Author Topic: Pithoragarh: Kashmir Of Uttarakhand - पिथौरागढ़: उत्तराखण्ड का कश्मीर  (Read 133934 times)

एम.एस. मेहता /M S Mehta 9910532720

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Mahar Ji,

Great information..

पंकज सिंह महर

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 From Wikipedia

Pithoragarh is a city and a municipal board in Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It was carved out of district of almora in 1962.

History

Pithoragarh derives it's name from tradition of rajputs, to name the places they settled in, after the places they arrived from. Pithoragarh was the capital of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, also known as Rai Pithora. Chauhan settlers surviving muslim invaders named Pithoragarh, the present district in Uttarakhand.

Places of interest in Pithoragarh include Patal Bhuvaneshwar, Chandak, Dewalthal, Dharchula, Munsiyari and Kali Mandir of Gangolihat. Kumaon University College is the main educational institution in the district for higher studies.

Demographics

In 1841 Pilgrim (Barron), while passing through Pithoragarh, wrote : "... The first view of Pithoragarh is striking,in one instant, when you reach the top of the pass (Chandak) which overlooks it, a wide valley bursts on the view, with the small neat military cantonment, fort and scattecyan villages, and meandering streams, which distribute fertility to thousands of well cultivated fields.... I was apprehensive, too, that the beauties of Nainital had exhausted the store, and found that I was never in my life more mistaken."

After its conquest by the Rajwar of Ukko Bhartpal in the year 1364, Pithoragarh was for the whole of the remaining 14th century by the three generation of Pals and the kingdom extended from Pithoragarh to Askot. According to a tamrapatra dating back to 1420 the Pal dynasty was uprooted by the Brahm dynasty of Nepal but subsequently following the death of Gyan Chand in a conflict with Kshetra Pal, the Pal supremacy was restored. It is believed that Bhartichand, an ancestor of Gyan Chand, had replaced bums, the ruler of Pithoragarh, after defeating them in 1445. In the 16th century, the Chand dynasty again took control over Pithoragarh town and in 1790 built a new fort on the hill where the present Girls Inter College is situated. Subsequently after the British domination, Pithoragarh remained a Tehsil under Almora district until it was elevated as a district in the year 1960. To a tourist it will unfold its unique charms as a combination of the rural and the urban, the former scattered around in abundance. Pithoragarh is rich in minerals, magnesite and soap stone is find here in Dewalthal.

Pithoragarh, also gateway to the Himalaya's from the north, better known for the charming and painstaking journey taken by hundreds of pilgrims to kailash mansarovar. Pithoragarh is known for its simple people and simple life.

Pithoragarh also known as Soar Valley was once known for its cool water fountains. In fact, the name "Soar" has its meaning rooted to the word cool. Pithoragarh is primarily a valley surrounded by mountains, though the area is small and scattered but the area is now being gobbled up by concrete construction by people of nearby villages in the district. Pithoragarh has is one of the most scenic places in Uttarakhand lacks major tourist flow because of its distance from the plains that is the Bhabar and Tarai regions of Uttarakhand. pithoragarh has been often referred as mini kashmir by the peoples. however, this place was never got the recognition what it deserves due to ignorance from the state goverments in the past. now, the hope hase risen, because of the formation of new state
.



पंकज सिंह महर

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District Pithoragarh : Profile

Pithoragarh  District  having  its entire northern and eastern boundaries being international, assumes a  great strategicsignificance and, obviously, is
a politically sensitive district along the northern frontier of  India. Being   the  last district adjoining Tibbet,  it has tremendous strategic importance as    the passes of Lipulekh, Kungribingri, Lampia Dhura, Lawe  Dhura, Belcha  and  Keo,  open out  to  Tibbet.  The breath taking beauty of Pithoragarh - 
Himalayas, wide expenses of grassy meadow, perennial streams roaring down the zig-zag course, a stupendous variety of flora and fauna, above all,
pure nature yet unsullied, seem to beckon the beholder into their folds, into  a charmed world of virgin beauty.

It was in the wake of  the Chinese aggression that on the  24th Feb. 1960, a sizeable section of Almora district was carved into  Pithoragarh  district 
containing extreme  border  areas with  its  head quarters in  Pithoragarh  town.  On 15th  September 1997,  the  Champawat Tehsil,  hitherto  under
Pithoragarh, was carved into Champawat district.

The Pithoragarh town  is  located  at  a height of  1645 meters above sea level.The district lies between 29.4° to 30.3° North latitude and  80°  to  81° 
East longitude along the eastern and  southern  part  of  the central   Himalayas  with Indo-Tibbetan  watershed  divide in  the north and  the Kali river forming a continuous border with Nepal  in  the  east. The Pithoragarh district   is  surrounded by the national  boundaries  of   Almora, Champawat, Bageshwar and Chamoli districts and extends over  an area of  7,217.7  sq. Kms
.



FOR MORE INFORMATION PL. OPEN LINK BELOW

http://pithoragarh.nic.in/Intro.htm

पंकज सिंह महर

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One of the most striking regions in the hills of Uttaranchal is Pithoragarh, Kumaon’s easternmost district. The district headquarters, also called Pithoragarh, is wedged in between Nepal and Tibet, in the tiny Soar Valley of the Lesser Himalayas. The valley is flanked by four hills - Chandak, Dhwaj, Thal Kedar and Kundar - and is dramatic in its beauty.

Pithoragarh is in the heart of adventure country. In ancient times, the town had as many as six passes into Tibet, and it is still on the sacred Kailash-Mansarovar trail. Treks to the Milam and Namik Glaciers are kick-started here.

A number of adventure sports are possible in the region and there are private operators and camps that will organize them for you. Hang gliding, paragliding, trekking, skiing, canoeing, river rafting and fishing escapades await the audacious.

For the nature lover and wildlife enthusiast, there are hikes through Pithoragarh’s thick forests where you can spot snow leopards, musk deer and peafowl. The rolling meadows surrounding the town are soft with velvet grass and the scent of wild flowers - lovely for a lazy day in the sun!

Pithoragarh was the medieval bastion of the Chand rulers, who were great builders of temples. Many of them lie in ruins, but pilgrims still visit the others and festivals are celebrated here in a big way. Visit the Kapileshwar temple, an ancient cave-temple dedicated to Shiva; the Kamaksha temple; and the Kailash Ashram.

The Mostamanu is a famous temple near Chandak, 7 km from Pithoragarh, from where you can get a spectacular view of the snowy Himalayas - the peaks of Nanda Devi, Panchuli and Trishul. A 29 km trek uphill from the Soar valley takes you to Dhwaj and the temples of Shiva and Parvati. Thal Kedar, 16 km, is another pretty spot with Shiva temples where there is a grand Shivratri celebration each year.

Getting there: Pithoragarh is 503 km from Delhi, 330 km from Nainital, 212 km from Kathgodam, and 150 km from Tanakpur. Buses and taxis are available from Kathgodam and Tanakpur, the two nearest railheads. Pithoragarh has a small hill airstrip at Naini Saini, 5 km from town. If you are driving in from Delhi, breaking journey at Kathgodam or Nainital is convenient. Almora and Bageshwar are the main gas refuelling halts en route.

Best time: The months of March to June and mid-September to October are ideal for visiting Pithoragarh, while July to early September is the rainy season. Light woollens and rain protection is needed in summer, while heavy woollens are called for in winter.

Accommodation: Pithoragarh has a range of accommodation options, from the Forest Rest House and KMVN Tourist Rest House, to private hotels, resorts and campsites. For further information contact Tourist Office Pithoragarh, Tel 05964-22527, or District Information Office, Pithoragarh, Tel 05964-22549
.


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MAP OF PITHORAGARH

पंकज सिंह महर

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MORE ABOUT PITHORAGARH

The Mini Kashmir The easternmost hill district of Uttar Pradesh, Pithoragarh is often referred to as ?Miniature Kashmir?. Nestling in a small valley, barely 5 km long and 2 km wide, the town also known as Sore Valley was an important landmark of the Chand Rajas of Kumaon. It is situated at an altitude of 1,650 m above sea level and has the facility of three spoken languages, namely Hindi, Kumaoni and English.

Pithoragarh is the district headquarters and its government buildings are housed in the hill fort of Pithoragarh at a distance of 7 kms. from the main town. From the Chandak Hill located at around 2000 metres, one gets a panoramic view of snow range extending from Trishul, Nanda Devi, Panchchuli group and mount Appi of Nepal.

Altitude  :     1650 meter above sea level

How To Get There
By Air
Nearest airport is Naini Saini (Pithoragarh), 5 kms.
By Rail
Nearest railhead is at Tanakpur 151 kms.
By Road
Well connected by a motorable road


Attractions

Askot Wildlife Sanctuary

Askot Sanctuary, established in 1986, for musk deer (कस्तूरी म्रग) is located in the pastoral surroundings of Indo-Nepal border, in Pithoragarh.

Mahakali Temple of Gangolihat :

Tehsil and block Gangolihat  is   at a distance of  77 Km. from  Pithoragarh. It  is rich in folk culture, music and religious traditions and had been chosen by Sankaracharya  for  the installation  of  Mahakali shaktipith. Amidst the cluster of pine trees is situated the  shakti  temple. The Goddess  Kali  as  represented  in  her fierce form conquering  the  demon, is  offered sacrifices of  lambs and goats. In the direction opposite of  the Kali  temple about 2 Km. away is   situated  the Chamunda  temple which  is  believed  to  be  in  the  centre  of an area of
wilderness exclusively possessed by spirits and  demons conquered by  the Goddess in her  fierce aspect. The temple has an aura of mystery and
weird charm and during the dark hours of night the spirits are believed to have a free sway outside the temple premises.


Patal Bhuvaneshwar :

The exposure  of Patal Bhuvaneshwar (Lord Shiva in  the  underground temple complex)  is one of  this unique way to help mankind. 16 Km. to  the north-east of  Gangolihat and 20 Km. to the south of Berinag is situated the Patal Bhuvaneshwar cave temple. It is 91 Km. away from the district head  quarter and situated  at a height  of  1350  meters above sea level. The temple place comes under village Bhuvneshwar which is in the tehsil Didihat.The way to the temple is through a narrow  tunnel shaped cave,  giving  a very thrilling experience.  The main  passage  way opens into several small caves which have in them  the stone carvings  of  many  traditional Gods & Goddesses and can evoke weird romantic
fancies and images in the religiously inclined person. The cave temple of Patal Bhuvaneshwar is traditionally believed to be the abode of thirty three crore deities
.




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Mostamanu :  

Some six Km. by  bus and  then 2 Km. on  foot  to  the north of Pithoragarh  is situated  the temple dedicated  to  Mosta God. The
temple premises are a center of a big lively fair held in August  - September every year.


Nagmandir of Berinag :

About one Km uphill  to the south of  Berinag proper  in a romantic setting flanked in the north by a  cluster  of  trees and
to  the   further south by a ravine,  is the location of the famous snake temple which is  dedicated  to  one of  several manifestations of Lord Vishnu. 
Legends  say  that  the   place  was  named  Berinag  after  the  Nagveni King Benimadhava.  It is believed  that when  the pants from  Maharashtra
came to settle here they saw coiled snakes of allcolours in a very large  number and  as a mark  of   reverence  to  them  they built a snake   temple
sometimes in  the fourteenth century. It is a popular  belief that Lord Krishna after conquering  Kalinag advised him to leave  river Jamuna  and settle 
somewhere  amidst  the  snowy peaks,  and  that, Kalinag followed  by  many  others  came  to a  place somewhere around here.
Sirakot : Built by Reka Kings, the Sirakot fort cum temple is situated at a distance of 2 Kms away from Didihat town which is some 52 Kms from
the district headquarters.The outer part of the fort was used by the King as household accommodation


Sirakot Temple

 where the temples of Shiva  &  Bhairab    were built  in  the  inner part.  They are now in  a state  of ruins.  The  hilltop   on    which    the    fort     is   situated    offers  a remarkably  clear    and    fascinating   view    of   the Himalayan ranges.

Ghunsera Devi Temple : 

The  Ghunsera   caves  are located in the middle of a lofty hill on the top of which is situated the Asurchula  temple. The  stone  images  of Gods  and  Goddesses  are  believed   to   have    been installed by the  Khol  kings of Kartikeya pura. Two  of the stone images found here are said  to belong  to the Gupta period.


Thal Kedar : 

Eight Kms on motor roads to the  south  of Pithoragarh and thence  after a  climb along a narrow pathway  flanked   by   dense  vegetation  is    reached  the Kedar  temple situated at a height of 2000 meters.


Nakuleshwar Temple :

This temple has  its location at a place about two km. removed from the village Shiling which it self is  about four Km away
from  Pithoragarh. The word Nakuleshwar  is   derived  from  a  combination  of  two  words : Nakul meaning  Himalaya   and Ishwar meaning God and hence, Shiva  the Himalaya God. The architectural design  of   the  main temple  is splendid and appears to have been modeled on  the stylistic pattern of Khajuraho. In all, there are some thirty eight   stone  images  of  Shiva-parwati, Uma-Vasudev,  Nauvarga, Surya, Mahishasur  mardini, Vaman, Kurma, Narsingh etc. many of  which are broken and disfigured because of neglect and age.


Kamaksha Temple : 

To  the north east  of  Pithoragarh at a distance of about  7  Kms near  the  army  contonment base  is  situated  the  Kamaksha temple on  the  top  of  a hillock over looking the surrounding mountain ranges.


Kapileshwar Mahadev :   

In   the  Soar   Valley  right   above  the  villages  of Takaura and Takari overlooking Pithoragarh town, is situated the  cave  temple dedicated to  Mahadeva.  The legend goes that the great sage kapil  meditated here. The  passage through the cave is very long and branches  out   to several indeterminate destinations and has hence been closed. The temple  is situated some  ten  meters  deep  inside the cave.  There  is another cave temple of this kind also dedicated to Mahadev at a place called Rai  which is about half a Km to the north-east on Dharchula-Pithoragarh road.

Ulkadevi Temple : 

On  Pithoragarh chandak  motor  road  close  to   where  the tourist rest house is situated stands the Ulkadevi temple besides 
which has also been built a memorial  for the martyrs who laid down their lives in defense of the mother land. The temple offers a remarkable view of
the sprawling Soar Valley
.

 
 



Anubhav / अनुभव उपाध्याय

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Wah Mahar ji +1 karma for this great info.

एम.एस. मेहता /M S Mehta 9910532720

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Mahar Ji,

Exclusive information on Pithoragarh Distt. There are various place in Pithoragarh Disst which are worth to visit.

Patal Bhuvneshwar, Berinag & Gangolihaat i have visited several times. 

पंकज सिंह महर

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पिथौरागढ़ का इतिहास

यहां के निकट एक गांव में मछली एवं घोंघो के जीवाश्म पाये गये हैं जिससे इंगित होता है कि पिथौरागढ़ का इलाका हिमालय के निर्माण से पहले एक विशाल झील रहा होगा।
हाल-फिलहाल तक पिथौरागढ़ में खास वंश का शासन रहा है, जिन्हें यहां के किले या कोटों के निर्माण का श्रेय जाता है। पिथौरागढ़ के इर्द-गिर्द चार कोटें हैं जो भाटकोट, डूंगरकोट, उदयकोट तथा ऊंचाकोट हैं। खास वंश के बाद यहां कचूडी वंश (पाल-मल्लासारी वंश) का शासन हुआ तथा इस वंश का राजा अशोक मल्ला, बलबन का समकालीन था। इसी अवधि में वर्ष 1998 में राजा पिथौरा द्वारा पिथौरागढ़ स्थापित किया गया तथा इसी के नाम पर पिथौरागढ़ नाम भी पड़ा। इस वंश के तीन राजाओं ने पिथौरागढ़ से ही शासन किया तथा निकट के गांव कासनी में उनके द्वारा निर्मित ईंटो के किले को वर्ष 1960 में पिथौरागढ़ के तत्कालीन जिलाधीश ने ध्वस्त कर दिया। वर्ष 1622 से आगे पिथौरागढ़ पर चंद वंश का आधिपत्य रहा।

पिथौरागढ़ के इतिहास का एक अन्य विवादास्पद वर्णन है। एटकिंस के अनुसार, चंद वंश के एक सामंत पीरू गोसाई ने पिथौरागढ़ की स्थापना की। ऐसा लगता है कि चंद वंश के राजा भारती चंद के शासनकाल (वर्ष 1437 से 1450) में उसके पुत्र रत्न चंद ने नेपाल के राजा दोती को परास्त कर सौर घाटी पर कब्जा कर लिया एवं वर्ष 1449 में इसे कुमाऊं या कुर्मांचल में मिला लिया। उसी के शासनकाल में पीरू या पृथ्वी गोसांई ने पिथौरागढ़ नाम से यहां एक किला बनाया। किले के नाम पर ही बाद में इसका नाम पिथौरागढ़ हुआ।

चंदों ने अधिकांश कुमाऊं पर अपना अधिकार विस्तृत कर लिया जहां उन्होंने वर्ष 1790 तक शासन किया। उन्होंने कई कबीलों को परास्त किया तथा पड़ोसी राजाओं से युद्ध भी किया ताकि उनकी स्थिति सुदृढ़ हो जाय। वर्ष 1790 में, गोरखियाली कहे जाने वाले गोरखों ने कुमाऊं पर कब्जा जमाकर चंद वंश का शासन समाप्त कर दिया। वर्ष 1815 में गोरखा शासकों के शोषण का अंत हो गया जब ईस्ट इंडिया कंपनी ने उन्हें परास्त कर कुमाऊं पर अपना आधिपत्य कायम कर लिया। एटकिंस के अनुसार, वर्ष 1881 में पिथौरागढ़ की कुल जनसंख्या 552 थी। अंग्रेजों के समय में यहां एक सैनिक छावनी, एक चर्च तथा एक मिशन स्कूल था। इस क्षेत्र में क्रिश्चियन मिशनरी बहुत सक्रिय थे।

वर्ष 1960 तक अंग्रजों की प्रधानता सहित पिथौरागढ़ अल्मोड़ा जिले का एक तहसील था जिसके बाद यह एक जिला बना। वर्ष 1997 में पिथौरागढ़ के कुछ भागों को काटकर एक नया जिला चंपावत बनाया गया तथा इसकी सीमा को पुनर्निर्धारित कर दिया गया। वर्ष 2000 में पिथौरागढ़ नये राज्य उत्तराखंड का एक भाग बन गया।

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पौराणिक

किंवदन्ती के अनुसार जब कभी भी सूखा पड़े तब मोस्ता देवता को संतुष्ट करने के लिये समुदाय द्वारा धन जमाकर एक यज्ञ का आयोजन करने पर वर्षा अवश्य होती थी। यह कार्य आज भी जारी है। (मोस्ता देवता नेपाल में भगवान शिव का ही नाम है जिनका एक मंदिर पास में ही स्थित है।)
पिथौरागढ़ का संबंध पांडवों से भी है जो अपने 14 वर्ष के वनवास के दौरान इस क्षेत्र में आये थे। पिथौरागढ़ में सबसे छोटे पांडव नकुल को समर्पित एक मंदिर भी है।

 

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