Uttarakhand Foundation Day 2022: All you need to know
Uttarakhand Foundation Day is observed on November 9 every year. Also known as Uttrakhand Divas. It is celebrated to mark the establishment of the 27th state of India.
Uttarakhand Foundation Day 2022: Uttarakhand is famous as the Land of the Gods or “Dev Bhumi”. During the time of its foundation, it was named Uttaranchal. It is situated in Northern India and is a great pilgrimage center. Let us have a look at Uttrakhand foundation day, history, population, climate, and festivals with some interesting facts.
Uttarakhand Foundation Day 2022: Uttarakhand was formed on 9 November 2000 by joining several districts from the Northwestern part of Uttar Pradesh and a portion of the Himalayan Mountain range. This year 22nd Uttarakhand Foundation Day is going to celebrate. In 2007, the name of the state was formally altered from Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand is rich in natural resources including glaciers, rivers, dense forests, and snow-clad mountain peaks. The four most sacred and revered Hindu temples of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamnotri also known as Char-dams are situated in Uttarakhand and so, are known as the 'Land of the Gods. The capital of the state is Dehradun and the High Court is situated in the Nainital.
Uttarakhand Foundation Day: Celebrations
Beginning on November 3, the "State Foundation Week" is a unique celebration of Uttarakhand Foundation Day that typically lasts for a full week. The event culminates on November 9 with the "Bharat Bharti" celebration, which comes after a number of activities, including "Mera Sainik." The chief minister of Uttarakhand also discusses various concepts, including plans for the development of the state, and special arrangements are made.
History of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand's history is long and consists of the glorious past of the territory. It highlights the great emperors including the Kushanas, Kudinas, Kanishka, Samudragupta, Kataria, Palas, Chandras, and Pawaras. In various Hindu scriptures, reference to Uttarakhand also exists. Through the history of Garhwal and Kumaon, the history of Uttarakhand can be better understood. The state is the amalgamation of culture, ethnicity, and religion.
Uttarakhand is separated from Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000 as the 27th state of India. At that time it was known as Uttaranchal. The bordering states of Uttarakhand are Tibet, Nepal, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The meaning of Uttarakhand has been extracted from the Sanskrit dialect which means 'northern city. In 2007, officially, it was renamed Uttarakhand from Uttaranchal.
Climate of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand climate is temperate which is marked by seasonal variations in temperature. It is also affected by tropical monsoons. The coldest month is January and July is the hottest month in the north. In the southeast, May is the warmest month. In the lower stretch of valleys, floods and landslides are major problems during the rainy season. Snowfall is common in the northern part of the state between December and March.
Population composition of Uttarakhand
The state consists of a multiethnic population spread across two recognized geo-cultural regions: the Garhwal and the Kumaon. A large portion of the population of Uttarakhand consists of Rajputs, Garhwali, Gujjar, and Kumauni. Mostly, the people of Uttarakhand speak Indo-Aryan languages. The official language of the state is Hindi. Other languages include Gharwali, Kumauni, Punjabi, and Nepali.
Festivals of Uttarakhand
According to the Hindu calendar, Dussehra, Diwali, Shivratri, Holi, etc. are celebrated in the Uttarakhand. Various small fairs and festivals are also held across the state few of them are,
Phooldei (Flower Solstice): Phuldei is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chait. People put flowers, goods, rice, and coconut in a wooden basket and put them at the main gate of the houses of the villagers and pray for the well-being of the house, and sing.
Harela: It is celebrated on the first day of the month of Shravan. 10 days before that, 5 or 7 types of seeds are sown in a vessel, and on the day of the festival, the grown-up leaves are cut and offered to the deities.
Diwali: It is also known as Bagwal. On the night of Diwali, bhaila is played by lighting the light of a fruit peel, and the cow is worshipped and given sweets on this day.
Also read: Uttarakhand ‘The Deva Bhoomi’ : Facts and Information
Basant Panchami: It is usually the Hindu month of Magh or January. During this auspicious occasion, people worship Goddess Saraswati with great reverence.
Holi: This festival of colors is celebrated for two days in Uttarakhand.
Bikhoti: The equinox Sankranti in Uttarakhand is known as Bikhoti which is celebrated on the first day of the month of Baisakh.
Ghee Sankranti (Ogalia): Ghee sankranti falls in the middle of September. On this day, ghee is applied to the head.
Vat Savitri: People fast for Vat Savitri on the Amavasya of Krishna. This fast is observed by married women who pray for the long life of their husbands.
Makar Sankranti (Ghughutia): Makar Sankranti is celebrated on the first day of the month of Magh. On this day, flour, semolina, coconut, and dry fruits are mixed and made into ghuggis and fed to a black crow.
Bhitali: This festival of Uttarakhand is celebrated in the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu calendar. It falls on the very first day of Shravan and is celebrated with great fanfare all over the state.
Khatoduwa: The festival is celebrated on the first day of the month of Ashwin in the Kumaon region. It is mainly celebrated for animals.
Raksha Bandhan: Raksha Bandhan in Uttarakhand is also known as Janyo-Punya, which is celebrated on the full moon of the month of Shravan. It symbolizes the bond of brothers and sisters.
Chaintol: The festival is mainly celebrated in the month of Chait in the Pithoragarh district.
Jagda: This festival is associated with the deity Mahasu.
Ganga Dussehra: This festival is scheduled to be celebrated in May/June as per the Shukla Dashmi or English calendar. It is celebrated in the month of June. The holy River Ganga is worshipped on this special day.
Bhirauli: The festival is celebrated for the welfare of children.
Therefore, Uttarakhand Foundation Day is celebrated as a week-long event from 3 November and ends up with the ‘Bharat Bharati’ program on 9 November in Dehradun.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams for year 2022:
- Uttarakhand Governor: Gurmit Singh;
- Uttarakhand Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami;
- Uttarakhand Population: 1.01 crores (2012);
- Uttarakhand Capitals: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer).