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Recent History
Kumaon proper constituted of an old Rajput principality, which became extinct at the beginning of the 19th century after its annexation in the Gurkha war of 1815. For seventy years after the annexation, the region was governed by three administrators, Mr. Traill, Mr. J. H. Batten and Sir Henry Ramsay, on non-regulation basis. Till 1891 the division comprised of the three districts of Kumaon, Garhwal and the Terai. Later, the two districts of Kumaon and the Tarai were redistributed and renamed after their respective headquarters of Nainital and Almora.
As it is today...
Presently, the Kumaon (or Kumaun) region is spread over an area of more than 35,000 sq. kms. and is headquartered at Nainital. It is one of the two main regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand (earlier known as Uttaranchal), a hilly state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. The region is spread over the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar with the town of Nainital serving as the administrative center.
Situation
It has the serene and peaceful Tibet towards its northern side, on the east is the beautiful Nepal, Uttar Pradesh lies towards the south and on the west, lays the Garhwal region. The Kumaonis, as the people of the region are called, are well known for their bravery and martial skills. The Kumaon Regiment, one of the best regiments of the Indian Army, calls Kumaon its home. Haldwani, Nainital, Rudrapur, Almora, Pithoragarh, Mukteshwar and Ranikhet are among the most important towns of the region.
Geography and the Landscape
Apart from the vast Himalayan tract, the region has two sub-mountain strips called the Terai and the Bhabhar. Up till the1850`s, the sub-mountain strips had an almost impenetrable forest that provided shelter to a large number of wild animals; but after that, the numerous clearings of trees made the area accessible and cultivable. Since then, the strips, having rich and fertile soil, attract a large number of people from the hills who cultivate the rich soil during the hot as well as the cold season and return to the hills during rains.
As for the rest of Kumaon, it is a maze of mountains, all a part of the Great Himalayas, some of which are among the loftiest known. Dotting the landscape, which is only 225 kms. in terms of length and a mere 65 kms. in breadth, are over thirty peaks rising to staggering heights of 5500 m. or more. Among the rivers rising chiefly in the southern slope of the Tibetan watershed, lying to the north of the loftiest peaks, are the Gori, Dhauli and Kali. The rivers flow through the extraordinarily deep and strikingly beautiful valleys and gorges of the Kumaon hills. The main rivers are the Sharda (Kali), the Pindari and Kailganga, whose waters join the Alaknanda. The river Sharda (Kali) also acts as the international boundary between India and Nepal. The route currently used to make the holy pilgrimage to the Kailash-Mansarovar, goes along this river, crossing into Tibet at Lipu Lekh pass.
Flora and Fauna
The Chir Pine, the Himalayan Cypress, the Pindrow Fir, Alder, Sal (or iron-wood), and Saindan are the main varieties of trees growing in the region. As far as the geological formations are concerned, Limestone, Sandstone, Slate, Gneiss and Granite are the principal ones. The area has a number of mines of Iron, Copper, Gypsum, Lead and Asbestos, but almost all of them are under-utilized.
Climate
The climate is mild except in the regions of the sub-mountain strips of Tarai and Bhabhar and the deep valleys. The amount of rainfall received by the outer Himalayan range is almost twice that of the central hills as the outer Himalayas are the first ones to be hit by the monsoons. The precipitation is normally in the average proportion of 2000 mm to 1000 mm. Winter season without snowfall is almost unheard of in the higher ridges and in some years, the snowfall is spread throughout the whole of the mountain tract. Severe frosts are witnessed often, especially in the valleys.
An experience in itself…
Kumaon, without an iota of a doubt, is a place where you and I usually land up in one of those beautiful romantic dreams and has all the ingredients of a charming and attractive place worth a visit at least once in a lifetime.
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