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Garhwal Tourism

Chamoli Travel Guide

In the arms of the heavenly Himalayas lies the enchanting land of Chamoli, which seems to be a benediction of earth. A blessed spot the place seems to have been particularly dear to Lord Shiva. There are hundreds of shrines dedicated to Lord shiva , the most important of all being the shrine of Badrinath.

The other shrines of religeous importance are Hemkund Saheb, three out of five Panch Kedar and Panch Badri, which are spread over the hills of Chamoli. During the monsoons, thousand brilliant blooms bursts forth in the fascinating " Valley of flowers" .

The place reverberates with spirituality and is associated with a number of legends. It is said that Hanuman found the Sanjeevani herb here to revivie the unconsccious laxman. It is blieved that Ved Vyas composed his immortal epic, the Mahabharata here.

Guru Gobind singh is also believed to have meditated here. Surrounded by Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Rudrapryag., Ptihoragarh, Almora and pauri Garhawa districts and with Tibet lying to its north, Chamoli attracts tourists and invites trekking inthusiasts from all over the world to discvover the fulles potential of their body & mind. Chamoli , a hill district of U.P., has immense geographical, historical, religious and cultural importance.

Chamoli lies in the arms of the heavenly Himalayas and is full of natural beauty. This land has inspiered the inaginations of great poets like kalidas. These mountain ranges, rivers and valleys are associated wit several Gods & Goddesses.

The celebrated shrine of Badrinath, a famous pilgirmage of Hindus, the well known "Valley of Flower" and Auli Bugyal are situated here. Today, this snow clad peaks which are a delight for adventure loving tourists. Gopeshwar is the district headquarter of chamoli and is situated at a height of 1308 mts.

General Information

Altitude :
960 mts.
Population:
454871(1991 census)
Climate
Cold in winter, Pleasant in summer.
Language:
Garhwali, Hindi and English
Clothing:
summer- Cotton or light Woollen
Winter- Heavy Woollen
Season : Round the year

Transport
Air :
Nearest airport is Jollygrant, 221 kms.
Rail:
Rishikesh is the nearest railway station, 204 kms.
Road:
Well connected to Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Nainitalk & Almora.

FAIRS & FESTIVALS

Nanda Devi Raj Yatra:
Nanda Devi Raj Yatra is a very od traditioinal pilgirmage in vogue since the reign of Shalipal, a ninth century monarch. King Shalipal initiated a tradition that a big Pilgrimage would be roganised every twelfth year to escort nandadevi to Her in- Law's place, near nanda Ghungti peak.

The trek is about 280 kms. and takes about 18 days to complete.

The golden image of naddaedvi is carried in a silver palanquin called"Nandadevi- Ka dola" Along wit the canopies broought by the Kunwar and is follwed by thousands of devotees in a long procession.

Garhwal Tourism

Access to Adventure - - -› About Himalayas - - -› People & Tribes of Himalayas

About Himalayas

People & Tribes of Himalayas

The population, settlement, and economic patterns within the Himalayas have been greatly influenced by the variations in topography and climate, which impose harsh living conditions and tend to restrict movement and communication. People living in remote, isolated valleys have generally preserved their cultural identities.

However, improvements in transportation and communication, particularly satellite television programs from Europe and the United States, are bringing access from the outside world to remote valleys. These outside influences are affecting traditional social and cultural structure.

Nearly 40 million people inhabit the Himalayas. Generally, Hindus of Indian heritage are dominant in the Sub-Himalayas and the Middle Himalayan valleys from eastern Kashmir to Nepal. To the north Tibetan Buddhists inhabit the Great Himalayas from Ladakh to northeast India.

In central Nepal, in an area between about 1830 and 2440 m (between about 6000 and 8000 ft), the Indian and Tibetan cultures have intermingled, producing a combination of Indian and Tibetan traits. The eastern Himalayas in India and nearby areas of eastern Bhutan are inhabited by animistic people whose culture is similar to those living in northern Myanmar and Yunnan province in China. People of western Kashmir are Muslims and have a culture similar to the inhabitants of Afghanistan and Iran.

The economy of the Himalayas as a whole is poor with low per capita income. Much of the Himalayas area is characterized by a very low economic growth rate combined with a high rate of population growth, which contributes to stagnation in the already low level of per capita gross national product. Most of the population is dependent on agriculture, primarily subsistence agriculture; modern industries are lacking.

Mineral resources are limited. The Himalayas has major hydroelectric potential, but the development of hydroelectric resources requires outside capital investment. The skilled labor needed to organize and manage development of natural resources is also limited due to low literacy rates. Most of the Himalayan communities face malnutrition, a shortage of safe drinking water, and poor health services and education systems.

Agricultural land is concentrated in the Tarai plain and in the valleys of the Middle Himalayas. Patches of agricultural land have also been carved out in the mountainous forested areas. Rice is the principal crop in eastern Tarai and the well-watered valleys. Corn is also an important rain-fed crop on the hillsides.

Other cereal crops are wheat, millet, barley, and buckwheat. Sugarcane, tea, oilseeds, and potatoes are other major crops. Food production in the Himalayas has not kept up with the population growth.

The major industries include processing food grains, making vegetable oil, refining sugar, and brewing beer. Fruit processing is also important. A wide variety of fruits are grown in each of the major zones of the Himalayas, and making fruit juices is a major industry in Nepal, Bhutan, and in the Indian Himalayas.

Since 1950 tourism has emerged as a major growth industry in the Himalayas. Nearly 1 million visitors come to the Himalayas each year for mountain trekking, wildlife viewing, and pilgrimages to major Hindu and Buddhist sacred places. The number of foreign visitors has increased in recent years, as organized treks to the icy summits of the Great Himalayas have become popular. While tourism is important to the local economy, it has had an adverse impact on regions where tourist numbers exceed the capacity of recreational areas.

Historically, all transport in the Himalayas has been by porters and pack animals. Porters and pack animals are still important, but the construction of major roads and the development of air routes have changed the traditional transportation pattern.

Major urban centers such as Kathmandu, Simla, and Srinagar, as well as important tourist destinations, are served by airlines. Railways link Simla and Darjiling, but in most of the Himalayas there are no railroads. The bulk of goods from the Himalayas, as well as goods destined for places within the Himalayas, generally come to Indian railheads, located in the Tarai, by road. The pack animals and porters transport goods from road heads to the interior and back.

About Himalayas