Uttarakhand State Foundation Day

 Wishing all my friends and well wishers from Uttarakhand a very happy Uttarakhand Foundation Day. 

Uttarakhand state was created on 9 Nov.  in 2000.

I have great love towards Uttarakhand. Many of my relatives and well wishers are from Uttarakhand. Since 1982, I am visiting Uttarakhand off and on and every time I have returned with pleasant experiences. Of course at that time it was a part of Uttar Pradesh.

 It is often referred to as the "Devabhumi" (Land of the Gods) due to numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found throughout the state. 

Uttarakhand is known for the natural environment of the Himalayas, the Bhabar and the Terai regions. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north; the Sudurpashchim Pradesh of Nepal to the east; the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh to the south and Himachal Pradesh to the west and north-west.

 The state is divided into two divisions, Garhwal and Kumaon, with a total of 13 districts. The winter capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city of the state, which is a rail head. Gairsain, a town in Chamoli district is the summer capital of Uttarakhand. The High Court of the state is located in Nainital.

Motto of the state is - Satyameva Jayate.

Uttarakhand Devabhumi Matribhumi (Uttarakhand, Land of the Gods, O Motherland!) is the official state song of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. 

The song is written by Hemant Bisht and composed by noted Uttarakhandi folk singer and musician Narendra Singh Negi.

 This song is trilingual with first three of its seven verses written in Hindi, while the last four verses are written in Garhwali and Kumaoni languages.

The lyrics are like this:

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन,

दर्शन संस्कृति धर्म साधना–(२) श्रम रंजित तेरा कण-कण।

अभिनन्दन! अभिनन्दन!

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन॥

गंगा यमुना तेरा आँचल दिव्य हिमालय तेरा शीष

सब धर्मों की छाया तुझ पर चार धाम देते आशीष,

श्रीबद्री केदारनाथ हैं–(२) कलियर हेमकुण्ड अतिपावन।

अभिनन्दन! अभिनन्दन!

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन॥

अमर शहीदों की धरती है थाती वीर जवानों की

आन्दोलनों की जननी है ये कर्मभूमि बलिदानों की,

फूले-फले तेरा यश वैभव–(२) तुझ पर अर्पित है तन-मन।

अभिनन्दन! अभिनन्दन!

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन॥

रँगीली घाटी शौकों की याँ मडुवा झुँगरा भट अन-धन

ताल थाल बुग्याल गिली चर बून तराई भाबर बण,

भाँति-भाँति लगै गुँजर हैं चाहीं–(२) फिर लै उठास भरी छ मन।

अभिनन्दन! अभिनन्दन!

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन॥

गौड़ी भैंस्यूँन गुँजता गोठ्यार ऐपण सज्या हर घर हर द्वार

आम धाण की धुरी बेटी-ब्वारी कला प्राण छन शिल्पकार,

बण पुँगड़ा सेरा पन्द्रों मा–(२) बँटणा छन सुख-दुख सँग-सँग।

अभिनन्दन! अभिनन्दन!

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन॥

कस्तूरी मृग ब्रह्म कमल है भ्योंली बुराँस घुघुति मोनाल

ढोल नगाड़े दमुआ हुड़का रणसिंघा मुरुली सुर-ताल,

जागर हार में थड्या झुमैलो–(२) झ्वड़ा छपेली पाण्डव नर्तन।

अभिनन्दन! अभिनन्दन!

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन॥

कुम्भ हरेला बसन्त फुल देई उतरिणी कौथिग नन्दा जात

सुमन केसरी जीतू माधो चन्द्र सिंह वीरों की थात,

जियारानी तीलू रौतेली–(२) गौरा पर गर्वित जन-जन।

अभिनन्दन! अभिनन्दन!

उत्तराखण्ड देवभूमि मातृभूमि शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दन… शत शत वन्दन अभिनन्दनl

  Bengal has a very good relation with present day Uttarakhand. 

Rabindranath Tagore's son Rathindranath Tagore spent his last years in Dehradun. He breathed his last in Dehradun on 3 June 1961

In Dehradun, working in the office of the Surveyor General of India's office , Radhanath Shikdar calculated that Mount Everest is the highest peak of the world.

Spiritual Guru Shri Shri Nripendranath spent many years of his early life in Dehradun, as an employee of Forest Research Institute of India. 

Revolutionary Rash  Bihari Bose, one of the gurus of Subhash  Chandra Bose and founder of Indian Independence League in Japan also spent his early years in Dehradun as an employee of Forest Research Institute of India. 

Rabindranath Tagore himself visited many times in various places  of present day Uttarakhand. 

Swami Vivekananda also travelled extensively in various parts of present day Uttarakhand and established Advaita Ashram in Mayavati. 

Raja Ram Mohan went to Tibet through Uttarakhand. 

Uma Prasad Mukherjee, younger brother of Shyamaprasad Mukherjee, was a well traveller. He also travelled extensively in Uttarakhand. He wrote many books on his experiences of travelling He won Sahitya Acadmy award for his book - Manimahesh.

Another famous Bengali author, Probodh Kumar Sanyal's book " Mahaprasthan er pothe " is one of the most famous travelogue of bengali literature still now even after 60 - 70 years. In the book he has described his visit to Kedarnath Shrine. 

Soncu Maharaj was also a noted travel writer. He wrote many books on Uttarakhand. The most famous was - Bigolito Karuna Janhavi Yamuna. In the book he described his visit to Gomukhi.

It was also made into a film.

Another famous author Nabanita Deb Sen, wife of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, described the Kumbh Mela of Haridwar, her  visit to Yamunotri and gangotri, beautifully in her book - Karuna Tomar Kon Path diye. 

Haridwar Laxmanjhula are always packed with Bengali tourists.

I have visited many tourist spots in India. I am feeling sad to say that in many tourist spots, local hoteliers, shopkeepers, transporters, travel agents just fleece the tourists. But it is still not rampant in Uttarakhand. 

Uttarakhand has two most decorated regiments of Indian Army. Garhwal Regiment and Kumaon Regiment.

People in general are nice, helpful and friendly.