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Kumaon Tourism
- - -› Champawat Travel Guide
Champawat Travel Guide
76
kms from Pithoragarh, Champawat is situated 1615 mts. above sea level &
was originally the capital of Chand Rajas of Kumaon. It was at Champawat that
Lord Vishnu is said to have appeared in Kurmavatar hence Kumaon came to be known
as Kurmanchal.
A small fort and the temples of Baleshwar, Champadari, Ratneshwar and Durga
adorn the city. Champawat is famous not only from historical, sculptural and
archaeological point of view but also for its abundant scenic beauty.
The places worth seeing near Champawat are Narsinh Danda, Hingia Devi, Hidimba
Ghatokach temple, Maneshwar, Karanteshwar and temple of Surya at village Ramak.
Season :
Round the year
EXCURSIONS:
Baleshwar Temple:
The
group of temples dedicated to Baleshwar. Ratneshwar and Champawati Durga. built
by the early Chand rulers today stand with intricate structural carvings enthralling
the visitors. The carvings and paintings on the ceilings of these temples are
evidence to the ancient glory and artistic excellence of the era.
Punyagirl Temple:
(94 kms) It is one of the most famous temples of Kumaon. Thousands of pilgrims
visit the shrine during the period April to June. A distance of 3 kms has to
be trekked from Tunyas.
Mayawati Ashram:
(22 kms) Headquarters of Adwait Ashrarn, it was sanctified by Swami Vivekanand
and is also known for its charming surroundings.
Devidhura:
(58 kms) Situated at a height of 1615 mts. Well known for the temple of Barahi
Devi. A fair is held here annually on "Raksha Bandhan".
Abbot Mount:
(22 kms) Situated amongst thick forests of oak and deodar, Abbot Mount is one
of Kumaon's idyllic hill resort for peaceful secluded holidays.
ACCESSIBILITY
Rail:
Nearest railhead is Tanakpur. 75 kms.
Road:
Well connected to Nainital, 233 kms, Haldwani. 193 kms & Tanakpur, 75 kms
Pithoragarh 74 kms.
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- - -› About
Himalayas - - -› People
& Tribes of 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.
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