-3 & 173-Balikandarsyun-4 of (#) Pabbo KC of 2-Pauri Tehsil.

39 Chaubattakhal Vidhan Sabha Constituency - (#) 8-Chaubattakhal Tehsil; 9-Satpuli Tehsil & KC Birokhal of 3-Thalisain Tehsil.

40 Lansdowne Vidhan Sabha Constituency - 4-Dhumakot Tehsil; KC Rikhnikhal, PCs 38-Kaudiya-2, 39-Kaudiya-3, 40-Kaudiya-4, 44-Talla Badalpur-1, 45-Talla Badalpur-2, 46-Talla Badalpur-3 of Lansdowne KC & Lansdowne Cantt. Board of 5-Lansdowne Tehsil.

41 Kotdwar Vidhan Sabha Constituency - PCs 73-Sukhron, 74-Saneh, 75-Haldukhata, 76-Motadhak of Dogadda KC & Kotdwara MB of 6-Kotdwar Tehsil.
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(#) Remaining part of Pabbo KC in Chaubattakhal Tehsil.

Places of interest
Khirsu, Doodhatoli, Binsar, Adwani, Tara Kund, Kandoliya, Kanvashram, Bharat Nagar, Kalagarh, Neelkanth, Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary, Dhikala, Binsor Trek, Binsor-Garisain trek, Hariyali Devi trek, Gujurugahri Trek, Tara Kund Trek, Develgarh, Shankar Math, Keshori Math, Binsar Mahadev, Kanda temples, Deval, Laldhang