| Voice of Rudraprayag
: Suraj Negi
Rudraprayag lies in the hilly region. So the access to most of
the villages is quite difficult. Women face lot of hardships. They
work very hard round the clock to feed their families and also go
out to the forest for getting wood for cooking and grass for cattle.
Farmers are poor as they are not able to cultivate high yielding
crops as the land in Rudraprayag is not fertile.
Rudraprayag
District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 1890.6 Km2
Population in Rudraprayag (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 236857
Male : 111747
Female : 125110
Disabled population
Total disabled population : 6618
In seeing : 3723
In speech : 508
In hearing : 587
In movement : 1409
Mental : 391
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : Does not figure in list of 447 backward
districts
Sex Ratio Rank : 579
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : D
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 529 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 145 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Brief About Rudraprayag District
Rudraprayag District was established
on 16th September1997. The district was carved out from the following
areas of three adjoining districts.
1- Whole of Augustmuni &
Ukhimath block and part of Pokhri & Karnprayag block from Chamoli District.
2- Part of Jakholi and Kirtinagar
block from Tehri District.
3- Part of Khirsu block from
Pauri District.
Internationally Known Shri Kedarnath
Temple is at North, Madmaheshwar at east, Nagrasu at southern east
and Shrinagar at extreme south. The holy Mandakini originated from
Kedarnath is the main river of the district.
Historical
Back Ground
Today’s Garhwal was known as
kedar-khand in the past. In puranas kedar-khand was said to be abode
of God. It seems from the facts vedas puranas, Ramayna and Mahabharat that these Hindu scriptures
are scripted
in kedar-khand . It is believed that God Ganesha first script of vedas in Vayas gufa
situated in the last village Mana only four km.from Badrinath.
According to Rigveda(1017-19)
after Inundation (Jalprlya) Sapt-Rishis saved their lives in the same village
Mana. Besides there the roots of vedic literature seems to be originated
from Garhwal because the Garhwali language has a lot of words common
with sanskrit .The work place of vedic Rishis are the prominent
pilgrim places in Garhwal specially in chamoli like Atrimuni Ashram
in Anusuya about 25 km. from chamoli town and work place of Kashyap
Rishi at Gandhmadan parwat near Badrinath.
According to Aadi-Puran vedviyas scripted the story of Mahabhrat
in Vyas Gufa near Badrinath.
Pandukeshwar a small village situated on the Rishikesh Badrinath
high-way from where Badrinath is just 25 km away is regarded as
Tapsthali of king Pandu. In Kedar-khand Puran this land is regarded
the land of lord Shiva.
The
authentic script about the history of Garhwal is found only 6th
A.D on word. Some of the oldest example of there are the trishul
in Gopeshwar, lalitsur in Pandukeshwar .The Narvaman rock script
in siroli the chand pur Gari rock script by king Kankpal authentitcates
the history and culture of Garhwal.
Some Historian and scientist believe that this land is origin of
Arya race. It is believed that about 300B.C. Khasa invaded Garhwal
through Kashmir Nepal and Kuman. A conflict grew due to this invasion
a conflict took place between these outsiders and natives .The natives
for their protection builded small forts called “Garhi’’. Later
on Khasa defeated the native totally and captublack the forts.
After Khasa, Kshatiya invaded this land and defeated Khasa accomplished
their regime. They confined Garhwal of hundblacks of Garhi in to
fifty-two Garhi only. One kantura vashudev general of kshatriya
established his regime on the northern border of garhwal and founded
his capital in joshimath
then Kartikeypur vashudev katyuri was the founder of katyura dynasty
in Garhwal and they reign Garhwal over hundblacks of years
in this period of katyuri regime Aadi-Guru Sankaracharya visited
garhwal and established Jyotrimath which is one of the four famous
Peeths established by Aadi-Guru Sankaracharya. In Bharat varsh other
these are Dwarika , Puri and Srinagar. He also reinstated idol of
lord Badrinath in Badrinath, before this the idol of Badrinath was
hidden in Narad-Kund by the fear of Budhas. After this ethicist
of vaidic cult started to pilgrim Badrinath.
According to Pt.Harikrishna Raturi king Bhanu pratap was the first
ruler of Panwar dynasty in garhwal who founded chanpur-Garhi as
his capital. This was is strongest Garh for the fifty- two garhs
of garhwal.
The devastating earthquake of 8th September 1803 weakened
the economic and administrative set up of Garhwal state. Taking
advantage of the situation Gorkhas attacked Garhwal under the command
of Amar Singh Thapa and Hastidal Chanturia. They established there
reign over half of the Garhwal in 1804 up to 1815 this region remain
under Gorkha rule
Mean while the king of Panwar dynasty Raja Sudarshan Shah contacted
east India Company and soughted help. With the help of British he
defected Gorkas and merged the eastern part of Alaknanda and Mandakani
along with the capital srinagar in British Garhwal from that time
this region was known as British Garhwal and the capital of Garhwal
was set up at Tehri instead of Srinagar. After the death of Sudarshan
Shah Bhawani Shah succeeded him, who died in 1871 and was succeeded
by his elder son Pratap Shah. Pratap Shah ascended the throne of
Tehri at the age of 21 only. He was the founder of Pratap Nagar.
He also tried to improve the forest, judicial and police administration.
During his rule several public uprisings took place in the state.
He died in 1886.
Kirti Shah at
the time of his father’s death was still in his adolescence, so
his mother Rajmata Guleri appointed Vikram Singh as the regent .
But after sometime she herself took over administration. Kirti Shah
took over charge of the state in 1892. His rule saw a marked improvement
in the functioning of courts, forest and other departments. He is
said to have invented typewriter for Hindi but gave the copy write
to a company. The religious inclination of Kirti Shah is aptly proved
by the fact that he organized a religious conference of the followers
of different religion at Tehri. He died on 25th April
1913.
Narendra Shah the successor of Kirti Shah was again a minor
at the time of succession. Thus, during the initial years the state
administration was looked after by a Regency under the presidency
of his mother. During the War period(1939-42) Tehri state supplied
a huge amount of wood to the Britishers while the king himself offeblack
his services for them during the first world war. Some of his achievement
were developing the new township of Narendra Nagar, construction
of Kirti Nagar, Tehri , Muni ki Reti. He died on 22nd
September 1950 in a car accident but had already relinquished the
throne in favour of his son Manvendra Shah on 26th May
1946. The later ruled the state from 1946 till the state was merged
with the Indian Union in August 1949.
The newly crated Rudraprayag
District was part of three district Chamoli,Pauri and Tehri. On
16th September 1997 Rudraprayag District was carved out
from whole of Augustmuni & Ukhimath block and part of Pokhri
& Karnprayag block from Chamoli , part of Jakholi and Kirtinagar
block from Tehri District, part of Khirsu block from Pauri.
Rudraprayag, carved as a seperate revenue district
in 1997 . The geographical area of the District is around 2328 sq.kms.
Geology
The geology of the region shows that
the Himalayas are the young mountains in the world. During early
Mesozoic times, or the secondary geological period, the land mass
now coveblack by them was occupied by the great geosynclinal Tethys
sea . The probable date of the commencement of the elevation of
the Himalayas is about the close of the Mesozoic period, but the
unraveling of the story of their structure has only just begin,
and in many cases no dating of the rocks is yet possible, though
they include ancient and relatively recent crystalline intrusive,
rocks and sediments allied to the peninsular part of India . The
section of the range in the district is deeply cut into by the headwaters
of the Alaknanda river, this trunk stream seeming to have reached
a latter stage of development than its tributaries. This much, however,
is known that there has been intense metamorphosis. In some parts
uplift has been considerable since the mid-pleistocene period, in
others there are great stretches of high but subdued topography
and elsewhere there are the deepest gorges.
MINERALS
The minerals
that are found in the district are the following-
Asbestos - This is of the amosite variety and can be used
for the production of asbestos, cement bricks, laboratory asbestos
sheet and paper, but is not consideblack to be of economic importance.
Magnestic - This is of an average quality is crystalline
in nature, and is found associated with crystalline dolomites and
sometimes with soapstone. The Magnesium carbonate found here is
also of average quality and its mineralisation has also been reported
to occur in the district.
Soapstone or Steatite - This
white saponaceous stone resembling pipe clay is obtained in as lenticular
body and is associated with mineral pyrites, which adds a olor to
it, and in places with magnesite. it can be mined for use as filler
in soap and in the cosmetic industries. In the past various utensils
were made of it which, when polished, had the appearance of marble.
Copper - The copper mines in the district are extensive
and of reputed during the period of Hindus and The Gorkhas rules.
All the rich mines have since being exhausted and at present they
do not offer a fair field for the employment of capital.
Iron - Small and sporadic occurrence of iron areknown
to occur in several parts of district but are of hardly any economic
important. Iron ore, rich in haematite, and magnetic ore, with haematite
and siderite, also occur in the district.
Graphite - In the past this mineral, also known as plumbago,
found mostly in patti Lohba, was used as a dye but no large deposits
have been noticed for a long time.
Gypsum - This mineral is found on the bank of some river
and was used in the past for the manufacture of aucers and bowls
.when ground to a fine powder it is known as Plaster of Paris and
can be used for a number of purposes.
Lead - Deposits of this metal were fairly numerous in
the past but it is found in somewhat inaccessible places and has
long since ceased to
be worked.
Slate - This dense, fine grained metamorphic rock, which
is produced from a fine clay, can be split into thin, smooth plates
and is quarried throughout the district. It is suitable for roofing
purposes, the thindarkblack slates being somewhat inferior in quality.
Building Stone - Stone
which can be used for building purposes is available in most parts
of the district. Sand stone is found in abundance in the lower hills.
Gneiss and chlorite schists which are available throughout the district
are frequently used for building purposes.
Sulphur - This yellow mineral, also known as brimstone
is found in the district as green sulphate of iron and is obtainable
from iron pyrites and copper nes, its presence being characterised
by a small as of rotten eggs. Sulphur springs also occur in many
parts in the district.Bitumen - The brownish white natural sulphate of alumina
known as Shilajit is found in rocks at a fairly high altitude and
occur in small lumps which generally have an admixture of black
sand and micaceous stone embedded in them. It is used in Ayurvedic
medicine and during the season when there is an influx of pilgrims,
it fetches good income to those who deal in it. Some other minerals found in the district are
Antimony, Arsenic, Lignite or Brown Marble, Mica and silver.Physiographically
the district, which lies in a region of tectonic or folded and overthrust
mountain chains, has strata are structurally marked by complex folds,
reverse faults, overthrusts and nappes of great dimensions, all
these as well as frequent earthquake of varying intensity give region
to believe that theregion is still unstable. Although any movement
or tremor of the earths crust in the district is not produced by
volcanic activity, the Chaukhamba peak a pair to be the crater of
an extinct volcano.
CLIMATE
As the elevation of the district
ranges from 800 mts. to 8000 mts above see level the climate of
the district very largely depend on altitude. The winter season
is from about mid November to March. As most of the region is situated
on the southern slops of the outer Himalayas, monsoon currents can
enter through the valley, the rainfall being heaviest in the monsoon
from June to September.
Rainfall -
Most of the rainfall occur during the period June to September when
70 to 80 percent of the annual precipitation is accounted for in
the southern half of the district and 55 to 65 percent in the northern
half. The effectiveness of the rains is, among others, related to
low temperature which means less evapo-transpiration and forest
or vegetation cover. However, the effectiveness is neither uniform
nor even positive in areas where either the vegetational cover is
poor or / and has steep slops or the soils have been so denuded
that their moisture absorption capacity has become marginal.
Temperature -
The details of temperature recorded at the meteorological observatories
in the district show that the highest temperature was 340C
and lowest 00C. January is the coldest month after which
the temperature begin to rise till June or July. temperature vary
with elevation. During the winter cold waves in the wake of western
disturbances may cause temperature to fall appreciably. Snow accumulation
in valleys is considerable. Humidity - The relative humidity is high during monsoon
season, generally exceeding 70% on the average. The driest part
of the year is the pre monsoon period when the humidity may drop
to 35% during the afternoon. During the winter months humidity increases
toward the afternoon at certain high stations.
Cloudiness - Skies are heavily clouded during the monsoon
months and for short spells when the region is affected by the passage
of western disturbances. During the rest of the year the skies are
generally clear to lightly clouded.
Winds - Owing to the nature of terrain local affect are
pronounced and when the general prevailing winds not too strong
to mask these effect, there is a tendency for diurnal reversal of
winds, the flow being anabatic during the day and katabatic at night,
the latter being of considerable force.
RIVER
SYSTEM
The river Mandakini,
which is the most important river coming down from the slopes of
Kedarnath peak, joins the Alaknanda (the alaknanda originates at
a height of 3641 metres below Balakun peak 16 kms. upstream fromadrinath.)
at Rudraprayag. The river actually originates from the springs fed
by melting snow of Charabari glacier about one km above Kedarnath
emple. Mandakini is itself fed by Vasukiganga, which meets it at
Sonprayag 16 km down-stream from Kedarnath.
The
fact is that the main river of the Himalaya are older than the mountains
they traverse. This is why they flow right across the axis of the
ranges through deep gorges carved out by the river themselves. All
the rivers of the district are snow fed.
As the water
levels of the rivers are much below the arable land levels, the
rivers cannot be generally used for irrigation purposes.
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