History of Uttarakhand
Kumaon, Garhwal — Chand, Parmar, Katyuri Dynasties and Tehri State
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Overview
The history of Uttarakhand is a crucial topic for UTET Paper II Social Studies, testing your knowledge of the region's medieval and modern political evolution. This topic covers the major dynasties that ruled the Kumaon and Garhwal regions before British annexation and the formation of the princely Tehri State.
Understanding this history helps students connect local heritage with broader Indian history and teaches them how geography shaped political boundaries in the Himalayan region. Questions typically focus on dynasty names, important rulers, capitals, time periods, and the circumstances of British intervention. Expect 2-4 questions from this area, often testing factual recall of rulers, their achievements, and key events like the Gurkha invasion.
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Key Concepts
- **Geographical Division**: Uttarakhand was historically divided into two distinct regions — Kumaon (eastern part) and Garhwal (western part), each with separate ruling dynasties.
- **Katyuri Dynasty**: The earliest major dynasty, ruling from approximately 7th to 11th century CE, unified much of the central Himalayan region before fragmenting into smaller principalities.
- **Chand Dynasty of Kumaon**: Ruled Kumaon from approximately 10th century to 1790 CE, with Champawat and later Almora as capitals. They were the longest-ruling dynasty of the region.
- **Parmar (Panwar) Dynasty of Garhwal**: Ruled Garhwal from approximately 823 CE to 1804 CE, establishing Srinagar (Garhwal) as their capital and playing a significant role in temple construction.
- **Gurkha Invasion (1790-1815)**: Nepal's Gurkha forces conquered both Kumaon and Garhwal, ending indigenous rule and creating conditions for British intervention.
- **Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816)**: British defeated the Gurkhas; Treaty of Sugauli (1816) led to British annexation of Kumaon and restoration of part of Garhwal to the Parmar dynasty as Tehri State.
- **Tehri State (1815-1949)**: A princely state under British paramountcy, ruled by the Parmar dynasty until its merger with independent India.
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Key Facts
| Aspect | Katyuri Dynasty | Chand Dynasty (Kumaon) | Parmar Dynasty (Garhwal) | |--------|-----------------|------------------------|--------------------------| | **Period** | 7th-11th century CE | c. 10th century-1790 CE | 823 CE-1804 CE | | **Region** | Central Himalayas | Kumaon | Garhwal | | **Capital(s)** | Kartikeyapura (near Baijnath) | Champawat, then Almora | Chandpur Garhi, then Srinagar (Garhwal) | | **Founder** | Basantadeva (traditional) | Som Chand | Kanak Pal | | **End** | Fragmentation into small states | Gurkha conquest (1790) | Gurkha conquest (1804) |