Through the ages, the evolution of human civilization in the Garhwal Himalayan has been parallel to the rest of Indian sub-continent. Katyuri was the first historical dynasty, which rule over unified Uttarakhand and left some important records in the form of inscriptions and temples. In later period after the downfall of Katyuri’s, it is believed that Garhwal region was fragmented in more than sixty-four principalities ruled by the Chieftain, one of the principal Chieftainship was Chandpurgarh, which was ruled by descendent of Kanakpal. In the mid of 15th century A.D. Chandpurgarh emerged as a powerful principality under the rule of Jagatpal (1455 to 1493 A.D.), who was a descendent of Kanakpal. In the fag end of 15th century Ajaypal enthroned the Chandpurgarh and succeeded in unifying and consolidating various principalities on the region with in a Kingdom and his Kingdom came to known as Garhwal. Subsequently, he had transferred his capital from Chandpur to Devalgarh before 1506 and later on to Srinagar during 1506 to 1519 A.D. 

King Ajaypal and his successors ruled the Garhwal for nearly three hundred years even during this period they had faced a number of attacks from Kumaon, Mughal, Sikh, Rohilla. An important event in the history of Garhwal was the Gorkha invasion. It was marked by extreme brutality and the word ‘Gorkhyani’ has become synonymous with massacre and marauding armies. After subjugating Doti and Kumaon, Gorkhas attacked Garhwal and reached as far as Langoorgarh despite stiff resistance put up by the Garhwali forces. But in the meantime, news came of a Chinese invasion and the Gorkhas were forced to lift the siege. However, in 1803, they again mounted an invasion. After capturing Kumaon, they attach Garhwal in three columns. Five thousand Garhwali soldiers could not stand the fury of their attack and the King Pradyumna Shah escaped to Dehradun to organize his defense. But his forces were no match to the Gorkha might. Garhwali soldiers suffered heavy casualties and the King himself was killed in the battle of Khudbuda. The Gorkhas became the masters of entire Garhwal in 1804 and ruled the territory for twelve years.

Gorkha ruled in the Garhwal area ended in 1815 when the British drove the Gorkhas to the West of Kali river, despite stiff resistance offered by them. After defeat of Gorkha army, the Britishers   on 21 April 1815, decided to establish their rule over the eastern, half of the Garhwal region, which lies east of Alaknanda & Mandakini river, later on, known as ‘British Garhwal’ and Dun of Dehradun. The remaining part of the Garhwal in the west was restored to King Sudershan Shah who established his capital at Tehri. Initially the administration was entrusted to the commissioner of the Kumaon and Garhwal with his headquarters at Nainital, but later Garhwal was separated and formed into a separate district in 1840 A.D. under an assistant commissioner with his headquarter at Pauri.

At the time of independence, Garhwal, Almora and Nainital districts were administered through commissioner of Kumaon division. In early 1960, Chamoli district was curve out of Garhwal district. In 1969 Garhwal division was formed with its headquarter at Pauri. After curving out of seventy-two villages of Khirsu block of district Pauri Garwhal in 1998 for creation of new district of Rudraprayag, the district is reached in its present form.  

IMPORTANT PERSONALITIES

CHANDRA SINGH GARHWALI  

Chandra Singh Garhwali will be remembered for posterity as a brave soldier and a revolutionary, who had shown great courage, patriotism as a freedom fighter while serving as a soldier.   He was born in 1891 in Rauni Sera village of district Garhwal (now in district Chamoli). In 1930, severe riots had broken out in Peshawar city when a procession was being taken out by Pathans in support of the ‘Salt Satyagraha’. Some of the troops led by Chandra Singh Garhwali refused to open fire on the demonstrators and he ordered a cease-fire. Consequently a large number of the soldiers followed his action. Chandra Singh Garhwali was the man behind this incident.   Chandra Singh Garhwali was tortured and was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment by the Britishers along with 59 other serving soldiers. This great soldier and freedom fighter died on 1st October 1979 at the age of 88 years.

ANSUYA PRASAD BAHUGUNA

Anusuya Prasad Bahuguna will be remembered as a great patriot and gallant freedom fighter  who sacrificed his life for the country. He was born in 1919 a place near chamoli. In 1919-20, when the non-cooperation movement was taking place in the country, agitations also startrd in the hill region against the age old custom of ‘Begar Bardayash’ (Compulsory provision of porters for carriage of luggage of British administrators without any payment). This agitation was jointly led by Ansuya Prasad from Garhwal region. And Badri Dutt Pandey and Victor Mohan Joshi from Kumaon region which resulted in the end of the custom. In 1930, he took part actively in the Salt Satyagrah. In 1937 he was elected as a member of the provicial assembly and continued to work for the progress of Garhwal region.  

HEMVATI NANDAN BAHUGUNA

Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna was born on 25th April, 1919 in Bughani village of district Pauri Garhwal. In 1942, he led the Quit India Movement at Allahabad. As British Government declared a prize of Rs. 10,000 on catching him live or dead, he went underground to continue the freedom struggle but later arrested. He was tortured and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment by the Britishers but released in 1945 due to illness. After independence, he held a number of important portfolios in state and central governments. This great leader was died on 17th March 1989.

JAGMOHAN SINGH NEGI

Jagmohan Singh Negi will be remembered in the history of Uttarakhand as a great freedom fighter, administrator and above all a learned scholar who represented Garhwal region during and after the freedom struggle along with Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant from Kumaon region.  Jagmohan Singh Negi has been described as ‘Jawahar of Uttarakhand’ who served the people of this region for thirty-eight years. He was born on 5th July 1905 at Kandi village of district Pauri Garwhal. In 1925, he successfully organized the youth movement in his area for boycotting the elections of the state council. On October, 1930 he organized yet another meeting attended by thousands of people at the historic place of Yamkeshwar Block in district Pauri Garhwal. This meeting shook the British administration and later he was arrested and awarded imprisonment. He was elected as a member of the Provincial assembly in the year 1936. After independence, he held various portfolios in the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet. This great man of Uttarakhand expired on 30 May 1968.

BALDEV SINGH ARYA

Baldev Singh Arya was born in 1912 in Umath village of district Pauri Garhwal. In 1930, he was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for six months by the Britishers for the anti government speech. He had played very important role in ‘Doli Palki Movenment’ for the rights of lower castes. This great leader was died 1992.

BHAWANI SINGH RAWAT

Bhawani Singh Rawat was born on 8th October 1890 in Panchur village of district Pauri Garhwal. During his student life in Hindu collage, he influenced by the revolutionaries and joined ‘Hindustan Republican Association’, which subsequently in September 1928 was renamed as ‘Hindustan Socialist Republican Association’ under the leadership of Chandra Shekar Ajad. In 1930 Bhawani Singh Rawat participated in ‘Chandni Chowk Robbery’ with Chandra Shekar Ajad and other revolutionaries. After this incident, in July 1930, Chandra Shekar Ajad with his five companions visited Nathopur, a place near Dugadda in district Pauri Garhwal on the advised of Bhawani Singh Rawat for arms training at a hideout place and trained young companions. He was died on 6th June 1986.

MOLA RAM

Mola Ram has carved a niche for himself in the history of Uttaranchal for his contribution to Art and Painting. In fact, he laid the foundation for the ‘Garhwal School of Painting’. Mola Ram was born in the year 1742 near Srinagar in district Pauri Garhwal.  He was also a poet, philosopher and a statesman. Mola Ram worked during the rules of Maharaja Pradeep Shah, Maharaja Lalit Shah, Jaikrit Singh and Maharaja Pradyuman Shah from 1777 to 1804. He continued to work for the development of art and literature during the period of Gorkhas rule (1803-15) and the British rule. Mola Ram died in Srinagar at the age of 75 in 1833. The paintings of Mola Ram are kept in the Boston Museum of art in the USA but most of his paintings are laying in personal possession of individual. However, some of them can be seen in ‘Bharat Kala Bhawan, Banaras’, ‘Kastur Bhai Lal Bhai Saghralaya, Ahemdabad’ and few in the art galleries of Calcutta, Allahabad, Lucknow and Delhi.   

DR. PITAMBAR DUTT BARTHWAL

Dr. Pitambar Dutt Barthwal will be remembered as a great educationalist and journalist throughout the country as he became the first man to have been honored with a degree of D.Litt. in the Hindi language. He was born in December 1901 in Pali village near Lansdown in district Pauri Garhwal. He was honored with the degree of ‘Doctor of literature’ in convocation in 1933 on his research work in ‘Hindi Kavya Mein Nirgun Bad’ at the age of 32. Unfortunately, his dedication and hard work in the field of education adversely affected his heath and he expired on 24th July 1944 at his native village.