States PCS: Uttarakhand GK for UKPSC Exams

Notes:
The Savoy Hotel in Mussoorie was used as an internment camp for German civilians during WWII, a little-known aspect of Uttarakhand’s colonial history.

Notes:
The Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus) is the state bird of Uttarakhand and endemic to the Himalayas. Known locally as Danphe, it inhabits forested regions from 2,100–4,500 m. It is also Nepal’s national bird and classified as Least Concern by IUCN.

Notes:
Uttarakhand was formed in November 2000. It is divided into 13 districts. These districts fall under two divisions: Garhwal and Kumaon. The district count has remained unchanged since the state’s formation.

Notes:
The Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus) inhabits elevations of 2,400–4,500 meters (7,900–14,800 feet). It is often found in the Great Himalayan National Park between 2,500–4,000 meters (8,200–13,100 feet). In winter, it may descend to about 2,000 meters (6,600 feet), but mainly stays within the 8,000–14,000 feet range.

Notes:
Mahatma Gandhi stayed at Anasakti Ashram in Kausani in 1929 for about two weeks. He wrote his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, Anasakti Yoga, there. The ashram became historically significant due to his stay and its link to the Indian freedom movement.

Notes:
Uttaranchal, renamed Uttarakhand in 2007, was created on 9 November 2000 under the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000. The central government then was led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee heading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition. The NDA government introduced the legislation for the state’s formation.

Notes:
The Kuninda kingdom existed from the 2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE in present-day Uttarakhand. The Kushan Empire ruled from the 1st to 3rd century CE in northern India. Their timelines and regions overlap, making the Kushans contemporaries of the Kunindas.

Notes:
Rani Karnavati Parmar of Garhwal in the 17th century defeated a Mughal army by trapping them in the Himalayas and having their noses cut, earning the title “Nakkati Rani.”

Notes:
The term “गोरख्याली” refers to the Gorkha rule over Kumaon and Garhwal during 1791–1815, noted for forced labour, heavy taxation, and severe repression leading to depopulation and local suffering.

Notes:
Tehri Garhwal princely state was ruled by Maharaja Manvendra Shah from 1946 to 1949. He signed the Instrument of Merger on 1 August 1949, leading to Tehri’s accession to the Indian Union.