Tehri Garhwal | Uttarakhand State PSC (UKPSC): Preparation - UKPSC (Uttarakhand) PDF Download

 Page 1


Tehri Garhwal
Lying on the southern slopes of mid Himalaya, Tehri Garhwal is on of the
sacred hilly districts. Before the creation of universe, Lord Brahma is said to
have meditated on this sacred land. Muni-ki-Reti and Tapovan of the district
are the places of penance for the ancient Rishis. Its hilly terrain and lack of
easy communications have helped it to preserve its culture almost intact.
History- While the prefix Tehri is the corrupted form of the word `Trihari`
which signifies a place that washes away all the three types of sins, namely
sins born out of thought (Mansa), word (Vacha) and deed (Karmana), the
other part `Garh` means country fort. In fact during olden days possession of
number of forts was considered as a measure of prosperity and power of their
rulers. Prior to 888, the whole of the Garhwal region was divided into small
`garhs` ruled by separate independent kings known as Rana, Rai or Thakur. It
is said that the prince Kanakpal who hailed from Malwa visited Badrinath,
where he met the then mightiest king Bhanu Pratap. King Bhanu Pratap was
impressed with the prince and got his only daughter married to him and also
handed over his kingdom. Gradually Kanakpal and his descendents extended
their empire by conquering all the garhs. Thus up to 1803 i.e. for 915 years
the whole of the Garhwal region remained under their control.
During 1794-95 Garhwal was under the grip of severe famine and again in
1883, the country was terribly shaken by an earthquake. Gorkhas had by then
started invading this territory and heralded their influence over the region.
The people of the region being already affected by natural calamities were in
the deplorable condition and therefore could not resist Gorkha invasion. On
the other hand, Gorkhas whose several attempts for capturing the fort
Langoor Garhi had earlier failed, were now in powerful position. In 1803,
therefore, they again invaded Garhwal region when King Pradumn Shah was
the ruler. King Pradumn Shah was killed in the battle in Dehradun but his
only son (Sudarshan Shah was minor at that time) was cleverly saved by the
trusted courtiers. With the victory of Gorkhas in this battle their dominion
was established in Garhwal region. Later on their kingdom extended up to
Kangara and they ruled over this region continuously for 12 years before they
were thrown away from Kangara by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On the other
Page 2


Tehri Garhwal
Lying on the southern slopes of mid Himalaya, Tehri Garhwal is on of the
sacred hilly districts. Before the creation of universe, Lord Brahma is said to
have meditated on this sacred land. Muni-ki-Reti and Tapovan of the district
are the places of penance for the ancient Rishis. Its hilly terrain and lack of
easy communications have helped it to preserve its culture almost intact.
History- While the prefix Tehri is the corrupted form of the word `Trihari`
which signifies a place that washes away all the three types of sins, namely
sins born out of thought (Mansa), word (Vacha) and deed (Karmana), the
other part `Garh` means country fort. In fact during olden days possession of
number of forts was considered as a measure of prosperity and power of their
rulers. Prior to 888, the whole of the Garhwal region was divided into small
`garhs` ruled by separate independent kings known as Rana, Rai or Thakur. It
is said that the prince Kanakpal who hailed from Malwa visited Badrinath,
where he met the then mightiest king Bhanu Pratap. King Bhanu Pratap was
impressed with the prince and got his only daughter married to him and also
handed over his kingdom. Gradually Kanakpal and his descendents extended
their empire by conquering all the garhs. Thus up to 1803 i.e. for 915 years
the whole of the Garhwal region remained under their control.
During 1794-95 Garhwal was under the grip of severe famine and again in
1883, the country was terribly shaken by an earthquake. Gorkhas had by then
started invading this territory and heralded their influence over the region.
The people of the region being already affected by natural calamities were in
the deplorable condition and therefore could not resist Gorkha invasion. On
the other hand, Gorkhas whose several attempts for capturing the fort
Langoor Garhi had earlier failed, were now in powerful position. In 1803,
therefore, they again invaded Garhwal region when King Pradumn Shah was
the ruler. King Pradumn Shah was killed in the battle in Dehradun but his
only son (Sudarshan Shah was minor at that time) was cleverly saved by the
trusted courtiers. With the victory of Gorkhas in this battle their dominion
was established in Garhwal region. Later on their kingdom extended up to
Kangara and they ruled over this region continuously for 12 years before they
were thrown away from Kangara by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On the other
hand Sudarshan Shah could manage help from East India Company and got
his kingdom freed from Gorkha rulers. The East India Company merged
Kumaon, Dehradun and east Garhwal in the British Empire and the west
Garhwal was given to Sudarshan Shah which was then known as Tehri
Riyasat.
King Sudarshan Shah established his capital at Tehri town and afterwards
his successors Pratap Shah, Kirti Shah and Narendra Shah established their
capital at Pratap Nagar, Kirti Nagar and Narendra Nagar respectively. Their
dynasty ruled over this region from 1815 to 1949. During the Quit India
Movement people of this region actively participated for the independence of
the country. Ultimately when the country was declared independent in 1947,
the inhabitants of Tehri Riyasat started their movement for getting themselves
freed from the clutches of Maharaja. Due to the movement the situation
became out of his control and was difficult for him to rule over the region.
Consequently the 60
th
 king of Pawar Vansh Manvendra Shah accepted the
sovereignty of Indian Government. Thus in 1949 Tehri Riyasat was merged
in Uttar Pradesh and was given the status of a new district. On 24
th
 February
1960 the U.P. Government separated its’ one tehsil which was given status of
a separate district named as Uttarkashi.
Flora- The flora of the district includes the vast range of vegetations found
in the Himalaya, varying from the sub-tropical species which grow in the
outer ranges of low hills to the rich Alpine flowers in the north. Still, it can
reasonably be termed to consist of mostly such trees which grow in its forests
because large tracts of the land-surface in the district constitute forests. Chir,
oak, conifers, sal, deodar, haldlu, yew, cypress, rhododendron, birch, horse
chestnut, cycamore willow, alder and various types of fruit trees like cornel,
figs, Kaiphal, the mulberry, kingora, raspberry, blackberry, currants, medlars,
gooseberries, hazelnuts, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, plums, peaches,
oranges, limes, bananas, pomegranates and walnuts are found in the district
besides a variety of herbal plants bushes, scrubs and grass. The flora of the
district may be divided into six main botanical divisions:
1. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests-These forests occur mostly near the
confluence of the Yamuna and the Aglar and on foothills and extend up to
the altitudes of 1,200 m. The predominant species are kuri, kemela,
jhingan, and mandar. The chief undergrowths are the dhaula, binda,
basingha and the gandela.
Page 3


Tehri Garhwal
Lying on the southern slopes of mid Himalaya, Tehri Garhwal is on of the
sacred hilly districts. Before the creation of universe, Lord Brahma is said to
have meditated on this sacred land. Muni-ki-Reti and Tapovan of the district
are the places of penance for the ancient Rishis. Its hilly terrain and lack of
easy communications have helped it to preserve its culture almost intact.
History- While the prefix Tehri is the corrupted form of the word `Trihari`
which signifies a place that washes away all the three types of sins, namely
sins born out of thought (Mansa), word (Vacha) and deed (Karmana), the
other part `Garh` means country fort. In fact during olden days possession of
number of forts was considered as a measure of prosperity and power of their
rulers. Prior to 888, the whole of the Garhwal region was divided into small
`garhs` ruled by separate independent kings known as Rana, Rai or Thakur. It
is said that the prince Kanakpal who hailed from Malwa visited Badrinath,
where he met the then mightiest king Bhanu Pratap. King Bhanu Pratap was
impressed with the prince and got his only daughter married to him and also
handed over his kingdom. Gradually Kanakpal and his descendents extended
their empire by conquering all the garhs. Thus up to 1803 i.e. for 915 years
the whole of the Garhwal region remained under their control.
During 1794-95 Garhwal was under the grip of severe famine and again in
1883, the country was terribly shaken by an earthquake. Gorkhas had by then
started invading this territory and heralded their influence over the region.
The people of the region being already affected by natural calamities were in
the deplorable condition and therefore could not resist Gorkha invasion. On
the other hand, Gorkhas whose several attempts for capturing the fort
Langoor Garhi had earlier failed, were now in powerful position. In 1803,
therefore, they again invaded Garhwal region when King Pradumn Shah was
the ruler. King Pradumn Shah was killed in the battle in Dehradun but his
only son (Sudarshan Shah was minor at that time) was cleverly saved by the
trusted courtiers. With the victory of Gorkhas in this battle their dominion
was established in Garhwal region. Later on their kingdom extended up to
Kangara and they ruled over this region continuously for 12 years before they
were thrown away from Kangara by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On the other
hand Sudarshan Shah could manage help from East India Company and got
his kingdom freed from Gorkha rulers. The East India Company merged
Kumaon, Dehradun and east Garhwal in the British Empire and the west
Garhwal was given to Sudarshan Shah which was then known as Tehri
Riyasat.
King Sudarshan Shah established his capital at Tehri town and afterwards
his successors Pratap Shah, Kirti Shah and Narendra Shah established their
capital at Pratap Nagar, Kirti Nagar and Narendra Nagar respectively. Their
dynasty ruled over this region from 1815 to 1949. During the Quit India
Movement people of this region actively participated for the independence of
the country. Ultimately when the country was declared independent in 1947,
the inhabitants of Tehri Riyasat started their movement for getting themselves
freed from the clutches of Maharaja. Due to the movement the situation
became out of his control and was difficult for him to rule over the region.
Consequently the 60
th
 king of Pawar Vansh Manvendra Shah accepted the
sovereignty of Indian Government. Thus in 1949 Tehri Riyasat was merged
in Uttar Pradesh and was given the status of a new district. On 24
th
 February
1960 the U.P. Government separated its’ one tehsil which was given status of
a separate district named as Uttarkashi.
Flora- The flora of the district includes the vast range of vegetations found
in the Himalaya, varying from the sub-tropical species which grow in the
outer ranges of low hills to the rich Alpine flowers in the north. Still, it can
reasonably be termed to consist of mostly such trees which grow in its forests
because large tracts of the land-surface in the district constitute forests. Chir,
oak, conifers, sal, deodar, haldlu, yew, cypress, rhododendron, birch, horse
chestnut, cycamore willow, alder and various types of fruit trees like cornel,
figs, Kaiphal, the mulberry, kingora, raspberry, blackberry, currants, medlars,
gooseberries, hazelnuts, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, plums, peaches,
oranges, limes, bananas, pomegranates and walnuts are found in the district
besides a variety of herbal plants bushes, scrubs and grass. The flora of the
district may be divided into six main botanical divisions:
1. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests-These forests occur mostly near the
confluence of the Yamuna and the Aglar and on foothills and extend up to
the altitudes of 1,200 m. The predominant species are kuri, kemela,
jhingan, and mandar. The chief undergrowths are the dhaula, binda,
basingha and the gandela.
2. Sal Forests-These forests exist up to the altitude of 1,066 m., their best
growths being found in the valley of the Chandan in tehsil Devaprayag and
in the valley of the Bandal in tahsil Tehri. Small tracts of the sal forests
may also be seen in the neighbourhood of Muni ki Reti and Shivpuri in
tahsil Narendranagar. Sal is highly gregarious. The upper limit of Sal is
regulated to a great extent by frost. In excessively dry localities, it gives
way to more xerophytic species. It does not extend beyond the outer ranges
of the Himalayas even though the main river valleys in the northern part of
the district are much below the maximum elavation at which this species
may grow. It is commonly found up to the altitude of 762 m. on the
southern aspects and 1,066 m. on the northern. The other chief trees found
in these forests are sain, bakli, jhingan, haldu, kanju, sandhan, rohini and
amaltas. The bakli is utilised for preparing charcoal. The wood of the
sandhan is used for making agricultural implements. The khair trees are
also met with in these forests.Grass abounds in sal forests, wherever
sufficient light reaches the ground. In most sal forests, sal comprises 80 to
90 percent of the dominant tree species and tends to form a dense tree
canopy, The sal forests had originally contained a much higher percentage
of miscellaneous species.
3. Chir Forests-These forests ordinarily extend on the southern aspects from
1,000 m. to 2,150 m. and on the northern aspects from 900 m. to 2,000 m.
throughout the district, growing best in the valleys of the Bhillangana and
its tributaries, the Alaknanda and the Mandakini. Chir is found on almost
all geological formations though, on certain southern slopes with limestone
subsoil, it is unable to exist on account or the dryness of the soil coupled
with relatively high temperatures. Nevertheless, Chir forests can establish
themselves on dry southern aspects where owing to xerophytic conditions
and the prevalence of fires, few other trees or shrub species survive. In all
chir forests, the pine is the dominant tree species present though, on the
northern aspects where, there is more moisture in the soil and fires are less
destructive, scattered trees of there species also occur. Chir forests are
seldom very dense. The ground is covered with grass, sometimes dense,
whatever the aspect of density or overhead canopy, and there is also a
discontinuous undergrowth of shrubs, often so widely scattered that even
from a short distance their presence is scarcely noticeable. The open nature
of these forests, the absence of other tree species and the poverty of the
Page 4


Tehri Garhwal
Lying on the southern slopes of mid Himalaya, Tehri Garhwal is on of the
sacred hilly districts. Before the creation of universe, Lord Brahma is said to
have meditated on this sacred land. Muni-ki-Reti and Tapovan of the district
are the places of penance for the ancient Rishis. Its hilly terrain and lack of
easy communications have helped it to preserve its culture almost intact.
History- While the prefix Tehri is the corrupted form of the word `Trihari`
which signifies a place that washes away all the three types of sins, namely
sins born out of thought (Mansa), word (Vacha) and deed (Karmana), the
other part `Garh` means country fort. In fact during olden days possession of
number of forts was considered as a measure of prosperity and power of their
rulers. Prior to 888, the whole of the Garhwal region was divided into small
`garhs` ruled by separate independent kings known as Rana, Rai or Thakur. It
is said that the prince Kanakpal who hailed from Malwa visited Badrinath,
where he met the then mightiest king Bhanu Pratap. King Bhanu Pratap was
impressed with the prince and got his only daughter married to him and also
handed over his kingdom. Gradually Kanakpal and his descendents extended
their empire by conquering all the garhs. Thus up to 1803 i.e. for 915 years
the whole of the Garhwal region remained under their control.
During 1794-95 Garhwal was under the grip of severe famine and again in
1883, the country was terribly shaken by an earthquake. Gorkhas had by then
started invading this territory and heralded their influence over the region.
The people of the region being already affected by natural calamities were in
the deplorable condition and therefore could not resist Gorkha invasion. On
the other hand, Gorkhas whose several attempts for capturing the fort
Langoor Garhi had earlier failed, were now in powerful position. In 1803,
therefore, they again invaded Garhwal region when King Pradumn Shah was
the ruler. King Pradumn Shah was killed in the battle in Dehradun but his
only son (Sudarshan Shah was minor at that time) was cleverly saved by the
trusted courtiers. With the victory of Gorkhas in this battle their dominion
was established in Garhwal region. Later on their kingdom extended up to
Kangara and they ruled over this region continuously for 12 years before they
were thrown away from Kangara by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On the other
hand Sudarshan Shah could manage help from East India Company and got
his kingdom freed from Gorkha rulers. The East India Company merged
Kumaon, Dehradun and east Garhwal in the British Empire and the west
Garhwal was given to Sudarshan Shah which was then known as Tehri
Riyasat.
King Sudarshan Shah established his capital at Tehri town and afterwards
his successors Pratap Shah, Kirti Shah and Narendra Shah established their
capital at Pratap Nagar, Kirti Nagar and Narendra Nagar respectively. Their
dynasty ruled over this region from 1815 to 1949. During the Quit India
Movement people of this region actively participated for the independence of
the country. Ultimately when the country was declared independent in 1947,
the inhabitants of Tehri Riyasat started their movement for getting themselves
freed from the clutches of Maharaja. Due to the movement the situation
became out of his control and was difficult for him to rule over the region.
Consequently the 60
th
 king of Pawar Vansh Manvendra Shah accepted the
sovereignty of Indian Government. Thus in 1949 Tehri Riyasat was merged
in Uttar Pradesh and was given the status of a new district. On 24
th
 February
1960 the U.P. Government separated its’ one tehsil which was given status of
a separate district named as Uttarkashi.
Flora- The flora of the district includes the vast range of vegetations found
in the Himalaya, varying from the sub-tropical species which grow in the
outer ranges of low hills to the rich Alpine flowers in the north. Still, it can
reasonably be termed to consist of mostly such trees which grow in its forests
because large tracts of the land-surface in the district constitute forests. Chir,
oak, conifers, sal, deodar, haldlu, yew, cypress, rhododendron, birch, horse
chestnut, cycamore willow, alder and various types of fruit trees like cornel,
figs, Kaiphal, the mulberry, kingora, raspberry, blackberry, currants, medlars,
gooseberries, hazelnuts, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, plums, peaches,
oranges, limes, bananas, pomegranates and walnuts are found in the district
besides a variety of herbal plants bushes, scrubs and grass. The flora of the
district may be divided into six main botanical divisions:
1. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests-These forests occur mostly near the
confluence of the Yamuna and the Aglar and on foothills and extend up to
the altitudes of 1,200 m. The predominant species are kuri, kemela,
jhingan, and mandar. The chief undergrowths are the dhaula, binda,
basingha and the gandela.
2. Sal Forests-These forests exist up to the altitude of 1,066 m., their best
growths being found in the valley of the Chandan in tehsil Devaprayag and
in the valley of the Bandal in tahsil Tehri. Small tracts of the sal forests
may also be seen in the neighbourhood of Muni ki Reti and Shivpuri in
tahsil Narendranagar. Sal is highly gregarious. The upper limit of Sal is
regulated to a great extent by frost. In excessively dry localities, it gives
way to more xerophytic species. It does not extend beyond the outer ranges
of the Himalayas even though the main river valleys in the northern part of
the district are much below the maximum elavation at which this species
may grow. It is commonly found up to the altitude of 762 m. on the
southern aspects and 1,066 m. on the northern. The other chief trees found
in these forests are sain, bakli, jhingan, haldu, kanju, sandhan, rohini and
amaltas. The bakli is utilised for preparing charcoal. The wood of the
sandhan is used for making agricultural implements. The khair trees are
also met with in these forests.Grass abounds in sal forests, wherever
sufficient light reaches the ground. In most sal forests, sal comprises 80 to
90 percent of the dominant tree species and tends to form a dense tree
canopy, The sal forests had originally contained a much higher percentage
of miscellaneous species.
3. Chir Forests-These forests ordinarily extend on the southern aspects from
1,000 m. to 2,150 m. and on the northern aspects from 900 m. to 2,000 m.
throughout the district, growing best in the valleys of the Bhillangana and
its tributaries, the Alaknanda and the Mandakini. Chir is found on almost
all geological formations though, on certain southern slopes with limestone
subsoil, it is unable to exist on account or the dryness of the soil coupled
with relatively high temperatures. Nevertheless, Chir forests can establish
themselves on dry southern aspects where owing to xerophytic conditions
and the prevalence of fires, few other trees or shrub species survive. In all
chir forests, the pine is the dominant tree species present though, on the
northern aspects where, there is more moisture in the soil and fires are less
destructive, scattered trees of there species also occur. Chir forests are
seldom very dense. The ground is covered with grass, sometimes dense,
whatever the aspect of density or overhead canopy, and there is also a
discontinuous undergrowth of shrubs, often so widely scattered that even
from a short distance their presence is scarcely noticeable. The open nature
of these forests, the absence of other tree species and the poverty of the
undergrowth are attributable to fires which have in the past swept annually
throughout their length and breadth, to the xerophytic conditions under
which they grow and to the fact that the chir is often located near tracts
under cultivation which leads to its heavy lopping and felling. Towards its
lower limit, chir gets mixed up with trees of miscellaneous species and, less
frequently, with sal forests. Towards its upper limits and in moist and shady
ravines, it gradually gives place to banj. The chir is tapped for resin and its
wood is used for building purposes. The seed also yields oil and, when
baked, it becomes edible. The dry leaves are- utilised for manuring.
4. Deodar Forests-These forests occur in the northern part of the district in
tehsil Pratapnagar, in Ghansali and Dhanolti, associated with blue pine and
cypress between the altitudes of 1,520 m, and 2,150 m. above sea level.
The forests are open and the trees do not attain great height. The timber of
deodar is the most highly prized of all the conifers for house building,
granaries, boat-building and railway sleepers.
5. Fir and Spruce Forests-These forests occur in the northern part of the
district between the altitudes of 2,150 m. and 3,050 m. Wherever silver fir
occurs, it is the dominant species excepting when it occurs mixed with
spruce even where, it is equally important. Parts of such forests are covered
with kharsu or moru.
6. Oak Forests-The three principal oaks are banj, moru and kharsu, each
occupying more or less a distinct altitudinal zone in the district.Banj forests
are ordinarily found between the heights of 1,800 m. and 2,150 m. above
sea-level but they also occupy moist ravines running down into the chir
zone where they reach levels as low as 1,050 m. A notable feature of the
banj is its capacity to establish itself on the most unfavorable southern
aspects. Those on the northern aspects are comparatively more dense. On
southern aspects, the ground is almost invariably clothed with dense grass,
while on northern aspects the incidence of grass is much less. The banj has
a large number of shrubs associated with it.
Moru forests are found at between 1,980 m. and 2,750 m. above sea-level and
occupy an intermediate zone between banj and kharsu, which form extensive
forests on the southern aspects, where the moru occurs sporadically. It attains
its maximum development at elevations between 2,125 m. and 2,450 m. on
moist soils and especially where the subsoil is limestone. On account of the
Page 5


Tehri Garhwal
Lying on the southern slopes of mid Himalaya, Tehri Garhwal is on of the
sacred hilly districts. Before the creation of universe, Lord Brahma is said to
have meditated on this sacred land. Muni-ki-Reti and Tapovan of the district
are the places of penance for the ancient Rishis. Its hilly terrain and lack of
easy communications have helped it to preserve its culture almost intact.
History- While the prefix Tehri is the corrupted form of the word `Trihari`
which signifies a place that washes away all the three types of sins, namely
sins born out of thought (Mansa), word (Vacha) and deed (Karmana), the
other part `Garh` means country fort. In fact during olden days possession of
number of forts was considered as a measure of prosperity and power of their
rulers. Prior to 888, the whole of the Garhwal region was divided into small
`garhs` ruled by separate independent kings known as Rana, Rai or Thakur. It
is said that the prince Kanakpal who hailed from Malwa visited Badrinath,
where he met the then mightiest king Bhanu Pratap. King Bhanu Pratap was
impressed with the prince and got his only daughter married to him and also
handed over his kingdom. Gradually Kanakpal and his descendents extended
their empire by conquering all the garhs. Thus up to 1803 i.e. for 915 years
the whole of the Garhwal region remained under their control.
During 1794-95 Garhwal was under the grip of severe famine and again in
1883, the country was terribly shaken by an earthquake. Gorkhas had by then
started invading this territory and heralded their influence over the region.
The people of the region being already affected by natural calamities were in
the deplorable condition and therefore could not resist Gorkha invasion. On
the other hand, Gorkhas whose several attempts for capturing the fort
Langoor Garhi had earlier failed, were now in powerful position. In 1803,
therefore, they again invaded Garhwal region when King Pradumn Shah was
the ruler. King Pradumn Shah was killed in the battle in Dehradun but his
only son (Sudarshan Shah was minor at that time) was cleverly saved by the
trusted courtiers. With the victory of Gorkhas in this battle their dominion
was established in Garhwal region. Later on their kingdom extended up to
Kangara and they ruled over this region continuously for 12 years before they
were thrown away from Kangara by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On the other
hand Sudarshan Shah could manage help from East India Company and got
his kingdom freed from Gorkha rulers. The East India Company merged
Kumaon, Dehradun and east Garhwal in the British Empire and the west
Garhwal was given to Sudarshan Shah which was then known as Tehri
Riyasat.
King Sudarshan Shah established his capital at Tehri town and afterwards
his successors Pratap Shah, Kirti Shah and Narendra Shah established their
capital at Pratap Nagar, Kirti Nagar and Narendra Nagar respectively. Their
dynasty ruled over this region from 1815 to 1949. During the Quit India
Movement people of this region actively participated for the independence of
the country. Ultimately when the country was declared independent in 1947,
the inhabitants of Tehri Riyasat started their movement for getting themselves
freed from the clutches of Maharaja. Due to the movement the situation
became out of his control and was difficult for him to rule over the region.
Consequently the 60
th
 king of Pawar Vansh Manvendra Shah accepted the
sovereignty of Indian Government. Thus in 1949 Tehri Riyasat was merged
in Uttar Pradesh and was given the status of a new district. On 24
th
 February
1960 the U.P. Government separated its’ one tehsil which was given status of
a separate district named as Uttarkashi.
Flora- The flora of the district includes the vast range of vegetations found
in the Himalaya, varying from the sub-tropical species which grow in the
outer ranges of low hills to the rich Alpine flowers in the north. Still, it can
reasonably be termed to consist of mostly such trees which grow in its forests
because large tracts of the land-surface in the district constitute forests. Chir,
oak, conifers, sal, deodar, haldlu, yew, cypress, rhododendron, birch, horse
chestnut, cycamore willow, alder and various types of fruit trees like cornel,
figs, Kaiphal, the mulberry, kingora, raspberry, blackberry, currants, medlars,
gooseberries, hazelnuts, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, plums, peaches,
oranges, limes, bananas, pomegranates and walnuts are found in the district
besides a variety of herbal plants bushes, scrubs and grass. The flora of the
district may be divided into six main botanical divisions:
1. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests-These forests occur mostly near the
confluence of the Yamuna and the Aglar and on foothills and extend up to
the altitudes of 1,200 m. The predominant species are kuri, kemela,
jhingan, and mandar. The chief undergrowths are the dhaula, binda,
basingha and the gandela.
2. Sal Forests-These forests exist up to the altitude of 1,066 m., their best
growths being found in the valley of the Chandan in tehsil Devaprayag and
in the valley of the Bandal in tahsil Tehri. Small tracts of the sal forests
may also be seen in the neighbourhood of Muni ki Reti and Shivpuri in
tahsil Narendranagar. Sal is highly gregarious. The upper limit of Sal is
regulated to a great extent by frost. In excessively dry localities, it gives
way to more xerophytic species. It does not extend beyond the outer ranges
of the Himalayas even though the main river valleys in the northern part of
the district are much below the maximum elavation at which this species
may grow. It is commonly found up to the altitude of 762 m. on the
southern aspects and 1,066 m. on the northern. The other chief trees found
in these forests are sain, bakli, jhingan, haldu, kanju, sandhan, rohini and
amaltas. The bakli is utilised for preparing charcoal. The wood of the
sandhan is used for making agricultural implements. The khair trees are
also met with in these forests.Grass abounds in sal forests, wherever
sufficient light reaches the ground. In most sal forests, sal comprises 80 to
90 percent of the dominant tree species and tends to form a dense tree
canopy, The sal forests had originally contained a much higher percentage
of miscellaneous species.
3. Chir Forests-These forests ordinarily extend on the southern aspects from
1,000 m. to 2,150 m. and on the northern aspects from 900 m. to 2,000 m.
throughout the district, growing best in the valleys of the Bhillangana and
its tributaries, the Alaknanda and the Mandakini. Chir is found on almost
all geological formations though, on certain southern slopes with limestone
subsoil, it is unable to exist on account or the dryness of the soil coupled
with relatively high temperatures. Nevertheless, Chir forests can establish
themselves on dry southern aspects where owing to xerophytic conditions
and the prevalence of fires, few other trees or shrub species survive. In all
chir forests, the pine is the dominant tree species present though, on the
northern aspects where, there is more moisture in the soil and fires are less
destructive, scattered trees of there species also occur. Chir forests are
seldom very dense. The ground is covered with grass, sometimes dense,
whatever the aspect of density or overhead canopy, and there is also a
discontinuous undergrowth of shrubs, often so widely scattered that even
from a short distance their presence is scarcely noticeable. The open nature
of these forests, the absence of other tree species and the poverty of the
undergrowth are attributable to fires which have in the past swept annually
throughout their length and breadth, to the xerophytic conditions under
which they grow and to the fact that the chir is often located near tracts
under cultivation which leads to its heavy lopping and felling. Towards its
lower limit, chir gets mixed up with trees of miscellaneous species and, less
frequently, with sal forests. Towards its upper limits and in moist and shady
ravines, it gradually gives place to banj. The chir is tapped for resin and its
wood is used for building purposes. The seed also yields oil and, when
baked, it becomes edible. The dry leaves are- utilised for manuring.
4. Deodar Forests-These forests occur in the northern part of the district in
tehsil Pratapnagar, in Ghansali and Dhanolti, associated with blue pine and
cypress between the altitudes of 1,520 m, and 2,150 m. above sea level.
The forests are open and the trees do not attain great height. The timber of
deodar is the most highly prized of all the conifers for house building,
granaries, boat-building and railway sleepers.
5. Fir and Spruce Forests-These forests occur in the northern part of the
district between the altitudes of 2,150 m. and 3,050 m. Wherever silver fir
occurs, it is the dominant species excepting when it occurs mixed with
spruce even where, it is equally important. Parts of such forests are covered
with kharsu or moru.
6. Oak Forests-The three principal oaks are banj, moru and kharsu, each
occupying more or less a distinct altitudinal zone in the district.Banj forests
are ordinarily found between the heights of 1,800 m. and 2,150 m. above
sea-level but they also occupy moist ravines running down into the chir
zone where they reach levels as low as 1,050 m. A notable feature of the
banj is its capacity to establish itself on the most unfavorable southern
aspects. Those on the northern aspects are comparatively more dense. On
southern aspects, the ground is almost invariably clothed with dense grass,
while on northern aspects the incidence of grass is much less. The banj has
a large number of shrubs associated with it.
Moru forests are found at between 1,980 m. and 2,750 m. above sea-level and
occupy an intermediate zone between banj and kharsu, which form extensive
forests on the southern aspects, where the moru occurs sporadically. It attains
its maximum development at elevations between 2,125 m. and 2,450 m. on
moist soils and especially where the subsoil is limestone. On account of the
density of growth and prevailing moist conditions, fires only penetrate into
such forests rarely. Some other species compete with moru for dominance,
the commonest being the deodar and the kharu.
The kharsu forests occupy very extensive tracts at heights between 2,350
m. and 3,500 m. in the northern part of tehsil Pratapnagar (except in the
north-east) and in the north-eastern part of tehsil Devaprayag. It is found
equally on the northern and southern aspects and has few successful
competitors, excepting silver fir and moru. The fir, however, occurs only on a
small fraction of the area occupied by kharsu. Moru can compete with
success only on northern aspects. As its lower limit, kharsu often passes into
banj forests though, on some northern aspects, it frequently gives place to
moru, spruce or silver fir. At its upper limit, it passes into forests of birch and
silver though, on southern slopes, it more frequently passes directly into
pastureland without any gradual transition. Typical khasru forests are dense,
the most common associate being burans, which is almost as aboundant in the
kharsu forests as it is in the banj forests. Shrubs occur in great variety, the
commonest being timla.
Alpine Pastures-These are found in the north eastern part of the district in
tehsil Pratapnagar and Devaprayag between heights of 3,500 m. and 5,000 m.
above mean sea-level. The land in these parts is covered with snow from
October to May but, from June to September, varieties of grasses, herbs,
shrubs and flowers grow in the area in abundance. The area provides
beautiful and extensive pasture lands for the cattle. On the northern aspects,
the birch is also met with and its stems give the famous Bhurjpatra or Bhoj-
paper on which books were written before the advent of paper.
Fauna- The district is the habitat, of a large variety of mammals, birds,
reptiles and fish. Besides monkeys, langurs, wild-cats, goats, pigs, foxes and
dogs, the district is noted for its black bears which are found in the Tehri
forest division at lower altitudes and the brown and white bears which are
found at higher altitudes. Panthers abound almost throughout the district, The
flying squirrel, locally known as rinoola, is found largely in the Yamuna
forest division. Tigers and elephants are not found in the district except when
they enter the district from the Terai forests of Dehradun.
Among mammals, the chief carnivora found in the district are safed bagh
(snow leopard) and baghera (leopard). The snow leopard is a rare species and