Garhwal Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Garhwal Kingdom was a princely state
in north-western Uttarakhand
, India
, ruled by the Panwar
(Shah) dynasty. It was founded in 888 AD and existed until it was annexed by the Gorkhas in 1803. Thereafter post Anglo-Nepalese War and the Sugauli Treaty
of 1815, the Kingdom was restored, with the formation of a smaller Tehri Garhwal state.
Later part of the Punjab Hill States Agency
of British India, Garhwal Kingdom consisted of the present day Tehri Garhwal district
and most of the Uttarkashi district. Garhwal state acceded to the Union of India in August 1949.
. Garhwal kingdom was dominated by Kshatriyas. The Kuninda Kingdom
also flourished around 2nd century BC. Later this region came under the rule of Katyuri Kings
, who ruled unified Kumaon and Garhwal regions from Katyur Valley, Baijnath, Uttarakhand
, starting 6th century AD and eventually fading by the 11th century AD, when they were replaced by Chand Kings
in Kumaon
, while Garhwal was fragmented into several small principalities. Huen Tsang, the Chinese traveller, who visited the region around 629 AD, mentions a kingdom of Brahampura in the region.
Garhwal state founded in 823 AD, when Kanakpal, the prince of Malwa, on his visit to the Badrinath Temple
, met the King Bhanu Pratap, a chieftain of Chandpur Garhi. The King later married his only daughter to the prince and subsequently handed over his kingdom, the fortress town. Kanakpal and his descendants of Panwar Shah dynasty, gradually conquered all the independent fortresses (Garhs) belonging to its 52 small chieftains, and ruled the whole of Garhwal Kingdom for the next 915 years, up to 1803 AD.
In 1358, the 37th ruler, Ajay Pal, brought all the minor principalities for the Garhwal region, under his own rule, and founded the Garhwal kingdom, with Dewalgarh as its capital, which he later shifted to Srinagar. Balbhadra Shah (r. 1575-1591), was the first Raja of Garhwal to use the title Shah. The capital was shifted to Srinagar, Uttarakhand
by Mahipat Shah who ascended to the throne in 1622, and further consolidated his rule over most parts of Garhwal, though he died early in 1631, though his seven year old son, Prithvi Shah ascended to the throne after him, the Kingdom was ruled by his Mahipat Shah's wife, Rani Karnavati for many years to come, during which she successfully defend the kingdom against invaders and repelled an attack of Mughal
army led by Najabat Khan in 1640, and in time received the nickname of 'Nakti Rani' as she used to chop off the noses of any invader to the kingdom, as the Mughal invaders of the period realized. Monuments erected by her still exist in Dehradun district
at Nawada.
Next important ruler was Fateh Shah
, remained the King of Garhwal from 1684 to 1716, and is most known for taking part in the Battle of Bhangani
on September 18, 1688, where combined forces of many Rajas of the Sivalik Hills (Pahari rajas) fought with Gobind Singh
's army, and lost. During his reign, Sikh Guru and the ex-communicated eldest son of Har Rai, Ram Rai settled here, upon recommendations of Aurangzeb
, which eventually led to the establishment of modern town of Dehradun. Fateh Shah died in 1716, and his son Upendra Shah died within a year of ascending to the throne in 1717, subsequently Pradip Shah ascended and his ruled led to rising fortunes of the Kingdom, this in turn attracted invaders, like Najib-ud-daula Governor of Saharanpur
, who invaded in 1757 along with his Rohilla
Army and captured Dehradun.
Other descendants ruled over Garhwal and the adjacent state of Tehri
, in an uninterrupted line till 1803, when the Gurkhas invaded Kumaon and Garhwal, Garhwal forces suffered heavy defeat and King Pradyuman Shah first escaped from Srinagar to Dehradun and then to Saharanpur, to organize forces but was eventually killed in the Battle of Khurbura (Dehradun), in January 1804; while his brother, Pritam Shah, was taken in captivity to Nepal by the Gurkhas, and the Garhwal chiefs were driven into the plains, as Gurkhas began their 12-year long tyrannical rule. Sudarshan Shah son of the later King, spent the next decade at Jwalapur, near Haridwar
under British protection.
, which was later on known as British Garhwal and Dun of Dehradun, along with Kumaon
, which was merged with British India as a result of the Treaty of Sugauli, while the western part of the erstwhile Garhwal Kingdom was restored to Sudarshan Shah. Since Srinagar was now part of the British Garhwal, a new capital was established at Tehri
, giving the name of Tehri
state (popularly known as Teri Garhwal).
Sudarshan Shah died in 1859, and was succeeded by Bhawani Shah, who in turn was succeeded by Pratap Shah in 1872. The kingdom had an area of 4180 square miles (10,826.2 km²), and a population of 268,885 in 1901. The ruler was given the title of Raja, but after 1913, he was honoured with the title of Maharaja
. The King was entitled to a 11 gun salute
and had a privy purse
of 300 Rupees. In 1919, Maharaja Narendra Shah shifted the capital from Tehri
to a new town, which was named after him, Narendra Nagar
.
people from this region actively worked for the independence of India. Ultimately, when the country was declared independent in 1947, the inhabitants of Tehri Riyasat (Garhwal State) started their movement to free themselves from the clutches of the Maharaja.
Due to this movement, the situation became out of his control and it was difficult for him to rule over the region. Consequently the 60th king of Panwar Vansh, Manvendra Shah, the last ruling Maharaja
of the Garhwal Kingdom (1946–1949), accepted the sovereignty of the Union of India. Tehri Riyasat was merged into the Garhwal District
of United Provinces (later renamed to Uttar Pradesh
) and was given the status of a new district, the Rudraprayag district
. Subsequently, on 24 February 1960, the state government separated one its tehsil
s which was given the status of a separate district named Uttarkashi
. It is currently part of the Garhwal Division
of the Uttarakhand
state of India which was carved out of Uttar Pradesh
in 2000.
Himalayas
which is part of the modern day state of Uttarakhand
. Any person who has ancestral Garhwali roots or lives in Garhwal and has a Garhwali heritage
is called a Garhwali
. They include all those who speak the Garhwali language or any of its numerous dialects.
The culture of the present Garhwal is an amalgamation of influences from the indigenous population coupled with traditions superimposed by various immigrants who settled in the region from time to time. Majority of the people are involved in the agriculture, tourism and the defense industry.
Garhwali people are divided into three castes- Garhwali Brahmin, Garhwali Rajput and Shilpkaar. Most of the Garhwali Brahmins and Rajputs are of Khas origin and practice the Khas traditions like 'Sautiya baant', 'Gharjawain', 'Dewar-Bhabhi Vivaah' etc. They are closely related to each other. Their surnames are based either on the names of their villages (Hatwal
, Uniyal
, Bahuguna
, Semwal, Nautiyal etc.) or according to their professions (Bisht
, Negi, Joshi
, Rawat
etc). Shipkaars, on the other hand, are composed of various sub-castes and are classified as Scheduled Castes in the Constitution of India.
and is native to Garhwal
.
Garhwali is one of the 325 recognized languages of India spoken by over 2,267,314 people in Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal
, Uttarkashi, Chamoli
, Dehradun
, Haridwar
and Rudraprayag
districts of Uttarakhand
. Garhwali is also spoken by people in other parts of India
including Himachal Pradesh
, Delhi
, Haryana
, Punjab
, Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar
.
UNESCO’s Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger designates Garhwali as a language which is in the unsafe category and requires consistent conservation efforts.
and Kedarnath Temple
, after consulting with the Maharajah of Travancore
. The Kingdom of Garhwal is located in the northernmost part of India, while Cape Comorin (southernmost point of peninsular India) is located in the former Kingdom of Travancore. He also plays a role in the appointment of Chief Priest to the Pashupatinath Temple
in Kathmandu, Nepal
.
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
in north-western Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, ruled by the Panwar
Paramara
Paramara is a Maratha, Gurjar,& Rajput clan of India.The Paramara clan belongs to the Agnivansha of Rajputs ancient Kshatriyas...
(Shah) dynasty. It was founded in 888 AD and existed until it was annexed by the Gorkhas in 1803. Thereafter post Anglo-Nepalese War and the Sugauli Treaty
Sugauli Treaty
The Sugauli Treaty was signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified by March 4, 1816, between the British East India Company and Nepal, which was a kingdom during that era. This ended the second British invasion of the Himalayan kingdom during the Anglo-Nepalese War...
of 1815, the Kingdom was restored, with the formation of a smaller Tehri Garhwal state.
Later part of the Punjab Hill States Agency
Punjab Hill States
The Punjab Hill States Agency was an administrative unit of British India. The agency was created in 1936, and was composed of a number of princely states in the present-day Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand...
of British India, Garhwal Kingdom consisted of the present day Tehri Garhwal district
Tehri Garhwal District
Tehri Garhwal is one of the largest districts in the hill state of Uttarakhand, India. Its administrative headquarters is at New Tehri. The district has a population of 604,747 , a 16.15% increase over the previous decade...
and most of the Uttarkashi district. Garhwal state acceded to the Union of India in August 1949.
History
Traditionally the region finds mention in various Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand being home to the Garhwali peopleGarhwali people
Garhwali people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who primarily live in the Garhwal Himalayas of the north-western Indian state of Uttarakhand...
. Garhwal kingdom was dominated by Kshatriyas. The Kuninda Kingdom
Kuninda Kingdom
The Kingdom of Kuninda was an ancient central Himalayan kingdom from around the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century, located in the modern state of Uttarakhand and southern areas of Himachal in northern India.-Kingdom:...
also flourished around 2nd century BC. Later this region came under the rule of Katyuri Kings
Katyuri Kings
The Katyuri Kings were a medieval ruling clan of Uttarakhand believed to have descended from Shalivahan ruler from Ayodhya. This links them with Suryavansha...
, who ruled unified Kumaon and Garhwal regions from Katyur Valley, Baijnath, Uttarakhand
Baijnath, Uttarakhand
Baijnath is a small town on the banks of the Gomti River in the Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand, India. The place is most noted for its ancient temples.-History:...
, starting 6th century AD and eventually fading by the 11th century AD, when they were replaced by Chand Kings
Chand Kings
Chand Kings were a medieval Raghuvanshi Rajput ruling clan of Kumaon region of the Uttarakhand state of India, which ruled the region after the decline of Katyuri Kings in 11th century AD., and continued till the rise of the British in 18th century....
in Kumaon
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
, while Garhwal was fragmented into several small principalities. Huen Tsang, the Chinese traveller, who visited the region around 629 AD, mentions a kingdom of Brahampura in the region.
Garhwal state founded in 823 AD, when Kanakpal, the prince of Malwa, on his visit to the Badrinath Temple
Badrinath temple
Badrinath temple , sometimes called Badrinarayan temple, is situated along the Alaknanda river, in the hill town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand state in India. It is widely considered to be one of the holiest Hindu temples, and is dedicated to god Vishnu. The temple and town are one of the four Char...
, met the King Bhanu Pratap, a chieftain of Chandpur Garhi. The King later married his only daughter to the prince and subsequently handed over his kingdom, the fortress town. Kanakpal and his descendants of Panwar Shah dynasty, gradually conquered all the independent fortresses (Garhs) belonging to its 52 small chieftains, and ruled the whole of Garhwal Kingdom for the next 915 years, up to 1803 AD.
In 1358, the 37th ruler, Ajay Pal, brought all the minor principalities for the Garhwal region, under his own rule, and founded the Garhwal kingdom, with Dewalgarh as its capital, which he later shifted to Srinagar. Balbhadra Shah (r. 1575-1591), was the first Raja of Garhwal to use the title Shah. The capital was shifted to Srinagar, Uttarakhand
Srinagar, Uttarakhand
For other uses, see Srinagar .Srinagar is the biggest town in garhwal and a municipal board in Pauri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-Geography:...
by Mahipat Shah who ascended to the throne in 1622, and further consolidated his rule over most parts of Garhwal, though he died early in 1631, though his seven year old son, Prithvi Shah ascended to the throne after him, the Kingdom was ruled by his Mahipat Shah's wife, Rani Karnavati for many years to come, during which she successfully defend the kingdom against invaders and repelled an attack of Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
army led by Najabat Khan in 1640, and in time received the nickname of 'Nakti Rani' as she used to chop off the noses of any invader to the kingdom, as the Mughal invaders of the period realized. Monuments erected by her still exist in Dehradun district
Dehradun district
There are five railway stations in Dehradun:* Raiwala* Rishikesh* Doiwala* Harrawala* DehradunAirport...
at Nawada.
Next important ruler was Fateh Shah
Fateh Shah
Fateh Shah was the king of Garhwal, a small kingdom in North India, from 1684 to 1716.-Campaigns:H. G. Walton states that Fateh Shah led an attack from Dehradun on Saharanpur in 1692. The attack was repelled by Sayyed Ali, the Mughal imperial general. According to research by G.R.C...
, remained the King of Garhwal from 1684 to 1716, and is most known for taking part in the Battle of Bhangani
Battle of Bhangani
The Battle of Bhangani was fought between Guru Gobind Singh's army and the combined forces of many Rajas of the Sivalik Hills , on 18 September 1688, at Bhangani near Paonta Sahib...
on September 18, 1688, where combined forces of many Rajas of the Sivalik Hills (Pahari rajas) fought with Gobind Singh
Gobind Singh
Gobind Singh VC was an Indian soldier, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest Commonwealth award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy", during the First World War....
's army, and lost. During his reign, Sikh Guru and the ex-communicated eldest son of Har Rai, Ram Rai settled here, upon recommendations of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, which eventually led to the establishment of modern town of Dehradun. Fateh Shah died in 1716, and his son Upendra Shah died within a year of ascending to the throne in 1717, subsequently Pradip Shah ascended and his ruled led to rising fortunes of the Kingdom, this in turn attracted invaders, like Najib-ud-daula Governor of Saharanpur
Saharanpur
Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division...
, who invaded in 1757 along with his Rohilla
Rohilla
The Rohilla are a community of Hindi-speaking Pashtun also known as Pathan, historically found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North India. Most are now also found in Pakistan where they are now part of the Mohajir community. At one time, they form one of the largest Pashtun diaspora community...
Army and captured Dehradun.
Other descendants ruled over Garhwal and the adjacent state of Tehri
Tehri
Tehri is a city and a municipal board in Tehri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative seat of Tehri Garhwal District.-History:...
, in an uninterrupted line till 1803, when the Gurkhas invaded Kumaon and Garhwal, Garhwal forces suffered heavy defeat and King Pradyuman Shah first escaped from Srinagar to Dehradun and then to Saharanpur, to organize forces but was eventually killed in the Battle of Khurbura (Dehradun), in January 1804; while his brother, Pritam Shah, was taken in captivity to Nepal by the Gurkhas, and the Garhwal chiefs were driven into the plains, as Gurkhas began their 12-year long tyrannical rule. Sudarshan Shah son of the later King, spent the next decade at Jwalapur, near Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
under British protection.
Formation of Tehri Garhwal state
The twelve years the Gurkhas rule went unopposed, until a series of encroachments by them on British territory led to the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1814. At the termination of the campaign, on 21 April 1815, the British established their rule over the eastern half of the Garhwal region, which lies east of Alaknanda and Mandakini riverMandakini River
Mandakini is a tributary of the Alaknanda River. Mandakini originates from the Charabari Glacier near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, India. Mandakini is fed by Vasukiganga River at Sonprayag. Mandakini joins Alaknanda at Rudraprayag...
, which was later on known as British Garhwal and Dun of Dehradun, along with Kumaon
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
, which was merged with British India as a result of the Treaty of Sugauli, while the western part of the erstwhile Garhwal Kingdom was restored to Sudarshan Shah. Since Srinagar was now part of the British Garhwal, a new capital was established at Tehri
Tehri
Tehri is a city and a municipal board in Tehri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative seat of Tehri Garhwal District.-History:...
, giving the name of Tehri
Tehri
Tehri is a city and a municipal board in Tehri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative seat of Tehri Garhwal District.-History:...
state (popularly known as Teri Garhwal).
Sudarshan Shah died in 1859, and was succeeded by Bhawani Shah, who in turn was succeeded by Pratap Shah in 1872. The kingdom had an area of 4180 square miles (10,826.2 km²), and a population of 268,885 in 1901. The ruler was given the title of Raja, but after 1913, he was honoured with the title of Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
. The King was entitled to a 11 gun salute
Salute state
A Salute state was a princely state in India during the time of British rule which had been granted a gun salute by the British Crown ; i.e., the protocollary privilege for its ruler to be greeted - originally by Royal Navy ships, later also on land - with a number of gun shots, as recognition of...
and had a privy purse
Privy Purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's remaining private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £13.3 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2009. The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399. It also has...
of 300 Rupees. In 1919, Maharaja Narendra Shah shifted the capital from Tehri
Tehri
Tehri is a city and a municipal board in Tehri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative seat of Tehri Garhwal District.-History:...
to a new town, which was named after him, Narendra Nagar
Narendra Nagar
Narendra Nagar is a city and a municipal board in Tehri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-Geography:Narendra Nagar is located at . It has an average elevation of 1,326 metres .-Demographics:...
.
India's Independence
During the Quit India MovementQuit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
people from this region actively worked for the independence of India. Ultimately, when the country was declared independent in 1947, the inhabitants of Tehri Riyasat (Garhwal State) started their movement to free themselves from the clutches of the Maharaja.
Due to this movement, the situation became out of his control and it was difficult for him to rule over the region. Consequently the 60th king of Panwar Vansh, Manvendra Shah, the last ruling Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
of the Garhwal Kingdom (1946–1949), accepted the sovereignty of the Union of India. Tehri Riyasat was merged into the Garhwal District
Garhwal District
Garhwal lies in the northern region of India. It is a part of the state Uttrakhand and is bounded on four sides by Tibet , Uttar Pradesh, Kumaon region and Himachal Pradesh....
of United Provinces (later renamed to Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
) and was given the status of a new district, the Rudraprayag district
Rudraprayag District
Rudraprayag district, is a district of Uttarakhand state of northern India. The district occupies an area of 2439 km². Rudraprayag town is the administrative headquarters of the district....
. Subsequently, on 24 February 1960, the state government separated one its tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s which was given the status of a separate district named Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi, meaning Kashi of the north, is a holy town in Uttarakhand, India. It is the district headquarter of Uttarkashi district. Uttarkashi is situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi at an altitude of 1352 m above sea level. Uttarkashi is home to a number of ashrams and temples and also to...
. It is currently part of the Garhwal Division
Garhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
of the Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
state of India which was carved out of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in 2000.
Garhwali People
Garhwalis are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who primarily inhabit the GarhwalGarhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
which is part of the modern day state of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
. Any person who has ancestral Garhwali roots or lives in Garhwal and has a Garhwali heritage
Heritage
Heritage refers to something inherited from the past. The word has several different senses, including:* Natural heritage, an inheritance of fauna and flora, geology, landscape and landforms, and other natural resources...
is called a Garhwali
Garhwali people
Garhwali people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who primarily live in the Garhwal Himalayas of the north-western Indian state of Uttarakhand...
. They include all those who speak the Garhwali language or any of its numerous dialects.
The culture of the present Garhwal is an amalgamation of influences from the indigenous population coupled with traditions superimposed by various immigrants who settled in the region from time to time. Majority of the people are involved in the agriculture, tourism and the defense industry.
Garhwali people are divided into three castes- Garhwali Brahmin, Garhwali Rajput and Shilpkaar. Most of the Garhwali Brahmins and Rajputs are of Khas origin and practice the Khas traditions like 'Sautiya baant', 'Gharjawain', 'Dewar-Bhabhi Vivaah' etc. They are closely related to each other. Their surnames are based either on the names of their villages (Hatwal
Hatwal
Hatwal is a Garhwali Brahmin family name from the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Hatwals were primarily a priestly class who served as pandits at the many Hindu temples in the Himalayan Kingdom of Garhwal, including Badrinath which is part of the auspicious Hindu pilgrimage circuit...
, Uniyal
Uniyal
Uniyal is a North Indian garhwali brahmin surname, mostly used in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. In Yamunotri ritual duties such as the making and distribution of prasad and the supervision of pujas are performed by the Uniyal family of pujaris...
, Bahuguna
Bahuguna
Bahuguna is an Indian surname common in Uttrakhand in northern India.According to the family history, the land of Odali village was purchased by ancestors from a lady of Dungri Village. According to the book Bahuguna Vansh Charit written by Dr...
, Semwal, Nautiyal etc.) or according to their professions (Bisht
Bisht
The Bisht are a Rajput community living primarily in the Central Himmalayas, such as the Indian state of Uttarakhand.Bisht Rajputs refers to the title of Rajputs in Kumaon and Garhwal regions of Uttarakhand...
, Negi, Joshi
Joshi
Joshi is a family name common in India and Nepal. Whereas the Joshi's of India are of Brahmin origin, the Joshi's of Nepal are either Newars or Khas-Brahmin...
, Rawat
Rawat
Rawat may refer to:* Rawat, Murree, a town in Punjab, Pakistan* Rawat Fort, early 16th century fort built by the Gakhars in Punjab, PakistanCommunities* Rawat Rajputs, ethnic group of India* Van Rawats, a native minority group from Uttarakhand, India....
etc). Shipkaars, on the other hand, are composed of various sub-castes and are classified as Scheduled Castes in the Constitution of India.
Garhwali Language
The Garhwali language (गढ़वाली भाषा) is a Central Pahari language belonging to the Northern Zone of Indo-AryanIndo-Aryan languages
The Indo-Aryan languages constitutes a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, itself a branch of the Indo-European language family...
and is native to Garhwal
Garhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
.
Garhwali is one of the 325 recognized languages of India spoken by over 2,267,314 people in Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal
Pauri Garhwal
Pauri Garhwal is a district in Uttarakhand state of India. Its headquarters is at Pauri. Pauri Garhwal district is ringed by Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Almora and Nainital districts from three sides. The southern boundary of Pauri Garhwal district touches with the...
, Uttarkashi, Chamoli
Chamoli District
Chamoli district is a district of Uttarakhand state of India. It is bounded by the Tibet region to the north, and by the Uttarakhand districts of Pithoragarh and Bageshwar to the east, Almora to the south, Garhwal to the southwest, Rudraprayag to the west, and Uttarkashi to the northwest...
, Dehradun
Dehradun district
There are five railway stations in Dehradun:* Raiwala* Rishikesh* Doiwala* Harrawala* DehradunAirport...
, Haridwar
Haridwar District
Haridwar district is a district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is headquartered at Haridwar which is also its largest city. The district is ringed by the districts Dehradun in the north and east, Pauri Garhwal in the east and the Uttar Pradesh districts of Muzaffarnagar and Bijnor in the...
and Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag District
Rudraprayag district, is a district of Uttarakhand state of northern India. The district occupies an area of 2439 km². Rudraprayag town is the administrative headquarters of the district....
districts of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
. Garhwali is also spoken by people in other parts of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
including Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
.
UNESCO’s Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger designates Garhwali as a language which is in the unsafe category and requires consistent conservation efforts.
Influence outside Uttarakhand
The Maharajah of Garhwal still appoints the Rawal (Chief Priest) for the Badrinath TempleBadrinath temple
Badrinath temple , sometimes called Badrinarayan temple, is situated along the Alaknanda river, in the hill town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand state in India. It is widely considered to be one of the holiest Hindu temples, and is dedicated to god Vishnu. The temple and town are one of the four Char...
and Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to Kartik Purnima...
, after consulting with the Maharajah of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. The Kingdom of Garhwal is located in the northernmost part of India, while Cape Comorin (southernmost point of peninsular India) is located in the former Kingdom of Travancore. He also plays a role in the appointment of Chief Priest to the Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath temple
Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple served as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, Nepal is a secular country...
in Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
Further reading
- Tehri Garhwal State Constitution: As Enacted by H.H. Maharaja Manabendra Shah Under the Rajagyan Dated 27 May 1946, by Tehri Garhwal (Princely State), Tehri Garhwal (Princely State. Published by Mafasilite Print. Works, 1946.
External links
- Garhwal princely state
- Genealogy of Tehri Garhwal (princely state) at Queensland University.
- Garhwali songs and uttrakhand folk songs