Gairsain

Gairsain
गैरसैण
Town
Gairsain
Location in Uttarakhand, India
Gairsain
Gairsain (India)
Coordinates: 30°04′21″N 79°17′08″E / 30.0725°N 79.2856°E / 30.0725; 79.2856Coordinates: 30°04′21″N 79°17′08″E / 30.0725°N 79.2856°E / 30.0725; 79.2856
Country  India
State Uttarakhand
District Chamoli
Elevation 1,650 m (5,410 ft)
Languages
 • Official Hindi
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN 246428
Telephone code 01363
Vehicle registration 2A-6A
Sex ratio 1000 / 926 ♂/♀
Literacy 75%
Climate Cold and Cloudly (Köppen)
Website uk.gov.in

Gairsain [ɡɛːrˈsɛːɳ] (Garhwali: गैरसैण) is a town and Nagar Panchayat in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Gairsain is situated at the eastern edge of vast Dudhatoli range, almost at the cenre of Uttarakhand, India, at a distance of approximately 250 kilometres from Dehradun.[1] It is easily accessible from both Garhwal and Kumaon, and in a way, acts as the bridge between the two regions. It is being considered as the future capital of Uttarakhand.[1]

Gairsain was envisaged as the state capital during the statehood agitation.[2] However, after the formation of the state on 9 November 2000, Dehradun was made the temporary capital of the state.[2] The Government of Uttarakhand had constituted the Dixit Commission for the search of a permanent capital; but the commission in its report had noted that "the interim capital, Dehradun, is a more suitable place as the permanent capital owing to the factors like its distance from national capital, centralised population and safety from natural calamities".[3] A three-day-long assembly session of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly was held at Gairsain from 9 June to 12 June 2014. With this event, hopes are high that its stature might be raised to that of the permanent capital of the state, in the near future.[2][4][5]

Etymology

According to tradition, the name Gairsain is derived from the Garhwali words; Gair (गैर) meaning 'at some depth' and Sain (सैण) meaning 'rolling plains', referring to the somewhat flat land at some depth in otherwise hilly terrain. An adjoining village is named Gair (गैड़) and some attribute the name Gairsain as the deep plain area at the foot of Gair Village.

History

Ancient History

Coin of King Amogh, a ruler of the Kuninda Kingdom, c. 2nd century BCE.

In the ancient Indian literature, this area has been celebrated as Kedar Kshetra.[6] The other tradition envisages that Himalayan country is said to be made up of five divisions one of which is Kedar Khanda which has been specifically dealt within the Kedar Khand section of Skand Puran. The Kunindas and Kiratas are also reported to have been inhabitants of this region.[7] According to Hindu tradition the earliest King of this area seems to have been Kubera, the Lord of Yakshas. They were suppressed by Asuras who seem to have principally ruled over what is now Ukhimath. Prithu appears to have been the first King from the plains to visit these parts. After the Mahabharata war, Nagas, Kunindas, Kiratas, Tanganas and Khasas exercised control over this region.[6] For more than a century the area fell under the empire of Kushanas and later on under the sway of Shilvarman, a powerful king who styled himself lord of the mountains. In course of time the Katyuri dynasty became a virtually indigenous ruling family of this region. Katyuri Kings ruled the present area from 9th to 11th centuries.[8] The Katyuris were replaced by Chand Kings in Kumaon, while Garhwal was fragmented into several small principalities.[9][10] Huen Tsang, the Chinese traveller, who visited the region around 629 AD, mentions a kingdom of Brahampura in the region.[11]

Gairsain remained under the sway of Parmar Rajputs of Garhwal during the Medivial period. The Garhwal state was founded in 823 AD, when Kanakpal, the prince of Malwa, on his visit to the Badrinath Temple, met the King Bhanu Pratap, a chieftain of Chandpur Garhi. The King later married his only daughter to the prince and subsequently handed over his kingdom, the fortress town. Kanakpal and his descendants of Parmar dynasty, gradually conquered all the independent fortresses (Garhs) belonging to its 52 small chieftains, and ruled the whole of Garhwal Kingdom for the next 915 years, up to 1804 AD.[12][13] In 1358, the 37th ruler, Ajay Pal, brought all the minor principalities for the Garhwal region, under his own rule, and founded the Garhwal Kingdom, with Devalgarh as its capital, which he later shifted to Srinagar.[14]

At the beginning of the 18th century the bulk of this area was included in the domain of Fateh Shah, the Raja of Garhwal. He was followed by Dilip Sah, Upendra Sah and Pradeep Sah for over half a century. In the beginning of 1803 a severe earthquake occurred in the whole of Garhwal which destroyed many houses and killed many human beings and cattle.[15] Soon after this the Gorkha leaders Amar Singh Thapa, Hastidal Chutariya and some others invaded Garhwal with a large and well equipped army.[16] Amar Singh Thapa was appointed Governor of the region.[16] The Gorkhas were defeated by the British forces in the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814, and Gairsain along with other parts of Kumaon and Garhwal was ceded to the British in the Treaty of Sugauli. In 1839 the district of Garhwal came into existence after being separated from the Kumaon District.[17] In 1919, this area came into prominence as a centre of political activity under the leadership of Anusuya Prasad Bahuguna, a leader who held public meetings against coolie-begar system. In 1930 the civil disobedience movement was made one occasion for launching individual Satyagraha against British Government. In 1947 the area along with rest of country won independence from British rule when it was part of the district British Garhwal also called Pauri Garhwal.

Founding

Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali was the first person to propose Gairsain as the capital of a hill state in the 1960s.[18] This place eventually began to be projected as the capital of the proposed state during the Uttarakhand state movement. In 1989, Dr. D.D. Pant and Bipin Tripathi accepted Gairsain as the proposed capital of Uttarakhand.[19] An office of Directorate of Higher Education and Diet was inaugurated in Gairsain in 1991. The same year, three BJP ministers and MLAs supported the demand of a separate Uttarakhand state in a public meeting held in the town.[19] The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, in the year 1992, formally declared Gairsain as the capital of the proposed state of Uttarakhand. UKD, In the honour of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali, named this proposed capital region as Chandranagar.[20] A hunger strike, which lasted for 157 days, was organised in the year 1994 in order to pressurise the government to announce Gairsain as the capital of Uttarakhand.[19] The same year, a committee headed by Ramashankar Kaushik, which was constituted by then Mulayam Singh Yadav Government, recommended the creation of the hill state of Uttarakhand with Gairsain as its capital.[21][22]

After the formation of Uttarakhand on 9 November 2000, the demand for declaring Gairsain as the state capital started rising across the state. In 2000, the Uttarakhand Mahila Morcha took out a rally demanding Gairsain be made the state capital.[19][23] Several public demonstrations followed this rally, and in a similar event held in Srinagar in 2002, the Gairsain Rajdhani Aandolana Samiti (Gairsain Capital Movement Committee) was established.[19] Taking these movements into consideration, the Uttarakhand government constituted the Dikshit Commission under the chairmanship of Justice V. Dixit, whose work was to carry out a study among various cities of Uttarakhand, in order to find the most suitable place for the capital of Uttarakhand. The Dikshit Commission narrowed down the search to 5 cities: Dehradun, Kashipur, Ramnagar, Rishikesh and Gairsain; and after extensive research, submitted its 80-page report to the Uttarakhand Assembly on 17 August 2008.[24] The commission found Dehradun and Kashipur eligible for the capital, noting "the interim capital, Dehradun, is a more suitable place as the permanent capital owing to the factors like its distance from national capital, centralised population and safety from natural calamities" and considering the odd geographical conditions, seismic data and other factors, disfavoured Gairsain as the permanent capital.[25]

In 2012, the then Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Vijay Bahuguna organized a cabinet meeting in Gairsain.[18] After the success of this meeting, the foundation stone of a new building for the Uttarakhand assembly was set in the GIC Ground in the year 2013. The same year, Bhoomi Poojan Program was organized for the Vidhan Sabha Bhavan in Bhararisain, located about 14 km away from Gairsain. A three-day session of the Uttarakhand assembly was organized for the first time in this assembly building that was completed in 2014. In May 2014, a decision was taken by Uttarakhand government to constitute 'Gairsain Development Council' by merging the blocks of Gairsain in Chamoli and Chaukhutiya in Almora.[26] After this, in 2015-2016, Gairsain was given the status of a Nagar Panchayat. At the time of its establishment, the city was spread over an area of 7.53 sq. km, and had a population of 7,138. Another session of the Uttarakhand Cabinet was held in Gairsain in 2017.[27][28]

Overview

It is situated in the center of the Garhwal and Kumaon.[29] It has an average altitude of 1,650 metres (5,410 ft) above sea level.[30]

Gairsain is also the site of the source of Ramganga River, the nearby Dudhatoli Parvat, where the Ramganga River rises.[30]

Gairsain is just about 16 km from the Almora district border along National Highway 87. The nearest railway station to Gairsain is Ramnagar which is 150 km away. The nearest airport is Gauchar Airport, at Gauchar which is approximately 54 km.[30]

Ex-Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna promised to undertake numerous developmental projects in Gairsain, during his first visit to the town. He promised that an airstrip would be laid in Gairsain. In addition, one session of the legislative assembly will be held annually in Gairsain.[31][32]

A session of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly was held on 17 and 18 November 2016 for the first time in the newly constructed, grand Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly building at Bhararisain, some 14 km away from Gairsain. Many important legislations were passed during the session. The assembly also resolved to hold the next budget session at Bhararisain.

Harish Rawat government has claimed that it is creating infrastructure including roads, water supply, helipads and airstrips around Gairsain to pave its way as capital of Uttarakhand in the coming years. Gairsain Vikas Parishad has been looking over major infrastructure projects in and around Gairsain.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Huffington post & 10 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Tribune India & 9 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Hindustan Times & 30 October 2015.
  4. ↑ The Hindu & 11 November 2014.
  5. ↑ The Times of India & 10 March 2016.
  6. 1 2 History of Chamoli District.
  7. ↑ Chatterji 1974, p. 30
  8. ↑ Alter 2008, p. 68
  9. ↑ Rawat 2002, p. 15
  10. ↑ History of Pauri Garhwal District.
  11. ↑ History of Garhwal District.
  12. ↑ History of Tehri Garhwal District.
  13. ↑  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Garhwal". Encyclopædia Britannica. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 466.
  14. ↑ History of Uttarkashi District.
  15. ↑ Walton 1910, p. 12
  16. 1 2 Hamal 1995
  17. ↑ Walton 1910, p. 02
  18. 1 2 "सियासत के अलावा कुछ नहीं गैरसैंण मुद्‌दा". वेबदुनिया. Retrieved ७ अप्रैल २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 "आयोजन और घोषणाओं तक सिमटा गैरसैंण". कर्णप्रयाग: अमर उजाला. १७ फरवरी २०१४. Retrieved १६ जुलाई २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  20. ↑ पुरुषोत्तम, असनोड़ा (२ नवम्बर २०१५). "गैरसैंण का मुकद्दर अमरावती सा क्यों नहीं?". बदलाव. Retrieved १६ जुलाई २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  21. ↑ सुनील दत्त, पाण्डेय (११ फरवरी २०१७). "गैरसैण: सोलह साल से भ्रमजाल". जनसत्ता. Retrieved १६ जुलाई २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  22. ↑ "Gairsan may be Uttaranchal capital" [गैरसैंण उत्तराँचल की राजधानी हो सकती है] (in अंग्रेजी). लखनऊ: द हिन्दू. ५ अगस्त २०००. Retrieved १६ जुलाई २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  23. ↑ "Gairsain as capital earnest dream—a betrayal by political parties" [गैरसैंण राजधानी का सपना - राजनैतिक पार्टियों द्वारा विश्वासघात] (in अंग्रेजी). गैरसैंण: द ट्रिब्यून. ९ दिसंबर २०१६. Retrieved १६ जुलाई २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  24. ↑ "धूल फांक रही है दीक्षित आयोग की रिपोर्ट". देहरादून: नवभारत टाइम्स. २७ जनवरी २०१३. Retrieved ७ अप्रैल २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  25. ↑ दीवान, उमेश (१३ जुलाई २००९). "Dixit Commission disfavours Garsain as capital" [दीक्षित आयोग ने गैरसैण को राजधानी के तौर पर असंतोषजनक बताया] (in अंग्रेजी). देहरादून: द ट्रिब्यून. Retrieved ७ अप्रैल २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  26. ↑ "'गैरसैंण विकास परिषद' के गठन का फैसला- Amarujala". देहरादून: अमर उजाला. १६ मई २०१४. Retrieved १६ जुलाई २०१८. Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date= (help)
  27. ↑ "विधानसभा सत्र : आज से हफ्तेभर गैरसैंण में सरकार,". हिन्दुस्तान, दैनिक, हिन्दी उत्तराखण्ड संस्करण. Retrieved 25, दिसम्बर 2017. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  28. ↑ "सात दिसंबर से गैरसैंण में होगा विधानसभा का शीतकालीन सत्र". उत्तराखंड पोस्ट, उत्तराखण्ड. Retrieved 20 नवम्बर, 2017. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  29. ↑ The Wire & 11 February 2017.
  30. 1 2 3 Report on Gairsain.
  31. ↑ Tribune India & 26 November 2012.
  32. ↑ Tribune India & 17 September 2015.

References

  • "History of Chamoli District". District Administration: Chamoli district. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  • "History of Pauri Garhwal District". District Administration: Pauri Garhwal district. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  • "History of Tehri Garhwal District". District Administration: Tehri Garhwal district. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  • "History of Uttarkashi District". District Administration: Uttarkashi district. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  • "Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 12, page 165". dsal.uchicago.edu. Digital South Asia Library. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  • Bhatnagar, Gaurav Vivek (11 February 2017). "As Politicians Dither on Uttarakhand's New Capital, Gairsain Residents Swing Between Hope and Despair". thewire.in. Gairsain: The Wire. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  • Sen, Sudhi Ranjan (10 February 2017). "After 16 Years Of Talks, Why Hasn't The Uttarakhand Capital Shifted To Gairsain?". Huffington Post India. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  • Trivedi, Anupam (30 October 2015). "Capital birth pangs: Can Gairsain bear the burden?". Dehradun: Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  • Upadhyay, Kavita (11 November 2014). "Gairsain to become Uttarakhand's summer capital". Dehradun: The Hindu. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  • Kazmi, SMA (9 August 2015). "CM harps on Gairsain issue for political mileage". Dehradun: The Tribune. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  • Kumar, Darshan (10 March 2016). "Before polls, another House session to be held at Gairsain: CM". Dehradun: The Times of India. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  • Community Based Comprehensive Planning for a Capital Township, Uttaranchal (PDF). Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  • "Bahuguna promises development of all regions of state". tribuneindia.com. Dehradun: The Tribune. 26 November 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  • Sharma, Neena (17 September 2015). "Gairsain to have Assembly building first, Raipur later". Dehradun: The Tribune. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  • Atkinson, Edwin T. (1881). The Himalayan Gazetteer or The Himalayan Districts of the North Western Province of India. New Delhi: Cosmos.
  • Rawat, Ajay S. (2002). Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective. New Delhi: Indus Publishing. ISBN 9788173871368.
  • Chatterji, S. K. (1974). Kirata-Jana-Krti. Calcutta: The Asiatic Society.
  • Alter, Andrew (2008). Dancing with Devtas: Drums, Power and Possession in the Music of Garhwal, North India. New Delhi: Routledge. ISBN 9781351946391.
  • Hamal, Lakshman B. (1995). Military history of Nepal. Gorakhpur: Sharda Pustak Mandir.
  • Walton, H.G (1910). A Gazetteer of Garhwal Himalaya. Allahabad: Government Press.
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