Champavat District, Uttarakhand  :

Champawat district is a district of Uttarakhand state in northern India. The town of Champawat is the administrative headquarters. The district of Champawat constituted in the year 1997. The district is divided into five tehsils: Barakot, Champawat, Lohaghat, Pati, Purnagiri.

Champawat district is part of the eastern Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. It is bounded on the north by Pithoragarh district, on the east by Nepal, on the south by Udham Singh Nagar district, on the west by Nainital district, and on the northwest by Almora district.

As of 2011 it is the second least populous of the 13 districts of Uttarakhand, after Rudraprayag.

History :

The district gets its name from princess Champawati, the daughter of King Arjun Deo who ruled the region in historic time and had capital in Champawat. The folklores describe the significant presence of the region during Mahabharata period. Mahabharata dates back to Dwapar Yuga when lord Vishnu had incarnated as lord Krishna and supported Pandavas in the holy war at Kurukshetra. Barahi temple of Devidhura, Sapteshwar temple of Sipti, Hidimba-Ghatotkach temple and Tarkeshwar temple of Champawat town are believed to date back to Mahabharata era.

The earliest coins discovered in the district bear the name of rulers – Kunindas. During the last quarter of the 1st century A.D. the Kushan empire extended over the western and central Himalayas but about 2nd quarter of the 3rd century the empire of the Kushans crumbled down. Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang visited the present area of the district during the summer of 636 A.D. After the decline of Katyuris, Chand Rajputs were destined to reunite the whole of Kumaon under one rule. At this juncture a Chandravanshi Rajput prince named Som Chand constructed his fort naming Rajbunga and later named as Champawat.

The year 953 A.D. has been suggested as the most probable date for the beginning of his reign in the district and he is said to have ruled for about twenty years i.e. till 974 A.D. Later on entire territory was divided into a number of small pattis  and each of them being under a semi-independent ruler. The most important of the new dynasties which saw their rise during the period of the decline of the Katyuris and at their expense was that of Chand Rajputs who were destined later to reunite the whole of Kumaon under one rule. According to tradition, Brahmdeva, the Katyuri raja (Hindu ruler) of Kali Kumaon, was a weak ruler. He was troubled by the insubordination of the Rawat of Domkot and also found himself unable to suppress the formidable factions among his own people. He was succeeded by Som Chand, a Chandravanshi Rajput, who married the daughter of the raja. Som Chand built his fort here on 15 acres of land. This fort was named Rajbunga and later Champawat.

Som Chand was succeeded by his son, Atma Chand who continued the work of consolidating the power and influence of the small kingdom and, it is said the rulers of all the neighbouring petty states paid court to him at Champawat. His son Puran Chand spent much of his time in hunting, and the latter’s son and successor Indra Chand is credited with importing silk worms into Kali Kumaon, probably from Nepal and thus introducing the manufacture of silk in these parts. They followed Sansar Chand, Sudha Chand, Hammira or Hari Chand and Bina Chand one after the others up to the years 1725 and Debi Chand was the last raja. In 1726 he was assassinated by an agent of his own wily minister in his pleasure house. Thereafter, the two Gaira Bists assumed full control of administration and were free to enjoy the power they had so criminally acquired. The entire Kumaun region was ceded to British on December 2, 1815. About the beginning of 20th Century the inhabitants of the district began to become gradually conscious of their civic rights and they took part in the annual sessions of the Indian National Congress and on August 15, 1947, the area was declared independent of British domination along with rest of the country.

Champawat was declared as a separate district on 15 Dec. 1997 by then CM of UP Ms. Mayawati, then it was a part of UP. Earlier Champawat was only a Tehsil of Pithoragarh district.

Demographics :

According to the 2011 census, Champawat district has a population of 259,648 roughly equal to the nation of Vanuatu. This gives it a ranking of 579th among the 640 districts of India. The district has a population density of 147 inhabitants per square kilometre (380/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 15.63%.Champawat district has a sex ratio of 980 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 79.83%.

As of the 2001 Indian census, the Champawat district had a population of 224,542, including 216,646 Hindus (96.5%), 6,642 (3.0%) Muslims, and 626 (0.3%) Christians.

Economy :

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Champawat one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640 districts). It is one of the three districts in Uttarakhand currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Tourist Places :

Gwal Devta :  A deity of widespread faith and influence, Gwal Devta also known as Goril or Goll, is considered to be the presiding deity of justice. It is believed that when approached, Gwal Devta dispenses justice to a helpless victim of injustice and cruelty. Historically, Goril a Katyuric prince of Champawat, known for his unwavering justice and fair play, was himself a victim of planned conspiracy hatched up by his step mother, who had thrown him into a river, locked up in an iron cage. Held in high esteem as a symbol of justice, a temple was dedicated to him at Gwarail Chaur at in Champawat and ever since he has grown into a deity of great influence attracting innumerable pilgrims around him. As per a story, Harish Chandra was a famous king of Champawat, who after his death, was worshipped as the folk god ‘Haru’. Haru’s mother’s name was Kainer and he is said to be Gwall’s maternal uncle

Purnagiri : At a height of 3000 mts. above sea level, Purnagiri is 20 kms. from Tanakpur, 171 kms. from Pithoragarh and 92 kms. from Champawat. Purnagiri temple is visited throughout the year by devotees from all parts of the country, who come here in large numbers, particularly during Chaitra Navratri in the month of March – April. 

 From the highest point (the temple) of Purnagiri hill the pilgrim can see the expanse of Kali, its islands, the township of Tanakpur and a few Nepali villages. The old Buram Deo Mandi is very close to Purnagiri. From Tanakpur or Purnagiri it is possible to trek to Tamli and even to Jhulaghat along the Kali river.

Lohaghat : At an elevation of 1706 mts., Lohaghat is 62 Kms. away from Pithoragarh on way to Tanakpur and 14kms.from Champawat district headquarters. Lohaghat which is situated on the bank of river Lohawati is a centre of historical and mythological importance. In 1841, so overcome was Pilgrim (Barron) by its beauty, that he had surprised why the Government of India was not developing it as its summer capital. In summer season Lohaghat is full of Burans flowers.

Baleshwar Temple : Baleshwar, 76 kms. from Pithoragarh, situated at Champawat is the most artistic temple of the district. There are evidences that the group of temples dedicated to Baleshwar, Ratneshwar and Champawati Durga were built by the early kings of the Chand dynasty. The temple once had intricate structural features and a sanctuary with a mandap. The intricate carving still visible on the ceilings of these temples is an evidence of their ancient glory and artistic excellence.

Gurdwara Reetha Sahib : Here, Guru Nanak Dev had an encounter with Nath yogis whom he tried to bring to the path of active humanitarian service along with remembrance of God’s Name. The story is not mentioned in the Janamsakhis, but locally a strong tradition has grown that Guru Nanak Dev miraculously made the normally bitter fruit of a soapnut tree sweet for Bhai Mardana to feed on.

Pancheshwar : 40 kms. from Lohaghat at the confluence of river Kali and Saryu, Pancheshwar forms the borders with Nepal and is famous for the temple of Chaumu, its fair and a dip at the confluence is considered to be very sacred. The Jaat (jamaan) of Chaumu comes down from villages Sail, 5 km. above the temple. Chaumu is worshiped as a protector of animals. Bells and milk are offered in the temple of Pancheshwar. Chaumu Jaat of Pancheshwar has its unique way of cultural expression. The temple at Pancheshwar is devoted to Lord Shiva.

 Mayawati Ashram : 22 km from Champawat and 9 km from Lohaghat, this ashram is situated at an altitude of 1940 meters. Mayawati shot into prominence after the Advait Ashram was established here. The ashram attracts spiritualists from India and abroad. Amid and old tea Estate, is the Advait Ashram of Mayawati. During his third visit to Almora in 1898, Swami Vivekanand decided to shift the publication office of ‘Prabuddh Bharat’ from Madras to Mayawati, from where it is published since then. The only presence that has become a part of the peace and solitude of Mayawati, is that of the mighty Himalaya in all its splendor. On request the Ashram provides board and lodging to visitors. There is also a library and a small museum at Mayawati.

Abott Mount : This place was discovered by Britisher John Abbott (whose descendants now live in Jhansi) in the pre-independence era and he decided to name the hill after himself. He built 13 cottages here and some of these still survive. Panorama takes a new meaning as you treat yourself to views of peaks like Trishul, Nanda Kot, Nanda Ghunti and the Nanda Devi spanning in an arc in front of you across a valley. This is the place where you just walk around amidst the woods with no traffic or sounds, sip tea with clouds below and watch beautiful sunsets. There is a church built in 1942, locked now, where prayers are supposedly still held once or twice a year. one can even play a game of cricket on what is claimed to be the second highest pitch after Chail in Himachal Pradesh at just under 7,000 feet.