History of Uttaranchal
O.C. Handa
ISBN : 8173871345
Year : 2002
Edition : First
Pages : 248
About the Book
Except a few works of the colonial period, nothing wholesome on the history of the region is available. The colonial writers have in a very systematic manner tried to distort the events of the colonial period. This book attempts to set all those wrongs right after analysing the events in their immediate and past contexts.
The historical account for the earlier period is burdened with mythical, metaphorical and anecdotal narratives notwithstanding the fact that there still exists a very rich and living repository of traditions, customs and folklore with the people of the region. There is a need to explore these unconventional sources of history, which may illuminate numerous obscure recesses and fill many gaps of the ancient history.
For the feudal period, an attempt has been made to study the entire region as a composite whole. Different events of history have been suitably correlated. Attempt has been made to evaluate and reinterpret the popular practices and traditions in a wider historical and socio-cultural perspective. An attempt has been made to present the regional history as history of the people rather that a feudalistic chronological narrative.
The book covers the Socio-Cultural Geography of Uttaranchal; Rise and Fall of the Katyuri Imperialism; Rise of the Chand Dynasty in Kumaon; Dynastic Rule in Garhwal; Uttarakhand under the Colonial Rule; and the Post-Independence Era. This book is, thus, a comprehensive and up-to-date work on the history of the newly born state of Uttaranchal.
The Contents
Preface
List of Illustrations
Notes and Abbreviations
1. Socio-Cultural Geography
The Classical Traditions
Topography
Ethnic Set-up
2. The Katyuri Imperialism: Its Rise and Fall
Rise of the Katyuri Imperialism
Transfer of Capital
Decline of the Katyuri Imperialism
An Era of Anarchy
The Katyuri Offshoots
3. Rise of the Chand Dynasty in Kumaon
The Early Chand Kings
The Age of the Khashia Resurgence
Re-induction of the Chand Dynasty
Decline of the Chand Power
The Garhwali Rule in Kumaon
4. Dynastic Rule in Garhwal
Ancient Socio-political Set-up
The Boani-garh
Emergence of Dynastic Rule: The Pal Age
The Shahi Period in Garhwal
The Beginning of End of Dynastic Rule
5. Uttaranchal under the Colonial Rule
The Gurkha Occupation
Gurkha Martial Rule in Uttarakhand
The British Period
The British Invasion
British Administration
Tehri State
Dehradun
Gujjar Uprising (or Kalluagardi)
Rehabilitation of the Dun
Eighteen Fifty-Seven and After
Kumaon District
British Bureaucratic Administration
Popular Uprising
6. The Post-Independence Era
The Uttarakhand Movement
Birth of Uttaranchal
Bibliography
Appendix
Index