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

 Page 1


Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi district was created on February 24, 1960 out of what then
constituted the parganas of Rawain and Uttarkashi of Rawain tahsil of
erstwhile Tehri Garhwal district. It sprawls in the extreme north-west corner
of the state over an area of 8016 sq. km. in the rugged terrain of the mystic
Himalayas. On its north lie Himachal Pradesh State and the territory of Tibet
and the district of Chamoli in the east.
History- The hill tribes namely Kiratas, Uttara Kurus, Khasas, Tanganas,
Kunindas and Pratanganas find references in the Upayana Parva of
Mahabharata. The land of Uttarkashi district has been held sacred by Indians
since ages where the seers and sages had found solace and spiritual
aspirations and performed penances and where devas performed their
sacrifices and Vedic language was better known and spoken than elsewhere.
People came here for learning Vedic language and speach. According to an
account given in the Mahabharata, Jada Bharatha a great sage performed
penances at Uttarkashi. The Kedar Khand of Skanda Purna refers Uttarkashi
and the rivers Bhagirathi, Jahanavi and Bheel Ganga. The district of
Uttarkashi was part of Gharwal Kingdom ruled by Garhwal dynasty that
carried the cognomen `Pal’ which was changed to Sah during 15
th
 century
conferred by Sultan of Delhi perhaps Bahlul Lodi.
In 1803 Gorkhas of Nepal invaded Garhwal and Amar Singh Thapa was
made Governor of this region. The Gorkhas came into contact with the
British power in 1814 as their frontiers in Gharwal became determinous with
those of the British. The border troubles prompted the Britishers to invade
Garhwal. In April, 1815 Gorkhas were ousted from Garhwal region and
Garhwal was annexed as British district and was split up into eastern and
western Garhwal. The eastern Garhwal was retained by the British
Government. The western Garhwal, lying to the west of the Alaknanda river
with the exception of the Dun was made over to the heir of Garhwal dynasty
Sudarshan Sah. This state came to be known as Tehri Garhwal and it was
merged with the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949 after India attained
independence in 1947
Geography- Lying in the upper Himalayas, Uttarkashi contains within
Page 2


Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi district was created on February 24, 1960 out of what then
constituted the parganas of Rawain and Uttarkashi of Rawain tahsil of
erstwhile Tehri Garhwal district. It sprawls in the extreme north-west corner
of the state over an area of 8016 sq. km. in the rugged terrain of the mystic
Himalayas. On its north lie Himachal Pradesh State and the territory of Tibet
and the district of Chamoli in the east.
History- The hill tribes namely Kiratas, Uttara Kurus, Khasas, Tanganas,
Kunindas and Pratanganas find references in the Upayana Parva of
Mahabharata. The land of Uttarkashi district has been held sacred by Indians
since ages where the seers and sages had found solace and spiritual
aspirations and performed penances and where devas performed their
sacrifices and Vedic language was better known and spoken than elsewhere.
People came here for learning Vedic language and speach. According to an
account given in the Mahabharata, Jada Bharatha a great sage performed
penances at Uttarkashi. The Kedar Khand of Skanda Purna refers Uttarkashi
and the rivers Bhagirathi, Jahanavi and Bheel Ganga. The district of
Uttarkashi was part of Gharwal Kingdom ruled by Garhwal dynasty that
carried the cognomen `Pal’ which was changed to Sah during 15
th
 century
conferred by Sultan of Delhi perhaps Bahlul Lodi.
In 1803 Gorkhas of Nepal invaded Garhwal and Amar Singh Thapa was
made Governor of this region. The Gorkhas came into contact with the
British power in 1814 as their frontiers in Gharwal became determinous with
those of the British. The border troubles prompted the Britishers to invade
Garhwal. In April, 1815 Gorkhas were ousted from Garhwal region and
Garhwal was annexed as British district and was split up into eastern and
western Garhwal. The eastern Garhwal was retained by the British
Government. The western Garhwal, lying to the west of the Alaknanda river
with the exception of the Dun was made over to the heir of Garhwal dynasty
Sudarshan Sah. This state came to be known as Tehri Garhwal and it was
merged with the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949 after India attained
independence in 1947
Geography- Lying in the upper Himalayas, Uttarkashi contains within
itself varying geographic environments ranging from snow free valleys and
outer hills to the high peaks with perpetual snow and glaciers. The terrain
runs into series of ridges and valleys. Each ridge leads to another coiling up
in seemingly unending chains.Most of the terrain is mountainous consisting
of high rise ridges, hills and plateaus and flat pieces of land are rare. The land
in these areas is now in fertility due to large content of out crops of boulders
and gravels. Made-up of alluvial soil, valley is a stream bed. Generally
forests occur on the upper ridges that bound the valleys. On their sloping hill
sides lie a chain of sparsely populated settlements interspersed with terrace
cultivation.
88 percent of the total area of the district is occupied by forests. Pine forests
occur between the altitude of 900-2000 metres, Deodar forests between 2000-
3000 metres, Fir and Spruce forests over 3000 metres and Kharshu, Birch and
Junipers forests upto the height of 4000 metres. Above the Fir and Spruce
forest zone, alpine pastures are found throughout the district between the
height of 3500 metres to 4877 metres above sea level. Rich varieties of grass,
shrubs and herbs come up during June- September while during the
remaining part of the year these areas remain covered with snow. A large
number of medicinal plants of great commercial value grow spontaneously in
the forests. Some of these grow in the valleys, some in sub-montane tracts
while some other on higher altitudes. Forestry too does play an important role
in the economy of the district. It employs persons both in preservation and
propagation of forests as well as in their exploitation. Herbs are the most
important minor forest produce. A large variety of herbs grow wild.
RIVERS -It is the land of Uttarkashi district that gives rise to two great and
reverent rivers of India the Bhagirathi, called the Ganga in the plains and the
Yamuna. The Ganga coming up in the glaciers `gaumukh’ traverses 128 kms.
in Uttarkashi district before flowing down farther. The third important river
of this district is Tons besides host of tributaries that drain these areas.
AGRICULTURE- Agriculture in these areas suffer from many constraints.
The availability of cultivable land itself is the greatest restricting factor on the
development of agriculture. It can be seen from the fact that as much as 88%
of the area is either covered by forests or is barren and uncultivable. The land
is low in fertility except in the valleys. Shorter agricultural season, low
temperature, high altitude, smallness of land holding, perpetual problem of
soil erosion due to steep gradients etc. are other inhibiting factors effecting
Page 3


Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi district was created on February 24, 1960 out of what then
constituted the parganas of Rawain and Uttarkashi of Rawain tahsil of
erstwhile Tehri Garhwal district. It sprawls in the extreme north-west corner
of the state over an area of 8016 sq. km. in the rugged terrain of the mystic
Himalayas. On its north lie Himachal Pradesh State and the territory of Tibet
and the district of Chamoli in the east.
History- The hill tribes namely Kiratas, Uttara Kurus, Khasas, Tanganas,
Kunindas and Pratanganas find references in the Upayana Parva of
Mahabharata. The land of Uttarkashi district has been held sacred by Indians
since ages where the seers and sages had found solace and spiritual
aspirations and performed penances and where devas performed their
sacrifices and Vedic language was better known and spoken than elsewhere.
People came here for learning Vedic language and speach. According to an
account given in the Mahabharata, Jada Bharatha a great sage performed
penances at Uttarkashi. The Kedar Khand of Skanda Purna refers Uttarkashi
and the rivers Bhagirathi, Jahanavi and Bheel Ganga. The district of
Uttarkashi was part of Gharwal Kingdom ruled by Garhwal dynasty that
carried the cognomen `Pal’ which was changed to Sah during 15
th
 century
conferred by Sultan of Delhi perhaps Bahlul Lodi.
In 1803 Gorkhas of Nepal invaded Garhwal and Amar Singh Thapa was
made Governor of this region. The Gorkhas came into contact with the
British power in 1814 as their frontiers in Gharwal became determinous with
those of the British. The border troubles prompted the Britishers to invade
Garhwal. In April, 1815 Gorkhas were ousted from Garhwal region and
Garhwal was annexed as British district and was split up into eastern and
western Garhwal. The eastern Garhwal was retained by the British
Government. The western Garhwal, lying to the west of the Alaknanda river
with the exception of the Dun was made over to the heir of Garhwal dynasty
Sudarshan Sah. This state came to be known as Tehri Garhwal and it was
merged with the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949 after India attained
independence in 1947
Geography- Lying in the upper Himalayas, Uttarkashi contains within
itself varying geographic environments ranging from snow free valleys and
outer hills to the high peaks with perpetual snow and glaciers. The terrain
runs into series of ridges and valleys. Each ridge leads to another coiling up
in seemingly unending chains.Most of the terrain is mountainous consisting
of high rise ridges, hills and plateaus and flat pieces of land are rare. The land
in these areas is now in fertility due to large content of out crops of boulders
and gravels. Made-up of alluvial soil, valley is a stream bed. Generally
forests occur on the upper ridges that bound the valleys. On their sloping hill
sides lie a chain of sparsely populated settlements interspersed with terrace
cultivation.
88 percent of the total area of the district is occupied by forests. Pine forests
occur between the altitude of 900-2000 metres, Deodar forests between 2000-
3000 metres, Fir and Spruce forests over 3000 metres and Kharshu, Birch and
Junipers forests upto the height of 4000 metres. Above the Fir and Spruce
forest zone, alpine pastures are found throughout the district between the
height of 3500 metres to 4877 metres above sea level. Rich varieties of grass,
shrubs and herbs come up during June- September while during the
remaining part of the year these areas remain covered with snow. A large
number of medicinal plants of great commercial value grow spontaneously in
the forests. Some of these grow in the valleys, some in sub-montane tracts
while some other on higher altitudes. Forestry too does play an important role
in the economy of the district. It employs persons both in preservation and
propagation of forests as well as in their exploitation. Herbs are the most
important minor forest produce. A large variety of herbs grow wild.
RIVERS -It is the land of Uttarkashi district that gives rise to two great and
reverent rivers of India the Bhagirathi, called the Ganga in the plains and the
Yamuna. The Ganga coming up in the glaciers `gaumukh’ traverses 128 kms.
in Uttarkashi district before flowing down farther. The third important river
of this district is Tons besides host of tributaries that drain these areas.
AGRICULTURE- Agriculture in these areas suffer from many constraints.
The availability of cultivable land itself is the greatest restricting factor on the
development of agriculture. It can be seen from the fact that as much as 88%
of the area is either covered by forests or is barren and uncultivable. The land
is low in fertility except in the valleys. Shorter agricultural season, low
temperature, high altitude, smallness of land holding, perpetual problem of
soil erosion due to steep gradients etc. are other inhibiting factors effecting
agriculture. The agriculture, therefore, does not offer too much hope for
bringing about well being to the people of the area. Sheep rearing for
production of wool and meat, orchard raising, spinning and weaving of wool
and other cottage industries etc. offer much scope and their potential be
exploited to the fullest extent. The cultivation in these areas is carried on
largely by making terraces on the sloping hillsides. Some cultivation is done
on steep hills also where terracing and tilling cannot be done and the place is
cleared by burning scrubs and bushes. The seeds are sown with the help of a
hoe. This practice of cultivation is known as `Katil’. Both Rabi as well as
Kharif crops are harvested. The main Kharif crops are paddy, small millets
and potato and chief Rabi crops are wheat and barley. These crops account
for over 80 percent of the total cropped area. Horticulture is another field that
can boost up the economy of the district. However, it has not made much
headway due to difficulties in marketing the produce, due to poor
communications and remoteness of areas.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY- Animal husbandry is an important source of
supplementing income of the rural population. Of the total live-stock, bovine
population and that of sheep accounted for almost one third each. The
production of milk per milch animal is very low. Efforts are under way for
introducing high yielding strain. Sheep rearing is an important industry in the
district. Yet it does not provide full time employment and it is only avocation
for those who are engaged in its pursuit.
INDUSTRIES- The knowledge regarding occurrences of minerals in the
district is scanty. As per stray surveys, soap stones, iron, graphite, lime stone,
kyanite and mica deposits occur in the district. There has been hardly any
industrial development in the district. The cottage and village industries play
an important role in the economy of the district. The most important cottage
industry is the production of wool and woolen goods. Sheep are reared in a
large number and the industry flourished at an altitude between 1525 metres
and 2440 metres. Carpets (namdas), tweeds, blankets etc. are produced. Other
cottage industries are basket-making, mat weaving and wood craft. The
potentials of forest and horticulture can be better exploited by locating forest
and horticulture based industries within the district. This will bring down
transportation cost as a proportion to the selling price of the products, making
them competitive in the market. Tourism industry possesses tremendous
possibilities of development.
Page 4


Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi district was created on February 24, 1960 out of what then
constituted the parganas of Rawain and Uttarkashi of Rawain tahsil of
erstwhile Tehri Garhwal district. It sprawls in the extreme north-west corner
of the state over an area of 8016 sq. km. in the rugged terrain of the mystic
Himalayas. On its north lie Himachal Pradesh State and the territory of Tibet
and the district of Chamoli in the east.
History- The hill tribes namely Kiratas, Uttara Kurus, Khasas, Tanganas,
Kunindas and Pratanganas find references in the Upayana Parva of
Mahabharata. The land of Uttarkashi district has been held sacred by Indians
since ages where the seers and sages had found solace and spiritual
aspirations and performed penances and where devas performed their
sacrifices and Vedic language was better known and spoken than elsewhere.
People came here for learning Vedic language and speach. According to an
account given in the Mahabharata, Jada Bharatha a great sage performed
penances at Uttarkashi. The Kedar Khand of Skanda Purna refers Uttarkashi
and the rivers Bhagirathi, Jahanavi and Bheel Ganga. The district of
Uttarkashi was part of Gharwal Kingdom ruled by Garhwal dynasty that
carried the cognomen `Pal’ which was changed to Sah during 15
th
 century
conferred by Sultan of Delhi perhaps Bahlul Lodi.
In 1803 Gorkhas of Nepal invaded Garhwal and Amar Singh Thapa was
made Governor of this region. The Gorkhas came into contact with the
British power in 1814 as their frontiers in Gharwal became determinous with
those of the British. The border troubles prompted the Britishers to invade
Garhwal. In April, 1815 Gorkhas were ousted from Garhwal region and
Garhwal was annexed as British district and was split up into eastern and
western Garhwal. The eastern Garhwal was retained by the British
Government. The western Garhwal, lying to the west of the Alaknanda river
with the exception of the Dun was made over to the heir of Garhwal dynasty
Sudarshan Sah. This state came to be known as Tehri Garhwal and it was
merged with the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949 after India attained
independence in 1947
Geography- Lying in the upper Himalayas, Uttarkashi contains within
itself varying geographic environments ranging from snow free valleys and
outer hills to the high peaks with perpetual snow and glaciers. The terrain
runs into series of ridges and valleys. Each ridge leads to another coiling up
in seemingly unending chains.Most of the terrain is mountainous consisting
of high rise ridges, hills and plateaus and flat pieces of land are rare. The land
in these areas is now in fertility due to large content of out crops of boulders
and gravels. Made-up of alluvial soil, valley is a stream bed. Generally
forests occur on the upper ridges that bound the valleys. On their sloping hill
sides lie a chain of sparsely populated settlements interspersed with terrace
cultivation.
88 percent of the total area of the district is occupied by forests. Pine forests
occur between the altitude of 900-2000 metres, Deodar forests between 2000-
3000 metres, Fir and Spruce forests over 3000 metres and Kharshu, Birch and
Junipers forests upto the height of 4000 metres. Above the Fir and Spruce
forest zone, alpine pastures are found throughout the district between the
height of 3500 metres to 4877 metres above sea level. Rich varieties of grass,
shrubs and herbs come up during June- September while during the
remaining part of the year these areas remain covered with snow. A large
number of medicinal plants of great commercial value grow spontaneously in
the forests. Some of these grow in the valleys, some in sub-montane tracts
while some other on higher altitudes. Forestry too does play an important role
in the economy of the district. It employs persons both in preservation and
propagation of forests as well as in their exploitation. Herbs are the most
important minor forest produce. A large variety of herbs grow wild.
RIVERS -It is the land of Uttarkashi district that gives rise to two great and
reverent rivers of India the Bhagirathi, called the Ganga in the plains and the
Yamuna. The Ganga coming up in the glaciers `gaumukh’ traverses 128 kms.
in Uttarkashi district before flowing down farther. The third important river
of this district is Tons besides host of tributaries that drain these areas.
AGRICULTURE- Agriculture in these areas suffer from many constraints.
The availability of cultivable land itself is the greatest restricting factor on the
development of agriculture. It can be seen from the fact that as much as 88%
of the area is either covered by forests or is barren and uncultivable. The land
is low in fertility except in the valleys. Shorter agricultural season, low
temperature, high altitude, smallness of land holding, perpetual problem of
soil erosion due to steep gradients etc. are other inhibiting factors effecting
agriculture. The agriculture, therefore, does not offer too much hope for
bringing about well being to the people of the area. Sheep rearing for
production of wool and meat, orchard raising, spinning and weaving of wool
and other cottage industries etc. offer much scope and their potential be
exploited to the fullest extent. The cultivation in these areas is carried on
largely by making terraces on the sloping hillsides. Some cultivation is done
on steep hills also where terracing and tilling cannot be done and the place is
cleared by burning scrubs and bushes. The seeds are sown with the help of a
hoe. This practice of cultivation is known as `Katil’. Both Rabi as well as
Kharif crops are harvested. The main Kharif crops are paddy, small millets
and potato and chief Rabi crops are wheat and barley. These crops account
for over 80 percent of the total cropped area. Horticulture is another field that
can boost up the economy of the district. However, it has not made much
headway due to difficulties in marketing the produce, due to poor
communications and remoteness of areas.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY- Animal husbandry is an important source of
supplementing income of the rural population. Of the total live-stock, bovine
population and that of sheep accounted for almost one third each. The
production of milk per milch animal is very low. Efforts are under way for
introducing high yielding strain. Sheep rearing is an important industry in the
district. Yet it does not provide full time employment and it is only avocation
for those who are engaged in its pursuit.
INDUSTRIES- The knowledge regarding occurrences of minerals in the
district is scanty. As per stray surveys, soap stones, iron, graphite, lime stone,
kyanite and mica deposits occur in the district. There has been hardly any
industrial development in the district. The cottage and village industries play
an important role in the economy of the district. The most important cottage
industry is the production of wool and woolen goods. Sheep are reared in a
large number and the industry flourished at an altitude between 1525 metres
and 2440 metres. Carpets (namdas), tweeds, blankets etc. are produced. Other
cottage industries are basket-making, mat weaving and wood craft. The
potentials of forest and horticulture can be better exploited by locating forest
and horticulture based industries within the district. This will bring down
transportation cost as a proportion to the selling price of the products, making
them competitive in the market. Tourism industry possesses tremendous
possibilities of development.
Flora - The forest cover is in the region of 60–80%,, housing a bewildering
variety of trees, flowers, wild animals, birds, fish and butterflies. Trees of
various species are found in different altitudinal ranges. Between 1,000–
2,000 m. the forest cover is almost exclusively of pine. The pine flowers
between February and April, the seeds being shed in October. Pine trees are
tapped for resin and their dry leaves used as manure. The biggest pine tree in
Asia, with a height of 60.5 m. is found at Khoonigad, en route to Arakot from
Mori.
Between 2,000 m – 3,000 m. are found forests of deodar, oak and
rhododendron. Deodar (from the Sanskrit, deva – daru, divine – tree) is used
for building temples. The wood from oak and rhododendron is utilised for
agricultural implements while their leaves serve as cattle fodder. Beyond
3,000 m. forests of spruce, birch and fir are widespread. The bark of the birch
tree (bhojpatra) was used in ancient times for recording manuscripts, some of
which are still in excellent condition. Between 3,500 m-4,500 m. occur the
bugyals, with a rich variety of flowering shrubs.
The bugyals are especially noted for their wild flowers, which carpet the
hillsides for miles. Of these, the most beautiful is the rare blue poppy, also
called ‘hemkamal’ or snow lotus, its silky – blue petals radiate serenity.
Another celebrated blossom is the Brahmakamal, or ‘the lotus of Brahma.’
Often used for religious observances, this large flower is sweet – smelling
and found in the higher reaches beyond 3,000 m. The flowers of the
Rhododendron family are red, pink or white, set hillsides ablaze between
February and April. Syrup from the flowers is extremely tasty, but some
varieties are poisonous.Several medicinal herbs and plants are found at higher
altitudes and in the valleys. Near Nelang village, extensive tracts of padam
can be found. The powdered wood of this shrub is used for ‘havan’ purposes
because of its perfume. In the Dayara range are found atish and guggal, used
in medicine manufacture. The crushed leaves of the Chiraita shrub are
believed to banish fever in minutes. Another useful plant is the Semru, which
exudes a milky substance that produces light when ignited.
Fauna- The jungles and forests harbour a rich variety of wild – life, some
of the chief categories of which are: Among the felines found are the snow
leopard, leopard, tiger, leopard cat and civet cat. Of these, the most elusive is
the snow leopard, with a coat of pale misty grey.Of the bear family, both the
Himalayan Black Bear and Brown Bear are present. They are good tree
Page 5


Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi district was created on February 24, 1960 out of what then
constituted the parganas of Rawain and Uttarkashi of Rawain tahsil of
erstwhile Tehri Garhwal district. It sprawls in the extreme north-west corner
of the state over an area of 8016 sq. km. in the rugged terrain of the mystic
Himalayas. On its north lie Himachal Pradesh State and the territory of Tibet
and the district of Chamoli in the east.
History- The hill tribes namely Kiratas, Uttara Kurus, Khasas, Tanganas,
Kunindas and Pratanganas find references in the Upayana Parva of
Mahabharata. The land of Uttarkashi district has been held sacred by Indians
since ages where the seers and sages had found solace and spiritual
aspirations and performed penances and where devas performed their
sacrifices and Vedic language was better known and spoken than elsewhere.
People came here for learning Vedic language and speach. According to an
account given in the Mahabharata, Jada Bharatha a great sage performed
penances at Uttarkashi. The Kedar Khand of Skanda Purna refers Uttarkashi
and the rivers Bhagirathi, Jahanavi and Bheel Ganga. The district of
Uttarkashi was part of Gharwal Kingdom ruled by Garhwal dynasty that
carried the cognomen `Pal’ which was changed to Sah during 15
th
 century
conferred by Sultan of Delhi perhaps Bahlul Lodi.
In 1803 Gorkhas of Nepal invaded Garhwal and Amar Singh Thapa was
made Governor of this region. The Gorkhas came into contact with the
British power in 1814 as their frontiers in Gharwal became determinous with
those of the British. The border troubles prompted the Britishers to invade
Garhwal. In April, 1815 Gorkhas were ousted from Garhwal region and
Garhwal was annexed as British district and was split up into eastern and
western Garhwal. The eastern Garhwal was retained by the British
Government. The western Garhwal, lying to the west of the Alaknanda river
with the exception of the Dun was made over to the heir of Garhwal dynasty
Sudarshan Sah. This state came to be known as Tehri Garhwal and it was
merged with the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949 after India attained
independence in 1947
Geography- Lying in the upper Himalayas, Uttarkashi contains within
itself varying geographic environments ranging from snow free valleys and
outer hills to the high peaks with perpetual snow and glaciers. The terrain
runs into series of ridges and valleys. Each ridge leads to another coiling up
in seemingly unending chains.Most of the terrain is mountainous consisting
of high rise ridges, hills and plateaus and flat pieces of land are rare. The land
in these areas is now in fertility due to large content of out crops of boulders
and gravels. Made-up of alluvial soil, valley is a stream bed. Generally
forests occur on the upper ridges that bound the valleys. On their sloping hill
sides lie a chain of sparsely populated settlements interspersed with terrace
cultivation.
88 percent of the total area of the district is occupied by forests. Pine forests
occur between the altitude of 900-2000 metres, Deodar forests between 2000-
3000 metres, Fir and Spruce forests over 3000 metres and Kharshu, Birch and
Junipers forests upto the height of 4000 metres. Above the Fir and Spruce
forest zone, alpine pastures are found throughout the district between the
height of 3500 metres to 4877 metres above sea level. Rich varieties of grass,
shrubs and herbs come up during June- September while during the
remaining part of the year these areas remain covered with snow. A large
number of medicinal plants of great commercial value grow spontaneously in
the forests. Some of these grow in the valleys, some in sub-montane tracts
while some other on higher altitudes. Forestry too does play an important role
in the economy of the district. It employs persons both in preservation and
propagation of forests as well as in their exploitation. Herbs are the most
important minor forest produce. A large variety of herbs grow wild.
RIVERS -It is the land of Uttarkashi district that gives rise to two great and
reverent rivers of India the Bhagirathi, called the Ganga in the plains and the
Yamuna. The Ganga coming up in the glaciers `gaumukh’ traverses 128 kms.
in Uttarkashi district before flowing down farther. The third important river
of this district is Tons besides host of tributaries that drain these areas.
AGRICULTURE- Agriculture in these areas suffer from many constraints.
The availability of cultivable land itself is the greatest restricting factor on the
development of agriculture. It can be seen from the fact that as much as 88%
of the area is either covered by forests or is barren and uncultivable. The land
is low in fertility except in the valleys. Shorter agricultural season, low
temperature, high altitude, smallness of land holding, perpetual problem of
soil erosion due to steep gradients etc. are other inhibiting factors effecting
agriculture. The agriculture, therefore, does not offer too much hope for
bringing about well being to the people of the area. Sheep rearing for
production of wool and meat, orchard raising, spinning and weaving of wool
and other cottage industries etc. offer much scope and their potential be
exploited to the fullest extent. The cultivation in these areas is carried on
largely by making terraces on the sloping hillsides. Some cultivation is done
on steep hills also where terracing and tilling cannot be done and the place is
cleared by burning scrubs and bushes. The seeds are sown with the help of a
hoe. This practice of cultivation is known as `Katil’. Both Rabi as well as
Kharif crops are harvested. The main Kharif crops are paddy, small millets
and potato and chief Rabi crops are wheat and barley. These crops account
for over 80 percent of the total cropped area. Horticulture is another field that
can boost up the economy of the district. However, it has not made much
headway due to difficulties in marketing the produce, due to poor
communications and remoteness of areas.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY- Animal husbandry is an important source of
supplementing income of the rural population. Of the total live-stock, bovine
population and that of sheep accounted for almost one third each. The
production of milk per milch animal is very low. Efforts are under way for
introducing high yielding strain. Sheep rearing is an important industry in the
district. Yet it does not provide full time employment and it is only avocation
for those who are engaged in its pursuit.
INDUSTRIES- The knowledge regarding occurrences of minerals in the
district is scanty. As per stray surveys, soap stones, iron, graphite, lime stone,
kyanite and mica deposits occur in the district. There has been hardly any
industrial development in the district. The cottage and village industries play
an important role in the economy of the district. The most important cottage
industry is the production of wool and woolen goods. Sheep are reared in a
large number and the industry flourished at an altitude between 1525 metres
and 2440 metres. Carpets (namdas), tweeds, blankets etc. are produced. Other
cottage industries are basket-making, mat weaving and wood craft. The
potentials of forest and horticulture can be better exploited by locating forest
and horticulture based industries within the district. This will bring down
transportation cost as a proportion to the selling price of the products, making
them competitive in the market. Tourism industry possesses tremendous
possibilities of development.
Flora - The forest cover is in the region of 60–80%,, housing a bewildering
variety of trees, flowers, wild animals, birds, fish and butterflies. Trees of
various species are found in different altitudinal ranges. Between 1,000–
2,000 m. the forest cover is almost exclusively of pine. The pine flowers
between February and April, the seeds being shed in October. Pine trees are
tapped for resin and their dry leaves used as manure. The biggest pine tree in
Asia, with a height of 60.5 m. is found at Khoonigad, en route to Arakot from
Mori.
Between 2,000 m – 3,000 m. are found forests of deodar, oak and
rhododendron. Deodar (from the Sanskrit, deva – daru, divine – tree) is used
for building temples. The wood from oak and rhododendron is utilised for
agricultural implements while their leaves serve as cattle fodder. Beyond
3,000 m. forests of spruce, birch and fir are widespread. The bark of the birch
tree (bhojpatra) was used in ancient times for recording manuscripts, some of
which are still in excellent condition. Between 3,500 m-4,500 m. occur the
bugyals, with a rich variety of flowering shrubs.
The bugyals are especially noted for their wild flowers, which carpet the
hillsides for miles. Of these, the most beautiful is the rare blue poppy, also
called ‘hemkamal’ or snow lotus, its silky – blue petals radiate serenity.
Another celebrated blossom is the Brahmakamal, or ‘the lotus of Brahma.’
Often used for religious observances, this large flower is sweet – smelling
and found in the higher reaches beyond 3,000 m. The flowers of the
Rhododendron family are red, pink or white, set hillsides ablaze between
February and April. Syrup from the flowers is extremely tasty, but some
varieties are poisonous.Several medicinal herbs and plants are found at higher
altitudes and in the valleys. Near Nelang village, extensive tracts of padam
can be found. The powdered wood of this shrub is used for ‘havan’ purposes
because of its perfume. In the Dayara range are found atish and guggal, used
in medicine manufacture. The crushed leaves of the Chiraita shrub are
believed to banish fever in minutes. Another useful plant is the Semru, which
exudes a milky substance that produces light when ignited.
Fauna- The jungles and forests harbour a rich variety of wild – life, some
of the chief categories of which are: Among the felines found are the snow
leopard, leopard, tiger, leopard cat and civet cat. Of these, the most elusive is
the snow leopard, with a coat of pale misty grey.Of the bear family, both the
Himalayan Black Bear and Brown Bear are present. They are good tree
climbers and can be quite aggressive when disturbed. Among the antelopes,
the most prominent are the bharal, serow, musk – deer barking deer (kakar)
and sambhar. The bharal is found at altitudes of around 3500m such as
Nandanvan, and is extremely agile and nimble. The musk deer are being
hunted for musk – pods and are now quite rare.
Among reptiles, a wide variety of snakes are seen, many of whom are
worshipped as nag devtas. Another striking specimen is the monitor lizard, a
good 2ft. in length, called goh or gumla in the local dialect. A large number
of rodents, such as squirrels, marmots and rats, can be observed. Marmots are
common in the Har– Ki– Dun area, where their presence can be detected by
their high – pitched, chittering voices. They store food in their burrows and
hibernate through winter.
The wide diversity of bird – life is distributed according to the altitude.
Among the pheasants found here are the kalij, kokla, chir and monal. The
monal with its resplendent plumage of metallic green, glistening purple,
startling red and jet – black, is a sight to behold. It moves about in small
groups and takes flight when one almost stumbles upon it. Among partridges,
the Himalayan snow cock, kala titar and chakor are frequently sighted. The
kala titar or black partridge frequents shrubs near cultivated land. The chakor
loves open hill slopes and also visits cultivated fields in search of grain.The
pigeons and doves that inhabit the area are the harial, the fakta, and the malyo
or blue rock pigeon. The harial is a yellowish – green bird found in oak
forests. The fakta is a large dove while the malyo has a slaty grey colour with
a metallic lustre.
The nongame birds generally sighted are the magpie, thrush, paradise fly –
catcher, parakeet, golden oriole, sunbird and robin. The birds found near
water courses are the brown dipper, plumbeous redstart, spotted fork – tail
and wagtails. Various swifts, skylarks, swallows, warblers, bulbuls, mynahs
and other smaller birds add to the rich bird – life of the district. Fish are
plentiful in almost a11 the lakes and rivers, except at high altitude. Trout in
Dodital and carp in Nachiketatal are in abundance. Besides, the mahaseer,
kalhana and goonch lurk in the shadowy depths wherever river – water
collects.
Butterflies are generally seen in bugyals and near flowering shrubs. Some
of the prominent are: Peacock Pansy: Golden brown with large spots, it is
found in low lying, moist areas. Blue – Peacock: Deep black and metallic