User:Maheshsati

UTTARAKHAND - A Variable Paradise on Earth

For ages, the holy state of Uttarakhand has been contributing in the field of literature. Vedas were collected together and divided into four separate parts at Vyasgupha at Mana, near Shri Badarinath Dham. The various Puranas were also compiled here. In Vedic period, saints, sages, and others retired to this land for the attainment of divine knowledge. The grammarian Vararuchi also visited these Himalaya and by propitiating lord Shiva obtained from him the material for his Paninya grammar. The great poet and dramatist Mahakavi Kalidas also wrote his famous book Meghdoot in this sacred land of gods. During the British period and later on in Independent India, several articles, features and books about Uttarakhand have been written by famous mountaineers and eminent authors, both Indian and foreign.

The women of this land are very hard working. From morning until late at night, they have to struggle for their livelihood and work. They work in fields, gather grass for their cattle from forests, take care of their children, cook for their families, and perform all household chores. One of them known the world over is Ms Bachendri Pal, who climbed the Everest, belongs to this land. The other woman who dedicated her whole life for protection of the Himalayan environment was Mrs Gaura Devi. Mrs Gaura Devi is a renowned name in the field of environmental conservation. She is also known the world over as a ‘Chipko Woman’ and she were born in 1925 at village Lata, near Joshimath, district Chamoli of Uttarakhand. She was married to Mr Meharban Singh of village Reni at a very young age of 12 years. Unfortunately, she lost her husband when she was just 22 years old, when her elder son Chandra Singh was two and a half year-old. This was the beginning of her struggle of life. She had a big family and now all responsibilities were on her young shoulders.

In 1972, she was elected president of Mahila Mangat Dal (Women Organization) of Reni village panchayat (council). A turning point came into her life in 1974. The then Uttarpradesh government announced auction for felling of 245 green trees in Reni forest. The local people opposed it vehemently. There were organized demonstrations and agitation at Joshimath, Gopeshwar and several other parts of Uttarakhand.

In 1974, Gaura Devi along with some 21-village women of Reni stopped felling of trees in Reni forest by hugging the trees and ultimately the laborers and contractor left the forest area. This unique approach by the women later on became the ‘Chipko Andolan’ (hug the tree movement) and then appreciated throughout the world. In fact, she was a born environmentalist. Her last days were with full of pain and agony. In her life, she did a great work of protecting a whole forest.

Climate

Dyhrenfurth has described the Himalaya as the third pole. Uttarakhand i.e. Garhwal and Kumaon regions fall under Central Himalaya. The climate in this Himalayan state varies a great deal. It ranges from tropical in low river valleys to extreme arctic (polar type) in the snow and icebound areas. The climate and weather of a region is influenced by its location with reference to altitude and latitude, the relief features and the upper air current.

Based on altitude and other features such as temperature, rainfall (precipitation), snow etc., the region can broadly be divided in to following Climate Zones:

(i)   Below 800 m - Warm Tropical.

(ii)  800 m - 1200 m - Warm Sub Tropical

(iii) 1200 m - 2400 m - Cool Temperate

(iv) 2400 m - 4500 m - Cold Temperate

(v )  4500 m -5500 m - Sub Arctic

(vi)  Over 5500 m - Arctic

Applying the principle of lapse rate (the general decrease of temperature with altitude at the normal lapse rate of 3.30f of for each 1000’ of altitude).

The climatic conditions of the Tarai-Bhabar belt, the Doon at the foot of hills and other river valleys below 600 m, have a hot and moist tropical. The mean temperature remains around 21 degree Celsius in the month of January while May and June are hottest months with a temperature with around 40 degree Celsius. It gradually cools further up until 2000 m, where the climate is cooling temperate. The temperature remains around 24 0c. In the higher regions, it may be cold temperate up to 4500 m. The temperature remains 12 0c to 20 0c and only hardy locals live there for seasonally. Further up, the cold increases gradually until it reaches the perpetual snow line, which depends mainly upon altitude. Here the temperature is almost arctic type.

The rainfall is chiefly during South-West monsoon from June to September which gradually diminishes along the Himalaya from east to west. October and November are clear dry months, but fluctuations in temperature from cool to cold and dew and frost are common. During winter months from December to February, occasional rains do occur, but usually there are snow falls even down to 1500 m. In the Central Himalayan range and Trans Himalayan zone above 3000 m, the snowfall occurs from November and lasts until April. During this time, everything remains buried under a thick carpet of snow. Average precipitation in Uttarakhand would be about 95 to 250 cm.

In brief, Uttarakhand has five well-defined seasons:

(i)  Spring  - Mid- February to April

(ii) Summer - May to June

(iii) Rainy (Monsoon) -            July to September

(iv) Autumn - October to November

(v)  Winter - December to January

The climate on pilgrimage routes, viz. Deoprayag, Srinagar, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Karanprayag and Chamoli during summer, remain rather hot. The climate of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badarinath, Hemkund Sahib and most of the trekking places is generally cold even in summer. However, during the daytime in the months of June, July, August, and September it is cool and enjoyable.