Uttarakhand Curries--Uttarakhand Cuisine..!!

Uttaranchal Curries:
Sharing a border with Tibet and Nepal, the hilly and picturesque Uttaranchal (Meaning Northern region) has a distinct cuisine, so very different from regular north Indian cuisine. The Mogul cuisine which influenced most of north India has had little impact on the traditional cuisine of Uttaranchal.In its two major regions, Garhwal and Kumaon, we find an array of delightfully different curries made from three basic building blocks -Lentils, Spinach and Yogurt. Unlike other parts of north India, rice remains the staple food in Uttaranchal.
The Curry base: Pulses form the base for most curries. Horse gram, black soyabean and whole unhusked urad dal are the most popular pulses.Roasted and powdered urad dal is mixed with water, spices and cooked into a thick curry called the Chainsoo. Use black soyabean instead of Urad dal and you have the Bhatwani.Mixed dals are boiled in water, mashed, the solids filtered and the thin curry is cooked into a Ras. Add rice flour to thicken the Ras and you have the Thathawani.A curry made from black soyabeans, thickened with rice flour is cooked into churdkani. Replace black soy beans with horsegram, and Churdkani becomes Fannah.Yogurt is the next popular curry base. Yogurt thickened with rice flour is cooked into the Jholi. This is similar to the north Indian Kadi but for the fact that rice flour is used as a thickener and not gram flour. However, the use of dairy products is limited because this hilly land is not conducive to raising cows. Ground mustard and turmeric is mixed in yogurt to make the Kumaoni Raita. It is only in Uttaranchal and West Bengal would you see the use of ground up mustard.Spinach is also used as a curry base. Boiled and mashed spinach gives the Kafuli. Add yogurt to it and it becomes the Kappa. Unlike north Indian curries which use gram flour, Uttaranchal prefers rice flour as a thickener.
FlavoringThe extensive use of mustard oil gives Uttaranchal curries a distinctive flavor. Spices like cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, garlic and ginger are popular across the state. Unlike most north Indian curries, asafetida is extensively used.
Goodiestraditionally, each curry is cooked with a select few goodies. For example, a Jholi is usually cooked with spinach. Chainsoo, Kafuli, Phaanu or Kappa uses no vegetables. But you can experiment by using your favorite goodies in any of these curries. Unlike other north Indian curries, tomatoes are used very sparingly. A specialty is the use of crushed veggies (mostly potatoes or radish) in curries. It is in Uttaranchal you’d see Marijuana leaves and seeds used in chutneys. Local spinach known as Bichhu Ghas is very popular.Play with different combinations of bases, flavorings and goodies to cook up a huge variety of Uttaranchal curries.Pls do leave a comment.

K.S.RAWAT
PAURI GARHWAL GROUP
Uttarakhand, Uttaranchal
Garhwal, Kumaon, Garhwali, Kumaoni

Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand -'Early ripening of ""Kaafal"" a fall out of global warming' ..!!

Dear All Uttarakhandis.!!!
http://www.paurigarhwal.com/ http://pauri-garhwal-group.blogspot.com/
The early ripening of the popular 'Kaafal' wild fruit in Uttarakhand is being seen by experts as a fallout of global warming in the Himalayan region.
The edible wild fruit has hit the markets this year a month before than the usual time and it is being sold at four times higher than its normal rate.
The regional fruit markets received the supply of 'Kaafal' fruit on Sunday and the "surprised" traders bided a higher rate for it, sources said.
Such incidents are example of the impact of climate change and global warming that has begun to affect the Himalayan region in many ways, experts said.
Glacier retreat, early flowering and early leaf production in many trees, and arrival of mosquitoes at altitudes beyond their traditional range are some of the examples of the climate change in the region, they said.
Eminent ecologist and vice-chancellor of HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal said "a species can fruit early in a direct response to warming." "However, it can start fruiting also under a stress, such as drought," he said.
The warming by enhancing the rate of evaporation can cause water stress on trees, thus forcing them to complete reproductive cycle quickly, he said.
This is for your information please.
Best Regards,
K.S.RAWAT
It is perhaps due to the lack of political will that the hills of Uttarakhand still waits for better rail & air connectivity...by Pauri Garhwal Group!

Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand

Roopkund in Uttarakhand.

Roopkund in Uttarakhand is known for its Skeleton Lake. In 1942, about 600 skeletons were discovered in the area by a park ranger. The skeletons were believed to be of people who lived between 12th to 15th century. Whitechapel in London was the place where serial murders were committed in 1888-91 by a killer referred to as ‘Jack The Ripper’. The victims were always women and most of them were prostitutes.‘Raaz 2’ will mainly be shot in these three locations. And the very thought of shooting at these places is giving jitters to our serial kisser.

‘Raaz 2’, a hindi film, will mainly be shot in these three locations. And the very thought of shooting at these places is giving jitters to our serial kisser.

K.S.RAWAT

UTTARAKHAND, UTTARANCHAL

हो हो कन्हय्या ....बंसी बजन्या....उत्तरांचली होली. Wishing you a Colorful Holi with Natural and Safe Colours!

Have a nice and an enjoyable Holi with all near and Dear ones!!!!!

Team Pauri Garhwal Group..!!

Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand..!!

Uttarakhand's First Film to sensitize the public.."Nai Roshni" "नयी रौशनी" - गढ़वाली फ़िल्म - Garhwali Film... by Sushila Rawat..!!

The Pauri Garhwal Group : We can not think other than workig for Uttarakhand & its honest people.!!!
-------------------------------------------------
Nai Roshni "नयी रौशनी" - गढ़वाली फ़िल्म - Garhwali Film... By Shushila Rawat..!! Please contact for CD & VCDs at :
SHEETAL JAYARA IMAGES AND GANGOTRI FILMS.
SHOP NO. 15, APANA BAZAR, D.D.A. MARKET, NEHRU NAGAR,
NEW DELHI-110065.
CONTACT : 9818861477, 9868150348.
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"NAYI ROSHNI"A film in Garhwali dialect has been produced by Sheetal Jayara Images and Gangotri Films. "Nai Roshni" is an effort to sensitize the public to the issue of Girl Child. This has its origin in the mind set of the majority of Indian society which prefer a son to a daughter. The population in the hills of Uttarakhand also have the same mind set. Nai Roshni is the story of a girl, craving for the affection of her father. The father, consider her unlucky as a son did not born after Roshni's birth. Even after the birth of sons he do not change his attitude and showers his affection on his sons and always neglects Roshni.The fils is also the story of a grandmother who fights for the rights of her grand daughter. Third woman in the story is the mother of Roshni, who silently suffers and dies.Roshni the heroine of the film is from Kotdwar. The suiting is done in and around Kotdwara. The premier of this garhwali film was held on 2nd March 2008 at Press Club of India.By Pauri Garhwal Group!!
K.S.RAWAT
Pauri Garhwal Website :
http://www.paurigarhwal.com/
Pauri Garhwal Group Blog:
http://pauri-garhwal-group.blogspot.com/
Uttarakhand Songs:
http://uttarakhandsongslive.blogspot.com/
New Delhi..Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand, Garhwal, Garhwali, Kumaon, Kumaoni
Posted by Pauri Garhwal Group at 3:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Dev Bhumi, Garhwal, Garhwal Girls, Garhwali, Garhwali films, Garhwali Women, India News, Jobs, Kumaoni, Pauri Garhwal Group, Properties, Uttarakhand, Uttaranchal

Nai Roshni "नयी रौशनी" - गढ़वाली फ़िल्म - Garhwali Film... Releasing Shortly....Pauri Garhwal Group..!!

Nai Roshni "नयी रौशनी" - गढ़वाली फ़िल्म - Garhwali Film... Releasing Shortly....Pauri Garhwal Group..!!

A film in Garhwali dialect has been produced by Sheetal Jayara Images and Gangotri Films. "Nai Roshni" is an effort to sensitize the public to the issue of Girl Child. This has its origin in the mind set of the majority of Indian society which prefer a son to a daughter. The population in the hills of Uttarakhand also have the same mind set. Nai Roshni is the story of a girl, craving for the affection of her father. The father, consider her unlucky as a son did not born after Roshni's birth. Even after the birth of sons he do not change his attitude and showers his affection on his sons and always neglects Roshni.

The fils is also the story of a grandmother who fights for the rights of her grand daughter. Third woman in the story is the mother of Roshni, who silently suffers and dies.

Roshni the heroine of the film is from Kotdwar. The suiting is done in and around Kotdwara. The premier of this garhwali film was held on 2nd March 2008 at Press Club of India.

By Pauri Garhwal Group!!

New Delhi..

Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand, Garhwal, Garhawli, Kumaon, Kumaoni

Uttarakhandi, Uttaranchali, Garhwali, Kumaoni Bhajans .... Pauri Garhwal Group..!!

Dear Group Members!!

If you want to listen garhwali bhajan including jagar, please click on the following link:

http://www.bhaktisangeet.com/bhajan/garhwali/jagar.html

http://www.bhaktisangeet.com/bhajan/garhwali/index.html

Thanks & Regards,

K.S.RAWAT

PAURI GARHWAL GROUP

UTTARAKHAND, UTTARANCHAL,

PAURI GARHWAL, CHAMOLI GARHWAL, TEHRI GARHWAL, KUMAON, GARHWAL,

GARHWALI, KUMAONI

Uttarakhand to reserve 50 pc seats for women in panchayats..Pauri Garhwal Group..!!

Dehradun (PTI): The BJP government in Uttarakhand plans to bring in a law that provides 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayats.
A formal announcement to this effect is likely to be made in the current budget session of the Vidhan Sabha, official sources said here on Thursday.
"We are going to reserve 50 per cent seats for women under the Panchayati Raj system," a top official said.
But the official refused to divulge more information over the issue saying a detail statement would be made in the house shortly. "We have almost finalized everything regarding this," he said.
Women are having 33 per cent reservation in the Panchayati Raj system under the 73rd amendment. However, it was not yet known whether the government would bring similar kind of reservation in urban bodies too.
Women have played a big role in the statehood agitation of 1990s that saw the birth of new state of Uttarakhand on Nov 9, 2000. Besides, various social groups have been exerting pressure on the government for 50 per cent reservation for women.
"We feel it is a big victory for women in Uttarakhand," said Avdhash Kaushal, Chairperson of RLEK, a Dehradun-based NGO working for the women empowerment in the country.
Kaushal, whose NGO is also working actively in Jharkhand, also claimed that Chief Minister has agreed to reserve 50 per cent seats for women in Uttarakhand".
Significantly, BJP recently made provision for 33 per cent reservation for women in the party's structure.

Pauri Garhwal Group

New Delhi

Uttarakhand, Uttaranchal

live update union budget 2008 2009 p chidambaram

live update union budget 2008 2009 p chidambaram
Check live update of Indian Union Budget 08-09 at Pauri Garhwal Group Blog: to be presented by Indian finance minister P. Chidambaram.Here is the list of websites to watch / read live budget report.Budget 2008 on CNN IBN website enter.Union Budget 2008 2009 in hindi. enterUnion Budget 2008 2009 of india live report on reuters. enterBudget 2008 news - business news enterUnion budget 2008 2009 on hindustan times. enterlatest Budget News on the hindu. enterLive mint : Live update of union budget 2008 2009 India. enterBudget special reports , highlights speeches on rediff. enterLive budget update on sify. enter

K.S.RAWAT
MODERATOR
PAURI GARHWAL GROUP,
UTTARANCHAL, UTTARAKHAND,
NEW DELHI, INDIA

Pauri Garhwal Group as it stands today is a reflection of the ambitions, aspirations and hard work of members..!!

Go to PGG Blog for reading following news:
It is perhaps due to the lack of political will that the hills of Uttarakhand still waits for better rail & air connectivity...by Pauri Garhwal Group!

Dear Friends!!

********************APNI BHASHA APNE LOG***********************

We do not know how many of 4000 members of PG Group know that PG Group is a Registered Society / Trust, and with the help of the group members, working with broader AIM, keeping in mind our objectives, to build a platform for development of Uttarakhand and its people.

"UNITY" OF THE UTTARAKHANDIS

If you all remember or must have seen that in the home page of the group itself it is clearly written that "PG GROUP ENCOURAGES YOU TO SHOW THE UNITY" because PG Group is formed with the intention of bringing together people from Uttarakhand and for encouraging all Uttarakhandis to do everything based on their personal and professional capacities through the activities of the PGG platform. This "UNITY" & "TEAM WORK" will lead to improved life and work outcomes for individuals and "UTTARAKHANDI" community. Thanks for making our life so worth living!!

“PRIME OBJECTIVE” OF PGG GROUP

While joining this group/ community, the prime objective in everyone’s mind is to give something in return to our Community. We are not members for self interest rather we wish to contribute in whatever form for the betterment of our community, people, custom and so on. This group provides platform to each individual to interact with our own community members. We share our thoughts and ideas with each other as to how we can make a big difference to our people and society.

We all are from working class and are contributing our time, money, efforts just for the sake of doing something for our own people.

“MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS” OF PGG GROUP IN THE LAST 3 YEAR

One of the simple but powerful things we all personally do regularly to feel strong and on top is to read success stories. Nothing makes us feel stronger and more successful than doing that.

ü 2 days “Awareness-Cum-Sponsorship” camp in Puryadaang Inter College, Patty- Maniyarsuin (Pauri Garhwal). A Team of PG Group visits these remote locations and delivers Career Guidance Lectures, Career and Competitive Exams related books to the students of Uttarakhand. So far
ü 2 days “Awareness-Cum-sponsorship” cam in Gairsain Inter College, Gairsain (Chamoli). Career Guidance is provided by the TEAM PGG to all the students.
ü Under our “Sponsorship Programme” so far we have sponsored more than 30 students from different schools from the remote locations of Uttarakhand and providing scholarship to needy but talented kids/students.
ü Under our “Sponsorship Programme” we have so far contributed approx. 1.5 Lacs to the schools and students.
ü Last year only collected Approx. 5 Lacs Rupees for the treatment of Master Deepak who was suffering from bone cancer. Contributed more than 15000 Rupees to Mr. Mani Ram Kala from Mumbai, who is suffering from Kidney failure.
ü So far more than 72+ members and their relatives have got job opportunities thru this platform.
ü Only online group, who has conducted 3 mega – family – get – together of all Uttarakhandis at Garhwal Bhawan. Uttarakhandi Khana was served in the first two events.
ü So far 10+ members have got business opportunities thru PG Group!
ü So far 5 members have found their life partner thru PG Group….It is not a joke!!
ü And there are so many other achievements……..which are small but enough for giving smile to the faces of our own people.

CONTRIBUTE FOR THE `SOCIAL CAUSE’

Despite of being a registered trust we don’t have any source of funding. Each individual is contributing himself or herself for all these actions/initiatives. We have a transparent fund control system and details of the fund management are shared with the members during meets. Imagine how we had collected Rs.5 Lacs for Master Deepak.

Those who think that they can also be part of this mission can contribute. PG Group bank details are given below:

Bank
AXIS Bank Ltd (formerly UTI Bank)
Account Name
PAURI GARHWAL GROUP
Account No.
224010100027636
Branch
Rajender Nagar, New Delhi
Type
Saving
MICR
110211026
IFCS Code
UTIB 0000007
Swift Code
UTIBINBB002

Please Note: Your generous act would surely help many needy students & poor families of Uttarakhand!!!


MEETING AT GARHWAL BHAWAN IN MID MAR'2008

The PG Group has been involved in various social projects that are primarily focused on the students and poor people of Uttarakhand. PGG Team would continue its efforts towards helping the students of Uttarakhand by developing more of such projects and executing them in the schools of Uttarakhand. PGG Team with the help of Group members will continue sponsoring poor and needy students in the remote areas of the Uttarakhand.

A separate mail on this meet will be sent in the group shortly. Please feel free to ask, if you have any question in your mind.

Warm Regards,

K.S.RAWAT
Moderator – PG Group!!
New Delhi / 09818007079
Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand, Garhwal, Kumaon
Dear Members,

You are well aware that for quite sometime we all are busy in preparation for our Gairsain Project, which was a successful one with your best wishes.

I hereby giving the names of the donors who have donated for illfated boy, Deepak, for his treatment. Though some of the members have requested us not to disclose their identity, their names have been mentioned as "undisclosed". Even some of the donations received by us without quoting their names, they have also been kept in "undisclosed" category.

Name
Amount
Akhilesh Rawat
100
Amar Singh
150
Amit Kothiyal
1000
Anil Gaur
400
Anil Nayal
1000
Anil Rana
500
Anil Rawat (Thru Khatriji)
500
Anoop Rawat
500
Arjun Rawat
500
Arun Kavtiyal
1000
Arvind Dhasmana
100
B B Lekhawar
500
Bharat Gupta
500
Bittoo
50
Chanderkanta Pandey
1500
Deepak Kala
1000
Deepak Rana
300
Dr R K Joshi
7000
Harish Mamgai
100
Iti Kumar
10000
J P Gosain
5000
J P Singh (Patiala)
5000
Jagdish Sajwan
500
M S Rawat
1000
Mahipal Singh Rawat
1000
Manish Budakoti
3000
Manmohan Sharma
500
Manoj Joshi
1000
Manoj Tiwari
500
Manvendra S Negi
500
NCS Negi
2000
Nishith Pathak
1000
Nutan Pokhriyal
200
P K Mitra (BBY)
500
Pandey Ji (Dubai)
2500
Parveen Singh
1000
Pooja
500
Pradeep Rawat
100
Praful Negi
1000
Pramod S Rawat
500
Pramod Sharma (Dubai)
1500
Pramod Singh
100
Rajeev Naithani
1000
Raju Khatri
1100
Raju Khatri & Frnds
10000
Rajuvendra Rawat
1000
Rakesh Dhyani
1500
Sandeep Balodhi
1500
Santosh Jayal & Frnds
20085
Santosh S Negi (SGPR)
1000
Shashi Kr Chamoli
200
Shilpi Mittal
300
Subhash Kandpal
1000
Subodh Gupta
4000
Suman Sardwal
1000
Sunil Kr Manchal
500
Sunita Kathait & Friends
8300
Surender Singh
200
Suresh Gupta
100
Tarun Shrivastava
501
Umesh Ghildiyal
500
Undisclosed
1000
Undisclosed
100
Undisclosed
1000
Undisclosed
5000
Undisclosed
1000
Undisclosed
1000
Undisclosed
1500
Undisclosed
1000
Undisclosed
1000
Undisclosed
100
Undisclosed
500
Undisclosed
200
Undisclosed
100
Undisclosed
1000
Vijyender
2000
Vinay Rawat
500
Vinod Devrani
100
Vinod S Chard
500

If anyone requires any sort of clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned only, without disturbing the whole group.

Thx & Rgds,
Subhash Pokhriyal
Team-PGG
New Delhi
9811709882
Dear Friends,

We are thankful for the following PG members have come forward and funded for the student sponsorship programme being organized at Gairsain Inter College, Gairsain, Uttarakhand, on 21st July 2007:

1
Mr Sanjay Kukshal

5000
2
Ms Richa Deep Pant

1500
3
Mrs Chanderkanta Pandey
2000
4
Mr Rajeev Naithani

1000
5
Mr Deepak Dhyani

2000
6
Mr Atul Nauriyal

1200
7
Ms Savita Sati

1500
8
Ms Nutan Pokhriyal

3000
9
Mrs Sunita Kathait

1000
10
Mr Subhash Kandpal

500
11
Mr Deepak Rana

1500
12
Mr Gautam Rawat

500
13
Dr Ravi Joshi

5000
14
Mr Divakar Uniyal

1500
15
Mr Jagdish Sajwan

400

Further, the following members too shown their interest in Group's sponsorship programme at Gairsain and are in the process of sending their contribution very soon:

1. Mr Ashok Suyal
2. Mr Ashwani Thapliyal
3. Mr Umesh Thapliyal
4. Mrs Poonam Rawat
5. Mr Santosh Negi
6. Mr Prem Singh
7. Mr Sudhir Naithani
8. Mr Nishith Pathak
9. Mr Surendra S Bisht
10. Mr Rakesh Kandwal
11. Mr GCS Rawat
12. Mr Deepak Nautiyal
13. Mr Pankaj

If any of the member would also like to be a part of this nobel cause, please be in touch with the undersigned.

Please feel free to contact me for any clarification.

Thx & Rgds,
Subhash Pokhriyal (pokhriyal_subhash@yahoo.co.in)
Team-PGG
New Delhi
9811709882

CBSE India CBSE Board Sample Questions Papers CBSE Results CBSE ...2008

Dear Uttarakhandis..!!
If your children are appearing for this year (2008) board exams, you can directly download the sample papers from the following link: This will definitely help your child for preparingfor the exams:
http://www.cbse.nic.in/curric~1/sample2008.htm

Sample Papers for Board Exam. 2008 and Marking Schemes
Class X
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER
Science (Theory)
Social Science
Mathematics
Hindi Course A
Hindi Course B
Sanskrit
English Language & Literature

MARKING SCHEME 2007
Marking Schemes
Class XII
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER
Hindi Elective
Sanskrit Elective
Hindi Core
Sanskrit Core - Pages 1-22 - Pages 23-47
Psychology
English Core
Functional English
Geography (Theory)
Creative Writing and Translation Studies (Class XI)
Mathematics - Paper-I Paper-II Paper-III
Physics - Paper-I Paper-II Paper-III
Biology - Paper-I Paper-II Paper-III
Chemistry - Paper-I Paper-II Paper-III
Business Studies - Paper-I Paper-II
Economics - Paper-I Paper-II
History - Paper-I Paper-II
Political Science
Accountancy
Sociology

MARKING SCHEME 2007 - COMMERCE SUBJECTS
Accountancy
Business Studies
Economics
English Core
Entrepreneurship
Functional English
Mathematics
MARKING SCHEME 2007 - SCIENCE SUBJECTS
English Core
Functional English
Mathematics
Biology
Bio-Technology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Engineering Drawing
Informatics Practices
Physics

MARKING SCHEME 2007 - HUMANITY SUBJECTS

Thanks & Regards,

K.S.RAWAT
PAURI GARHWAL GROUP
NEW DELHI
UTTARAKHAND UTTARANCHAL PAURI GARHWAL CHAMOLI GARHWAL TEHRI GARHWAL KUMAON KUMAONI GARHWALI
http://paurigarhwal.com/

It is perhaps due to the lack of political will that the hills of Uttarakhand still waits for better rail & air connectivity...by Pauri Garhwal Group!

Dear All.!!!
http://www.paurigarhwal.com/ / http://pauri-garhwal-group.blogspot.com/ / http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paurigarhwal/
With barely a fortnight left for the announcement of the Railway budget, people here are not only waiting for the arrival of trains in the hill regions like other Himalayan states but are also looking forward to better rail connectivity with other states.

The visits of railway minister Mr Lalu Prasad to Uttarakhand many a time in the past and his promise of better rail links have raised the hope of the people of this hill state.
A few months ago, the minister admitted the need to have the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag and Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail links as part of the national plan. It is believed that there could be some announcement in this regard in the rail budget. Past surveys have recommended the rail link on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag route. The first survey was done in 1919 on the initiatives of the then deputy commissioner of Garhwal JM Clay. The next survey was done in 1996, by the then minister of state for Railways Mr Satpal Maharaj. But the rail link on the hills here remained a dream.
Experts find no impediments to the construction of rail routes here. Dr PC Nawani, director of the Geological Survey of India, who is a consultant to the Rail line Plan in Jammu and Kashmir, says the hills of Uttarakhand are fit for the rail links. “The situation here is more favourable compared to Jammu and Kashmir as the rocks here are harder,” Dr Nawani said.
“It is perhaps due to the lack of political will that the hills of Uttarakhand are still without trains,” “If there can be trains in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Darjeeling, why not in Uttarakhand?”
The people also long for the Doon-Saharanpur rail line, a double rail line from Doon-Luxar and its electrification, a fast train to Mumbai and direct trains to other parts of the country, particularly Bangalore and Goa.
With the growing number of tourists, it is essential to have better rail connectivity. According to him, the Doon-Saharanpur line would help frequent travellers as it would shorten by two hours the distance from Dehradun to Delhi. It would be about 30-35 km.
Warm Regards,
K.S.RAWAT
Moderator - PG Group..!!
New Delhi / 09818007079
Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand, Garhwali, Kumaon, Kumaoni

Uttarakhand / Uttaranchal : Medicinal Plants

Dear members of Pauri Garhwal Group,
Please find below two articles on the medicinal plants. I hope it will be of your interest. http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/pdf/1746-4269-2-32.pdf
http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/pdf/1746-4269-1-11.pdf
With regards,
chandra prakash kala
Pauri Garhwal Group!
New Delhi / India
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paurigarhwal
htpp://pauri-garhwal-group.blogspot.com/
http://paurigarhwal.com/
Uttaranchal Uttarakhand Pauri Garhwal Garhwali Kumaoni

उत्तराखंड/उत्तरांचल Uttarakhand/Uttaranchal : Best Kumaoni Songs..!!

http://forum.esoft.in/other-languages-mp3-video/1684-best-super-hit-kumauni-songs.html

उत्तराखंड की आवाज़ !!

के । एस । रावत

पौडी गढ़वाल ग्रुप

नई डेल्ही

भारत

Uttarakhand/Uttaranchal : One more beautiful song by Narender Singh Negi and Preeti Ranakoti - Must Watch..!!

http://www.videogully.com/Uttarakhand__4qpm1cYeXNo.html

उत्तराखंड की आवाज़ !!

के । एस । रावत
पौडी गढ़वाल ग्रुप
नई डेल्ही भारत

लिटिल चैम्पियन गढ़वाल - उत्तराखंड या उत्तरांचल - Vashundhra Raturi..!!

लिटिल चैम्पियन गढ़वाल - उत्तराखंड या उत्तरांचल

लिटिल चैम्पियन गढ़वाल - उत्तराखंड या उत्तरांचल ....

वसुंधरा रतूरी जी नेटवर्क पर होने वाले सा रे गा माँ की लिटिल चैम्पियन मी सबसे बड़ी दावेदार है.... Keep it up Vashundhara.... For more information please visit:

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धन्यबाद !!

करण बीर सिंह रावत
पौडी गढ़वाल ग्रुप, उत्तरांचल, उत्तराखंड
Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand
ZEE NETWORK, GARHWALI, KUMAONI, PAURI GARHWAL, TEHRI GARHWAL, CHAMOLI GARHWAL, KUMAON, INDIA, NEW DELHI, CRICKET, LITTLE CHAMPION, SA RE GA MA

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttaranchal, Uttarakhand, India..!!

Source: http//www.eoearth.org/article/Nanda_Devi_and_Valley_of_Flowers_National_Park,_India

Content Partner: United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (other articles)
Article Topics: Geography, Ecology and Ecotourism
This article has been reviewed and approved by the following Topic Editor: Mark McGinley (other articles)
Last Updated: January 10, 2008

Geographical Location
Nanda Devi National Park (30° 41' to 30° 48'N and 79° 33' to 79° 46'E) is a World Heritage Site that lies in eastern Uttaranchal State, near the Tibetan border in the Garhwal (western) Himalaya, 300 kilometers (km) northeast of Delhi. The main entrance to the Park is via Lata and Tolma villages, some 25 km and 31 km respectively east of Joshimath township. It leads through the almost inaccessible gorge of Rishi Ganga to a basin surrounded by high mountain ridges and peaks except to the west, lying between 30°16' to 30° 32'N and 79° 44' to 80° 02'E. The Valley of Flowers is in the Paspawati valley 23 km north-northwest of Nanda Devi Park. It lies between 30° 41' to 30° 48'N and 79° 33' to 79° 46'E.
Date and History of Establishment
1862: The Paspawati valley was discovered by Colonel Edmund Smyth.
1931: The valley visited by the mountaineer F. Smythe who wrote a book publicising the “Valley of Flowers”
1936: The upper Nanda Devi basin was reached and described by mountaineers E.Shipton and N.Odell who climbed Nanda Devi
1939: The basin was established as the Nanda Devi Game Sanctuary by Government Order 1493/XIV- 28 of 7/01.
1962: Border disputes closed the area to traffic, altering the local economy.
1974-82: The Sanctuary was opened to mountaineering but the ensuing degradation led to its closure to all users.
1982: The Park was established as Sanjay Gandhi National Park by Notification 3912/ XIV 3-35-80, but was later renamed Nanda Devi National Park. Restrictions were imposed on the rights of nearby villagers.
The Valley of Flowers was declared a National Park by Government Order 4278/XIV-3-66-80 under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, for the conservation of its flora.
1986: The Nanda Devi National Biosphere Reserve was established (223,674 ha) with a 514,857 hectares (ha) buffer zone surrounding the two Parks.
2000: The Biosphere Reserve extended by the government to 586,069 ha which included both National Park core zones (62,462 ha + 8,750 ha, totaling 71,212 ha); the Valley was declared the second core zone of the expanded National Biosphere Reserve.
2004: The two core zones and buffer zone designated a United Nations Environmental, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve.
Areas
Nanda Devi: 62,462 ha. Valley of Flowers: 8,750 ha. The Parks share a 514,857 ha buffer zone within the Biosphere Reserve which is not within the World Heritage site.
Land Tenure
Uttaranchal State in Chamoli District. Administered by the Uttaranchal State Forestry Department of the National Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Altitude
Nanda Devi: 1,900 meters (m) (lower Rishi Gorge), 2,100 m (the basin) to 7,817 m (Nanda Devi West). Valley of Flowers: 3,350 m (valley floor) to 6,708 m (Gauri Parbat).
Physical Features
Nanda Devi

Nanda Devi Mountain. (Source: Stanford Alpine Club)
The Park is in the catchment basin of the Rishi Ganga, an eastern tributary of the Dhauli Ganga which flows into a major tributary of the Ganges, the Alaknanda River, at Joshimath. The area is a vast glacial basin, divided by a series of parallel north-south oriented ridges. These rise to the encircling mountain rim formed by sixteen peaks above 6,000 m. The best known of these are Dunagiri (7,056 m) and Kalanka (6,931 m) to the north, Nanda Devi East (7,434 m) on the eastern rim, Nanda Khat (6,811 m) in the southeast and Trisul (7,127 m) in the southwest. Nanda Devi West lies on a short ridge projecting from Nanda Devi East into the basin. It is India's second highest mountain. The upper Rishi Valley, known as the Inner Sanctuary, is fed by the Changbang, North Rishi and North Nanda Devi glaciers from the north and by the South Nanda Devi and South Rishi glaciers from the south. An impressive gorge cuts through the Devistan-Rishikot ridge below the confluence of the North and South Rishi rivers. The Trisuli and Ramani glaciers flow into the lower Rishi Valley or Outer Sanctuary, below which the Rishi Ganga enters the narrow, deep, steep-sided and virtually inaccessible lower gorge.
The basin displays an array of periglacial and glacial forms which cover a wide range of phases of growth. The combinations of normal and perched glaciers on different rock types add to the interest of the basin. Most of the Park falls within the central crystallines, a zone of young granites and metamorphic rocks. Along the northern edge the Tibetan-Tethys is exposed, consisting of sandstones, micaceous quartzite, limestones and shales. The Tethys sediments form Nanda Devi itself and with many of the surrounding peaks, displays spectacular folding and evidence of thrust movements, while other mountains like Changbang are granite. The crystalline rocks of the Vaikrita Group and lower part of the Tethys sediments have been tentatively subdivided into four, the Lata, Ramani, Kharapatal and Martoli formations. Further geological details are given by Lamba (1987).
The Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers National Park. (Source: Case Western Reserve University)
The Valley is 20 km northwest of Nanda Devi National Park across the wide valley of the Bhiundhar Ganga. It is one of two hanging valleys lying at the head of the Bhiundhar valley, the other being the shorter Hemkund valley which runs parallel some 10 km south. It runs east-west approximately 15 km by an average of 6 km wide, in the basin of the Paspawati river, a small tributary flowing from the Tipra glacier which descends from Gauri Parbat in the east. Its central valley, lying at about 3,500 m, is a gently inclined basin of some 1,000 ha of alpine meadows, the Kundalinisen plateau, the forested slopes of which rise sharply through moraines to rocky ridges, perpetually snow-covered peaks and glaciers which together cover 73% of the valley. Alpine meadows cover 21% and forests 6% of the rest. The high surrounding mountains are not impassable and open to the south at Ghangrea (3,072 m), 7 km downstream. There, the Paspawati meets the Lakshman Ganga, becoming the Bhiundhar Ganga which flows 15 km to Govindghat at its confluence with the Alaknanda, a tributary of the Ganges. The main surrounding peaks are Nar Parbat (5,245 m) to the northwest, Nilgiri Parbat (6,479 m) to the north, Rataban (6,126 m) across the Bhuindhar Pass, with Gauri Parbat (6,708 m) to the east and Saptasring (5,038 m) to the south. The Lakshman Ganga flows from Lokpal lake (4,150 m) in the Hemkund valley, a much visited place of pilgrimage. The well exposed bedrock comprises crystallines of the Vaikrita group with sedimentary, mica schist and shale rocks. The soils are acidic and retain moisture well.
Climate
Being an inner Himalayan valley, the Nanda Devi Basin has a distinctive microclimate. Conditions are generally dry with low annual precipitation, but there is heavy rainfall during the monsoon from late June to early September. Prevailing mist and low cloud during the monsoon keeps the soil moist, hence the vegetation is lusher than is usual in the drier inner Himalayan valleys. From mid April to June temperatures are moderate to cool (19 degrees Celsius (°C) maximum). The Valley of Flowers also has the microclimate of an enclosed inner Himalayan valley, and is shielded from the full impact of the southwest summer monsoon by the Greater Himalaya range to its south. There is often dense fog and rain especially during the late summer monsoon. Both Basin and Valley are usually snow-bound for six to seven months between late October and late March, the snow accumulating deeper and at lower altitudes on the shadowed southern than on the northern side of the valleys.
Vegetation
Nanda Devi
Forests are restricted largely to the Rishi Gorge and are dominated by West Himalayan fir Abies pindrow and Rhododendron campanulatum with Himalayan birch Betula utilis up to about 3,350 m. Forming a broad belt between these and the alpine meadows is birch forest, with an understory of rhododendron. Conditions are drier within the inner basin becoming almost xeric up the main glaciers. Beyond Ramani, the vegetation changes from forest to dry alpine communities, with scrub juniper Juniperus pseudosabina becoming the dominant cover. With altitude, junipers give way to grasses, prone mosses and lichens, and on riverine soils to annual herbs and dwarf willow Salix spp. Woody vegetation extends along the sides of the main glaciers before changing gradually to squat alpines and lichens.
A floristic analysis of the area based on the 1993 Nanda Devi Scientific and Ecological Expedition is given by Balodi (1993). A total of 312 species, distributed over 199 genera and 81 families, has been recorded and preserved in the herbarium of the Northern Circle Botanical Survey of India. At least 17 of these are considered rare. Not in this list is Saussurea sudhanshui, newly described from the area. Within the larger area of the Biosphere Reserve some 793 species from 400 genera and 120 families were listed by the 1993 Nanda Devi Scientific and Ecological Expedition. Eight nationally threatened species recorded include Nardostachys grandiflora, Picroehiza kurrooa (VU), Cypripedium elegans, C. himalaicum, Dioscorea deltoidea (VU) and Allium stracheyi (VU). Local people use a total of 97 species, 17 for medicine, 55 as food plants, 15 as fodder, 16 for fuel, 5 for tools, 8 for house building, 2 as fibers, 6 for miscellaneous uses, and 11 for religious purposes.
The Valley of Flowers

The flower Saussurea obvallata is collected by local villagers to be used as a religious offering to Nanda Devi and other deities. (Source: Harvard University Herbaria)
The valley has an unusually rich flora of over 600 species with many rarities. It lies in a transitional area between the Great Himalaya and Zanskar Mountains, and also between the eastern and western Himalayan phytographic regions. The valley has three main vegetation zones: sub-alpine between 3,200 m and 3,500 m which is the limit for trees, lower alpine between 3,500 m and 3,700 m, and higher alpine above 3,700 m. The habitats include valley bottom, river bed, small forests, meadows, eroded, scrubby and stable slopes, moraine, plateau, bogs, stone desert and caves. The lower surrounding hills in the buffer zone are thickly forested. The Forest Research Institute in 1992 recorded 600 species of angiosperms and 30 pteridophytes in the valley and surroundings, discovering 58 new records for the valley of which 4 were new for Himalayan Uttar Pradesh. Of these plants, 5 out of 6 species globally threatened are not found in Nanda Devi National Park or elsewhere in Uttaranchal: Aconitum falconeri, A. balfouri, Himalayan maple Acer caesium, the blue Himalayan poppy Mecanopsis aculeate and Saussurea atkinsoni. 31 species are classified as nationally rare. The dominant family is the Asteraceae with 62 species. Forty-five medicinal plants are used by local villagers and several species, such as Saussurea obvallata (brahmakamal) are collected as religious offerings to Nanda Devi and other deities. The site is designated a Centre of Plant Diversity.Characteristic of the sub-alpine zone are high altitude forests which help to retain moisture and snow and support a large number of floral and faunal communities. It is dominated by the uncommon Himalayan maple Acer caesium (VU), west Himalayan fir Abies pindrow, Himalayan white birch Betula utilis, and Rhododendron campanulatum with Himalayan yew Taxus wallichiana, Syringa emodi and Sorbus lanata Some of the common herbs are Arisaema jacquemontii, Boschniakia himalaica, Corydalis cashmeriana, Polemonium caerulium, Polygonum polystachyum (a rampant tall weed), Impatiens sulcata, Geranium wallichianum, Helinia elliptica, Galium aparine, Morina longifolia, Inula grandiflora, Nomochoris oxypetala, Anemone rivularis, Pedicularis pectinata, P. bicornuta, Primula denticulate and Trillidium govanianum. In trampled areas where past livestock congregated, Himalayan knotweed Polygonum polystachium is a rampant weed.
The valley’s lower alpine zone has greater moisture and deeper soil. A large number of herbaceous communities grow in great profusion and it supports the greatest diversity of alpine plants. Characteristic of the zone are dwarf shrubs, cushion herbs, grasses and sedges. Common and single-seed junipers Juniperus communis and J. squamata, Rhododendron anthopogon, Salix spp., Lonicera myrtillus, Cotoneaster microphyllus, and Rubus ellipticus are the major shrub species in this zone. The herbaceous flora gives a spectacular multicolored array of flowers during the growing season. Their growth cycle is very short, and they give way to other communities later in the season. The dominant herbs of this zone are Potentilla atrosanguinea, Geranium wallichianum, Fritillaria roylei, Impatiens sulcata, Polygonum polystachyum, Angelica archangelica, Selinum vaginatum. The common grasses of the zone are Danthonia cachemyriana, Calamogrostis emodensis, Agrostis pilosula and Trisetum spicatum; the main sedge species are Kobresia roylei and Carex nubigena.
The higher alpine zone is an area of pioneer species dispersed among moraines, boulders, and rocky slopes, dominated by scattered and stunted herbs with delicate flowers, mosses and lichens. The stable slopes on southern aspects typically have meadows of Kobresia sedge. On northern aspects and in sheltered areas are extensive shrubby patches of Rhododendron lepidotum, Cassiope fastigiata and Juniperus communis. The zone’s dominant species are Kobresia royleana, Trachydium roylei and Danthonia cachemyriana. There are also several colorful herbs like Saussurea simpsoniana, Potentilla argyrophylla, Geum elatum, Senecio spp., Bistorta affinis, Bergenia stracheyi and the blue Himalayan poppy.
Fauna
Nanda Devi
An account of the 14 known species of mammals is given by Tak & Lamba (1985) and Lamba (1987), 6 being nationally endangered. The basin is renowned for the abundance of its ungulate populations, notably bharal or blue sheep Pseudois nayaur, estimated to number 820 in 1977, 440 in 1981-1984 but 990 were sighted in 1993. Preliminary surveys suggest that Himalayan musk deer Moschus chrysogaster, mainland serow Capricornus sumatrensis (VU) and Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicu (VU) are also common, but are probably not as plentiful as they used to be due to hunting. However, numbers appear to have increased due to the closure of the Park to human activities since 1983. The goral Nemorhaedus goral does not seem to occur within the basin, although the species does occur near the Park. Snow leopard Uncia uncia (EN) is reported to have been "extraordinarily common" by Dang in 1961. This may reflect the relative ease with which the species is observed here and in the vicinity as it is very unlikely that the Park now supports a large snow leopard population because of its comparatively small size and the deep snow in winter. Other large carnivores are Himalayan black bear Selenarctos thibetanus (VU) and brown bear Ursus arctos, the existence of which has yet to be confirmed, and common leopard P. pardus. The only primate present is common langur Presbytis entellus although rhesus macaque Macaca mullata has been sighted outside the Park boundaries. Some 83 animal species were reported from the area of the national Biosphere Reserve by the Indian National MAB Committee.
Shankaran recorded a total of 114 species of birds in 30 families during the 1993 Nanda Devi Scientific and Ecological Expedition. Some 67 of these species were not recorded during earlier surveys. Abundant species recorded during May to June include crested black tit Parus melanolophus, yellow-bellied fantail flycatcher Rhipidura hypoxantha, orange-flanked bush robin Erithacus cyanurus, bluefronted redstart Phoenicurus frontalis, Indian tree pipit Anthus hodgsoni, vinaceous breasted pipit A. roseatus, common rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus, and nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes. Species richness was found to be highest in the temperate forests, with a significant decline in richness as elevation increased. Other expeditions for which bird lists are available include Reed (1979) and Tak & Kumar (1987). Lamba (1987) lists 80 species for the area but the distribution of some of these is restricted to lower altitudes in adjacent areas. Some 546 species are reported from the Biosphere Reserve area by the Indian National MAB Committee.
There is a lack of systematic surveys on invertebrate fauna. Baindur recorded 28 species of butterfly from six families during May-June 1993, including common yellow swallowtail Papilo machaon, common blue apollo Parnassius hardwickei, dark clouded yellow Colias electo, Queen of Spain Issoria iathonia, and Indian tortoiseshell Aglais cashmirensis.
The Valley of Flowers
[[Image:redfox.jpgleft300pxthumbThe red fox Vulpes vulpes is one of only 9 species that has been directly sighted in the Valley of Flowers. (Source: Marietta College)
The density of wild animals in the Valley is not high but all the animals found are nationally rare or endangered. 13 species of mammals are recorded for the Park and its vicinity although only 9 species have been sighted directly: common langur Presbytes entellus, flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista, Himalayan black bear Selenarctos thibetanus (VU), red fox Vulpes vulpes, Himalayan weasel Mustela sibirica, and Himalayan yellow marten Martes flavigula, goral Naemorhedus goral, Himalayan musk deer Moschus chrysogaste, Indian mouse deer Moschiola meminna, Himalayan thar Hemitragus jemlahicus (VU) and serow Capricornis sumatrensis (VU). The tahr is common, the serow, goral, musk deer and blue sheep are rare. The common leopard Panthera pardus is reported from lower parts of the valley closer to the villages. Local people have also reported evidence of Himalayan brown bear Ursus arctos and bharal or blue sheep Pseudois nayaur. A recent faunal survey in October 2004 has established the presence of snow leopard Uncia uncia (EN) in the national park.
The area is within the West Himalayan Endemic Bird Area but there have been no surveys specific to the Valley. 114 species were seen in 1993 in Nanda Devi Park. Species frequently seen in the valley include koklass pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha, the nationally listed monal pheasant Lophophorus impejanus, found in rhododendron thickets, scaly-bellied woodpecker Picus squamatus, greater yellow naped woodpecker P. flavinucha, great barbet Megalaima virens, blue throated barbet M. asiatica, snow pigeon Columba leuconota, spotted dove Streptopelia chinensis, lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, Himalayan griffon Gyps himalayensis, yellow billed chough Pyrrhocorax graculus and red billed chough P. pyrrhocorax. The area is relatively poor in reptiles: most often seen are the high altitude lizard Agama tuberculata, Himalayan ground skink Leiolopisma himalayana and Himalayan pit viper Gloydius himalayanus. Along with the flowers are wild bees and many species of butterfly which need to be more researched. A few of the more evident species are lime butterfly Papilio demoleus demoleus, common yellow swallowtail Papilio machaon, common mormon Papilio polytes romulus, spangle Papilio protenor protenor and common blue apollo Parnassius hardwickei.
Cultural Heritage
Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi, named after Devi (‘goddess’), consort of Shiva, is a manifestation of Parvati and has been revered since ancient times (Reinhard,1987). Hindus have deified the entire basin and every twelfth year devotees make the Nanda Devi Raj Jat pilgrimage to the foot of Trisul to worship their patroness the 'Bliss-giving Goddess' Nanda Devi (Kaur, 1982). The local people are the Bhotiya, an ethnic Tibetan group who lived by trading with Tibet via the Niti valley until the 1962 war with China, by transhumant herding up and down the valley, and on resources from the forests.
The Valley of Flowers
Seven kilometers south of the Park entrance, at Ghangrea, a track leads off to the Hemkund Sahib shrine sacred to Sikhs, and the Hindu temple to Lakshman, brother of Ram, beside Lake Lokpal. These have long been places of pilgrimage to both Sikhs and Hindus, and 400,000-500,000 pilgrims visit them every year. The valley itself was formerly used by migratory villagers for grazing two to three herds of 700-1,000 sheep and goats each and for 40-50 local cows and buffaloes. In 1862 the valley was chanced on by Colonel Edmund Smyth who praised the floral beauty of the region in various periodicals. This attracted Dr. T.G. Longstaff and A.L. Mumm to the Bhuyundar Valley in 1907. It was also found by the mountaineers F.Smythe and R.Holdsworth in 1931 while coming down from an expedition to Mt. Kamet. In 1937 Smythe revisited the valley and next year published The Valley of Flowers, bringing it to world attention. There is the tombstone of a botanist from Kew, Margrett Legge, who died here in 1939.
Local Human Population
Nanda Devi
The Park is uninhabited but the buffer zone is home to 19 communities, five in permanent and 14 transhumant settlements. The most prominent villages are Reni and Lata (114 families), on the north-western side, and in the Niti valley there are eight other villages, totalling 2,250 residents in 1997. 17 of these are inhabited by the Indo-Mongoloid Bhotiya tribe who comprise marchhas (traders) and tolchhyas (farmers) who practice rain-fed subsistence farming, make products from wool, draw resources from the forest and, before the area was closed off, grazed 4,000 goats and sheep in the alpine pastures of Dharansi and Dibrugheta. In1974, proposed Forestry Department clear-cutting of the local trees in Reni prompted the famous Chipko (hug the trees) movement among the villagers led by Gauri Devi, which spread across the region, halting government efforts to harvest the trees. The marchhas, no longer traders with Tibet, turned to a living as porters and guides. When the National Park was created in 1982 it was closed to all users, denying the villagers this trade as well as use of their native resources, which caused hardship and much resentment.
When the Biosphere Reserve was created in 1988, restrictions were extended to the buffer zone without prior consultation with the communities affected. Owing to their apprehensions about the Reserve there was a concerted protest from ten villages in the Niti valley in 1998 led by the villagers of Lata in the Jhapto Cheeno (swoop and grab) movement, against the Reserve management and the Forestry Department’s restrictions on mountaineering and grazing. In 2001 the Lata village council, set up the Nanda Devi Development Authority to convince the government to reconsider the ban on mountaineering so that the local community rather than outside interests might once again benefit from ecotourism. A trail has been created and the communities now receive a share in the fees from visitors while they support fire prevention and anti poaching activities, and provide guides and tourist accommodation. They also offer home stays, which are becoming increasingly popular amongst visitors.
The Valley of Flowers
The valley itself is uninhabited. The local people are mostly Bhotiya, non-tribal Rajput farmers and transhumant herdsmen, who winter their flocks at the area’s main permanent village of Pulna 12 km south of the Park and 1,750 m lower in elevation. Five and nine kilometers south of the Park entrance are the seasonal villages of Ghangrea (at 3,060bm) and Bhiundhar (at 2,240 m), occupied in summer to serve the pilgrims and tourists (when some 400 stalls line the pilgrim trail). The people of Bhiundhar who numbered about 330 in 1999, may no longer graze the valley and some families are still poor but others earn well from tourism and the pilgrimage and are very supportive of the Park. With support from the Forest Department, the local communities have formed Eco-Development Committees (EDCs). The EDCs at Bhyundhar and Govindghat provide support to the Park management and look after the waste disposal and management of visitor facilities along the trail outside the National Park. Over 70 tonnes of garbage was removed by these EDCs in the last two years alone.
Visitors and Visitor Facilities
Nanda Devi
The trek to Nanda Devi base camp is considered to be one of the toughest in the world. When the Park was open between 1974 and 1983 it became the second most popular Himalayan destination after Everest, attracting large numbers of mountaineers and trekkers from all over the world; in 1982 there were some 4,000 visitors, mostly expedition members and porters. The Park was then closed to both tourists and villagers because of the disturbance caused: 1,000 kilograms of tourist litter were later removed by the Indian team who made the 13th ascent of the mountain in 1993. The Park was only reopened in 2003 for regulated tourism following the new ecotourism policy of the state of Uttaranchal. The trail up to Dibrugheta in the National Park was opened to a maximum of 500 tourists per year in a program for ecotourism regulated by the Forest Department with active support from local communities. In the year 2003 over 2,200 tourists visited the Park and nearby eco-zone. In 2004 (to the end of November), 184 tourists visited the Park and 1,638 tourists visited the eco-zone. Camping sites have been developed in several places and the villagers offer home stays, which are becoming increasingly popular amongst visitors. Further facilities for pilgrimage, cycling, camping, mountaineering courses and cultural tourism are planned. Joshimath, where there are hotels, is about 170 km north of the railhead at Rishikesh, and 220 km from Jolly Grant airport at Dehra Dun.
The Valley of Flowers
The valley is very accessible and some of the many pilgrims to the nearby shrines travel on to see it. In 1999, between 30 and 50 people visited the Park daily. In 2003-2004, nearly 4,000 were recorded: 3,600 from India and 300 from abroad. Visits occur between May and early October, on foot once within the Park and guided by youths from the village to see that the flowers are not trampled. There is a Forest Department post and interpretation centre at Ghangrea near the entrance with brochures, books and posters and where entry fees are charged. For the last two years this has been managed by members of the EDC who present slide and film shows for visitors.
There are sign boards in the park and guided nature trails including a 19-kilometer trek. Regulations for trekking are being prepared. No camping is allowed in the valley. But mountaineering is allowed subject to permit and regulation, on two peaks, Rataban and Ghauri Parbat. There are also trails out of the park to the southwest and through bear-infested forest and over glacial ice to the northeast. There are some 25 visitor resthouses, lodges and hotels at Ghangrea near the Park entrance and down the Bhiundhar at Govindghat on the Alaknanda, including a very large Sikh gurudwara. There are Forest Department guesthouses at both Ghangrea and Govindghat, and camping near Bhiundhar village. The site is about 200 km north of the railhead at Rishikesh, and 250 km from Dehra Dun airport.
Scientific Research and Facilities
Nanda Devi
The first recorded attempt to enter the sacred basin was by W.Graham in 1883, but he was unable to get beyond the gorge of the lower Rishi Ganga. Subsequent attempts by Dr T. Longstaff in 1907 and H. Ruttledge in 1926, 1927 and 1932 also failed. Finally, in 1934, Eric Shipton and H. W. Tilman pioneered a route to the ‘Inner Sanctuary’ by forcing a passage up the upper gorge of the Rishi Ganga. Later, in 1936, H. Tilman and N. Odell made the first ascent of Nanda Devi, reputed the outstanding climb of the pre-War era. Their accounts of this natural sanctuary first drew attention to this spectacular mountain wilderness and led to its protection. A geological survey was conducted by Maruo in 1979. Among the first published observations on the wildlife of Nanda Devi are those of Dang (1961), Lavkumar (1977,1979) and for birds, Reed (1979). Surveys of the flora and mammalian fauna were carried out by the Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India respectively. The Nanda Devi Scientific and Ecological Expedition conducted floral and faunal surveys and habitat assessments in 1993. Following the program of decadal monitoring of the region, a combined team of the Forest Department, Wildlife Institute of India, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Ecology & Development and Garhwal University conducted surveys in the region again in 2003. This research will contribute to the management of the Park.
The Valley of Flowers
The flora was surveyed and inventoried in 1987 by the Botanical Survey of India, in 1992 by the Forest Research Institute and in 1997 by the Wildlife Institute of India which found five species new to science. A research nursery and seed / rhizome / tuber bank for propagating rare plants and valuable medicinal herbs has been created at Musadhar near the entrance of the site. Rare and valuable medicinal plants are the subject of special programs. These include Aconitum heterophyllum, A. falconeri, Arnebia benthamii, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Gymnadenia orchides, Megacarpaea polyandra, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Podophyllum haxandrum and Taxus wallichiana. Research plots have been set up to determine the best way to control the spread of the tall smothering Himalayan knotweed Polygonum polystachium without damaging other plants or the surface of the soil. A first annual survey was conducted in 2004 and will be repeated annually.
Conservation value
Nanda Devi
The area is one of the most spectacular wildernesses in the Himalayas. The basin is dominated by the pyramidal peak of Nanda Devi, India's second highest mountain, and drained by the Rishi Ganga which has cut one of the finest gorges in the world. It supports a diverse flora, largely because of the wide altitudinal range, and a number of rare or threatened animals. Unlike many other Himalayan valleys, it is free from human settlement and owing to its inaccessibility has remained largely unspoilt, particularly the forests of the lower Rishi Valley. The Chipko campaign made the site a symbol of participatory conservation and ecotourism in India.
The Valley of Flowers
The Valley is one of the two core zones of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve which protects one of the most spectacular mountain wildernesses of the western Himalayas, among which the Paspawati valley is celebrated for its flowers. More than 500 species grow there in an area of less than 2,500 hectares. It is also the habitat of the endangered snow leopard, the serow and rare Himalayan musk deer.
Conservation Management
Nanda Devi:
The upper Rishi Ganga valleys (the Outer and Inner Sanctuaries) were long preserved by the difficulty of penetrating the lower Rishi gorge which remained unexplored until 1934. Hunting, the collection of medicinal plants and other forms of exploitation followed until the 1962 war with China closed the border. From 1945 to 1974 the region remained closed to foreign visitors. Traditionally, the alpine pastures around Dharansi and Dibrugheta were grazed by livestock from Lata, Tolma and Peng villages, and latterly from villages as far up the Niti valley as Malari. A spate of mountaineering and trekking followed the re-opening of the Reserve in 1974 but caused such disturbance to the environment, that, on scientific advice, trekking, expeditions and grazing were banned by authority of the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. The 1983 ban covered grazing, hunting, harvesting herbs, wood-collection, mountaineering and trekking anywhere in the core area of the then projected Biosphere Reserve, including the whole National Park, Thus communities traditionally dependent on sheep rearing and local resources had to seek alternate pastures, change their vocations or emigrate. Over 25% left the valley.
A preliminary management plan was prepared but by 1988 this had not been sanctioned by the Chief Wildlife Warden. Included in the plan were recommendations concerning the ban on tourism and ways in which to provide employment for local people. Nandi Devi was earmarked as one of several protected areas for future inclusion under the Government of India's Project Snow Leopard. The Pindari and Sundadhunga valleys at the southern edge of the Nanda Devi massif were recommended for designation as a sanctuary to protect their reportedly large and viable ungulate and pheasant populations. In 1988, without local consultation, a long-projected national Biosphere Reserve was created to protect the region’s biodiversity, with Nanda Devi National Park as the core area. Following the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, restrictions were imposed on grazing and other human activities throughout the Biosphere Reserve with adjacent buffer areas remaining open for legitimate community needs. The condition of the flora and fauna greatly improved but the villagers’ crops and cattle began to suffer increased losses to wild animals for which compensation was hard to obtain. As a result more than 75% of the residents developed a very negative attitude towards the Reserve management.
The 1998 Jhapto Cheeno protest against the restrictions on grazing and mountaineering and against official indifference enlisted world-wide interest. Faced with state support for potential development of the basin by national and multinational interests, the villagers created the Nanda Devi Development Authority in 2001. Following this initiative, the Protected Area management began to promote local enterpreneurship and actively involve local communities which had previously been ignored, in conservation activities. These now receive a share in the trail management fees and help to prevent fires and poaching. By 1993 the Nanda Devi Scientific and Ecological Expedition concluded that wildlife numbers were increasing and the ecosystem of the Park showed signs of recovery since its closure. This recovery and continued improvement in the biodiversity of the Park was re-confirmed in the decadal monitoring of the Park in 2003 carried out by the scientists of the Wildlife Institute of India, the Pant Institute of Himalayan Ecology & Development and Garhwal University. The demand to lift the restrictions on mountaineering is still raised occasionally, both by mountaineers for whom this region remains the final frontier and by villagers who see a potential for well paid employment as porters and guides.
With support from the MAB programme initiatives of the Indian government and the latest ecotourism policy of the newly created state of Uttaranchal, regulated tourism has been allowed. Community-based tourism plans for the villages around the Park (Lata, Tolma, Peng and Reni) have been prepared. Under these plans, capacity-building, the training and registration of local youths as guides, the creation of home stays for visitors, the establishment of local tour operator groups for eco- and cultural tours, the development of handicrafts and medical plant cultivation and the direct involvement of Women's Welfare Groups have all been introduced. As a result of these initiatives, over 2,200 tourists visited the Park and nearby eco-zone in 2003. Eco-Development Committees have been established in all the villages and PRA- (Participatory Rule Appraisal) based micro-plans have been prepared by them, supported with funds from various sources. This success was recognised in 2004 by an Ecotourism award, and by the presence of two local women at the Global Women’s Conference on Environment at Nairobi.
The Valley of Flowers
The Park is a natural laboratory for the conservation and study of the western Himalayan flora. When it became a National Park in 1982 livestock grazing ceased and restrictions were imposed on nearby villagers. However, the Park’s staff have begun to train them by building up their capacity as wardens and plantsmen, trekking and mountaineering guides. As wardens they are trained in implementing regulations and handling offenders, in the use of instruments and fire arms, in high altitude survival strategies and resolving conflicts with wild animals and intruding hunters; as plantsmen they are trained in plant identification, field biodiversity monitoring, identifying and restoring rare plants and rehabilitating their habitats. All are provided with better facilities and equipment. The nursery at the entrance of the site is researching ways to mitigate the pressure on rare and valuable plants and in cooperation with the Eco-Development Committee of Bhiundhar villagers have been encouraged to grow them on. The EDCs also clear the waste and manage visitor facilities along the trail outside the National Park. In 2002-2003 in cooperation with the villagers’ Eco-Development Committee and Forest Committee of Bhiundhar the Forestry Department oversaw the clearing of 50 tons of litter and removed 120 temporary stalls from the pilgrim trail from Govindhar to Hekmund. The Committee is also spreading awareness of the need to suppress the rampant Himalayan knotweed.
Management is done within the 2003-2013 plan for Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve which is implemented annually in consultation with local, district and state bodies but does not manage the Parks directly. A new ten-year management plan for the Valley of Flowers Park is due for completion in 2005 based on the following objectives:
The protection, in-situ and ex-situ conservation and monitoring of the flora and fauna;
Restoration of and research into the flora and fauna;
Management of the habitats of the park for endangered flora and fauna
Development, upkeep and litter-clearing of trek routes and basic facilities for park visitors with active support and participation of the local communities.
Education of local people about the biodiversity and protection of the park;
Generating opportunities in the local community for sustainable livelihoods and building their capacity for responsible ecotourism.
Key indicators for monitoring the state of conservation in the park are:
The status of rare and endangered flora such as the populations of Saussurea obvallata, Meconopsis aculeata, Cypripedium cordigerum, Dactlyorhiza hatagirea, Aconitum spp. in permanent plots;
The assessment of cover at past camps and trails by invaders like Himalayan knotweed Polygonum polystachyum, Rumex nepalensis, Impatiens sulcata and Osmunda claytoniana;
Signs of threats to the wild flora and fauna from illegal herb collection and poaching;
Regeneration of birch and fir in landslide areas below 3,300 m.
Management Constraints
Nanda Devi
Hundreds of tons of litter, felling of trees and even cultural vandalism created by expeditions, along with the introduction of sheep and goats to the inner basin, reached serious proportions before the closure of the Park. However, by 1993, after ten years of closure, the wildlife had recovered and increased in numbers. Regular patrolling inside the Park during winters is very challenging. The two access routes into the inner basin are difficult to maintain because of the terrain and heavy snow fall, and manning the newly created checkpost at Lata Kharak throughout the year is also a challenge. Although their participation in ecotourism has been secured, their training for the work needs continued development. The number of staff has gone up but is still inadequate. A few of the wildlife staff have been trained at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, but they lack the necessary support for mountaineering equipment to patrol the higher reaches of the Park year-round.

The Valley of Flowers
The main management issues are, within the Valley, control of invasive knotweed and, on the way to the Park, tourist and pilgrim litter. This piles up by the tonne from the thousands of tourists that visit the shrines: 300,000 plastic bottles a year and 500-600 kilograms of human and mule dung per day. The local people have now combined to clear this. A past threat to the forests surrounding the pilgrim route was the destruction of trees for firewood but this is now forbidden. Within the Park some 1,000 ha of meadow are infested with the tall fast growing Himalayan knotweed which controls erosion but crowds out the subalpine flora. Its increase where livestock used to congregate is related to the prohibition of grazing. While livestock overgraze and over-enrich the soil, they may enhance floral diversity by limiting the growth of taller more vigorous plants. Its eradication and regular monitoring is expected to be a major expense. There is no pollution and little danger from avalanches except on the approach road from Govindghat. There is, nevertheless, a constant threat from local poachers, especially to the snow leopard, and to ungulates when they come down to the valleys in winter; also from local indifference to wildlife conservation. This is aggravated by lack of adequate funding for the training needed for high altitude monitoring.
Comparison with Similar Sites
The Valley is similar to Nanda Devi National Park, but has many more and more northerly plant species and is much more accessible. Entering the other Park requires time and mountaineering skills; it remains a wilderness rightly protected as a Strict Nature Reserve. At present there is only one World Heritage site in the mountains between Assam and northern Pakistan - the far larger mountainous Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal, but there are such large differences in scale and terrain as to make close comparison unrealistic. There may be comparable valley sites in the nearer Himalayas which remain largely unknown due to the difficulty of access and the strategic sensitivity of the region. There are 17 protected areas in the west Himalaya, covering 11.6% of the biotic province. There are certainly some alpine valleys such as Ralam, Pindari, Sunderdhunga, Khatling and Harkidoon, which may originally have been comparable in number of plant species but all have been degraded by overgrazing and medicinal plant collection. Three adjacent valleys of Khiron, Khakbusandi and Bedini-Ali have much less diversity. Nearby protected areas in Uttaranchal which include valleys are Gangotri and Govind National Parks, Kendarnath, Ascot and Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuaries and, in Himachal Pradesh, Sangla Wildlife Sanctuary. But none has a comparable floristic richness, and in so compact an area. The valley’s 600 species of plants comprise 25% of the vascular plants found in the Chamoli district though it is only 1.3% of its area. The valley is also celebrated in literature, both Indian and English, for its beauty, its flowers and the associated religious sites.
Staff
Nanda Devi
In 2004 a staff of 89 was deployed: one Director/Conservator of Forests, one Deputy Conservator of Forests, one Sub divisional Forest Officer, two Range Officers, two Deputy Range Officers, five Asst. Wildlife Wardens, six foresters, 22 Wildlife Guards, 17 Forest Guards and 21 part-time watchers. Out of these, 22 field staff have been deployed at the Park from the Biosphere Reserve establishment.
The Valley of Flowers
One Divisional Forest Officer, one Range Officer, 2 Foresters, 4 wildlife guards, 2 buffer forest guards.
Budget
Nanda Devi
Approximately Rs20 lakhs (Rs20,000,000/US$44,500) in 2003-2004. US$75,000 from the budget for Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve is given to the Park.
The Valley of Flowers
This comes from the national Ministry of Environment and Forests. An annual average expenditure of Rs17.5 lakhs (Rs1,750,000 / US$39,000) was recommended over a ten year period from 2000-2009. US$45,000 from the budget for Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve is allocated to the Park.
IUCN Management Category
Nanda Devi National Park: Ia (Strict Nature Reserve)Valley Of Flowers National Park: II (National Park)
International Designations
2004: Both Parks designated as core zones of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man & Biosphere Programme (586,069 ha).
Natural World Heritage Serial Site
1988: Nanda Devi National Park inscribed on the World Heritage List under Natural Criteria iii and iv. 2005: Extended to include the Valley of Flowers National Park.

K.S.RAWAT

PAURI GARHWAL GROUP

NEW DELHI, INDIA

UTTARANCHAL, UTTARAKHAND, CHAMOLI GARHWAL, TEHRI GARHWAL, KUMAON, KUMAONI, GARHWALI