Askot

Askot is located at 29.77°N 80.35°E / 29.77; 80.35.[3] It has an average elevation of 1,106 metres (3,629 feet). It is located on Gori Ganga- Kali river geographical divide. Under beautiful natural setting of trees like Pinus, Quercus and Rhododendron, etc., are at the backdrop of Chhiplakot and Panchchuli . The Fertile slopes of Garkha are situated on the front side, and Kali river and mountains of Nepal on its left.

The area around is under heavy tunnel mining operations. There are polymetallic mines of copper, zinc, gold, silver and lead deposits.

The name Askot is originated from Assi Kot (Eighty Forts).[4] Many of these forts were in Darchula District of Nepal.

Pals migrated from Ayodhya to Askot in the Kumaun Hills of Uttrakhand. Pals ruled this area for ages. Askot was ruled by a branch of Katyuri kings. After the breakdown of Katyuri Dynasty, King Abhay Pal, the grandson of Katyuri King, Brahm Deo (the Pals original last name was 'Deo' but one of their ancestors called Kunwar Abhay Pal Deo, wrote his surname as Pal and the generations after him followed suit), brought a branch of Katyuri Dynasty, here as the Rajbars, and established the state of Askot, by taking it as a grant from Kings of Doti in 1279 AD.[5]

Later on they came under Chand rulers. From 1279 to 1588 the descendants of Abhay Pal, the Rajbar dynasty ruled over the region,

Administratively, at that time, Askot had two regions-Malla Askot and Talla Askot. This area came under Gorkha control (1791-1815) but the descendants continued to fight against each other. This family feud continued even after the British defeated the Gorkhas in 1815. Before Askot became Capital, the king used to live at Lakhanpur Kot, near the now Bagarihat (Bagar means river bank) village on the right bank of river Kali. It was situated at the base of Champhachal mountain. The remnants of the fort and market are still here.

Source:

• History of Kumaun

Rajwar or Rajwara was the official title of the former ruler (feudal kings) Zamindari, of the estate of Askot.[6]

Pals migrated from Ayodhya to Askot in the Kumaun Hills of Uttrakhand. Pals ruled this area for ages. Pals original last name was 'Deo' but one of the ancestors called Kunwar Abhay Pal Deo, wrote his surname as Pal and the generations after him followed suit. The present titular ruler is Rajwar Bhanu Raj Singh Pal (b. 1958), who is 108th in his bloodline to claim the title.

• Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary
• Ghangdhura
• Chhiplakot Or Najurkot
• Chhipladhura lake
• Narayan Ashram
• Askot Polymetallic Deposit tunnel Mines
• Bhadigad river ;Rauntishgad river
• Gurjigad river
• Confluence of Gori Ganga river with river Kali at Jauljibi
• Dhanlekh, which is a place near Singali. It is famous place for Hindu devotees.

Van Rawats or Raji or Kirat are native indigenous, ethnic minority community of this area. They inhabit at high altitude. Jamtadi is their nearby village. Their other villages are situated at Ghangdhura ridge.