Chamoli District, Uttarakhand :

Chamoli District is a district of pilgrimage importance, located in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. Chamoli District is an outstanding spot filled with comprehensive qualities of nature that adds to its glory and splendour. 

The majestic panoramic view of the lofty Great Himalayan ranges in Chamoli District, coated with white sheets of snow is just an eye soothing and awe-inspiring view. The lush green mountains, gushing rivers, holy pilgrimage centers of significant importance, and grandeur of locales, all these and many more add to the beauty of Chamoli District. Chamoli District is also adored for its shrines and temples of significant importance and this is the birthplace of the Chipko Movement. 

History :

Chamoli District is known as the Land of Paradise. This district is flooded with thriving natural beauty and is of major historical significance. Chamoli District was earlier a part of Pauri Garhwal of Garhwal Division but in the year 1960, it was established with its headquarters at Gopeshwar. Chamoli District is mentioned in the Taleshwar Copper Plate Grant, which the Katyuri Dynasty brought and established during their rule that extended from 3rd century A.D. after the Gupta Dynasty to 14th century A.D. when the Chand Dynasty raised to power. One of the Copper Plate explores that the ancient city of Brahampura had one of its administrative centers at Chamoli District. There are many mythological legends that are popular amidst the local inhabitants, amongst which one says that Lord Hanuman found the Sanjeevani Buti here to revive the unconscious Laxmana, younger brother of Lord Rama. Also, it is conceived that Ved Vyas composed the legendary mythological epic Mahabharata here. This land has granted ideas and the feelings of creativity to legendary great poet Kalidasa of Gupta era. 

Geography : 

Chamoli District has the administrative headquarters located at Gopeshwar. The modern day Chamoli District is bounded by the Tibet region to the north and by the Uttarakhand districts of Pithoragarh and Bageshwar to the east, Almora to the south, Garhwal to the southwest, Rudraprayag to the west, and Uttarkashi to the northwest. Tibetans of the Bhotiya ethnic group who adhere to Hinduism largely populate Chamoli District. 

Demography :

According to the Population census in the year 2011, Chamoli District had a population of 391,605. Out of which the male and the female were 193,991 and 197,614 respectively. In the population census in the year 2011, Chamoli District has the recorded increase of 13.87 percent to its population compared to 1991. 

Culture :

Here the culture is enhanced by the folk songs, festivals and the cuisines. People here used to eat wheat, rice, maize, mandua and jhanjora. The culture of Chamoli district is reflected in their ethnic dress and tribal costumes. The usual dress for men is Kurta or shirt, Pyjama, Sadri, a cap and a knee-length coat. Women often wear sari and full sleeved shirt or Angra. People here also enjoy several fairs and festivals. Ram Navami, Nag Panchmi, Raksha-Bandhan, Janmastami, Dushera, Diwali, Makar Sankranti and Holi are the popular festivals celebrated here. 

Administration :

The administration of Chamoli district is completely dependent on the District Collector and the regions of assemble constituencies. Chamoli District has three constituencies like Badrinath, Karnprayag and Tharali. 

Economy :

Chamoli district is economically dependent on agriculture, handloom and tourism. Here the wheat, rice and maize are produced in the remote villages of Chamoli District. 

Tourism :

Chamoli District is reputed for its shrines and temples. This region in Uttarakhand is significant as the birthplace of the 'Chipko Movement. Chamoli District is indeed the most spectacular places laced with natural scenery, water-edges, floristic varieties and fizzy forests and wildlife. It is blessed with the entire natural splendors like Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Mana Pass, Nanda Devi National Park, Joshimath, Auli and the Valley of Flowers. Here the temples like Gopeshwar, Badrinath Temple, Tapta Kund and Hemkund Sahib attract huge amount of population throughout the year. Auli is considered as the adventure tourism destination. 

Auli : Auli is inviting in the summer season but in the winter season it is irresistible with its white snow slopes and skiing facilities. Auli can be reached by road or ropeway from Joshimath. It provides an excellent panoramic view of the giant mountain peaks like Nanda Devi, Kamet Peak and Dunagiri Peak. From January to March, Auli slopes are usually covered with a thick carpet of snow, about 3 metres deep. It offers a good skiing ground for the adventure lovers. The background of lofty snow clad mountains increases the sprit of the skiers. Moreover, to attract the attention of the travellers, skiing festivals are also conducted at Auli. While skiing is the chief attraction at Auli, there are other attractions like cable car rides and rope lifts. 

Gopeshwar : Situated at a height of 1308 metres amidst beautiful mountain ranges, terrace farms and small lakes, is the picturesque township of Gopeshwar. An ancient temple of Lord Shiva is the main attraction of the town and thousands of pilgrims come here throughout the year to visit the temple. Owing to its natural beauty and fresh and serene atmosphere, Gopeshwar is becoming a major attraction for the tourists. Many well known tourist spots and religious centres are spread around this town. According to historians, the name Gopeshwar has associations with the name of Lord Krishna. Besides the ancient temple of Lord Shiva, Baitarni Kund is another major attraction of the town. 

Vasudhara Fall: 5 kms from Mana village, toward the west is the Vasudhara fall, set in a background of snowy peaks, glaciers and rocky heights. Its view is breath taking. 

Valley of Flowers: A profusion of wildflowers - iris, violets, roses, anemones, potentillas - mark this valley. It is celebrated all over the world for its lush beauty. A narrow river flows through the valley, now declared a national park. The best time to visit the valley is during July and August when innumerable varieties of flowers bloom and present a spectacular sight. The valley itself is 10 kms long and about 2 kms wide in conical shape. 

Satopanth Lake: This triangular lake of serene water has a perimetre of about half a kilometer. It is about 25 kms from Badrinath. Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, the Hindu trinity is believed to occupy one corner each, and which are named after them. The trek is hazardous, but full of adventure. 

Roopkund: Roopkund is situated in the eastern part of Chamoli District. It is not a very large kund and is rather shallow, having a depth of only about 2 metres. The edges are snow covered for most parts of the year. 

Badrinath: Badrinath is one of the 'four dhams' of the country and is situated at an elevation of 3,133 metres above sea-level. Facing the temple at the bank of Alaknanda River is a hot water spring known as 'Tapt Kund'. 

Tapovan: In contrast to the annoying hustle and bustle of city life of Joshimath, Tapovan is a peaceful place known for its hot springs which are believed to possess miraculous healing powers. Tapovan is 15 kms from Joshimath. 

Gwaldam: About 3 Kms from Baijnath, the main highways goes to Bageshwar and a side road branches off to Gwaldam. This is a delightful route as besides the presence of birds, adding a winsome note, one passes through terraced fields and thick pines set against a backdrop of the Himalayas, and one can watch the Trishul peaks coming even closer. Gwaldam with its salubrious climate is a little heaven nestling in the woods. In this area, upto Talwari , there are several orchards generally of apple. From Gwaldam, the road winds its way through dense forests and terraced fields dotted with rustic cottages of small towns known as Tharali and Narain Bagar to meet the Ranikhet-Pandukhal road at a place called Simli, which is 8 Km short of Karnaprayag.  

Joshimath: Joshimath has a temple dedicated to Narshimsha, an incarnation of Vishnu. There are several temples located here. 

Kagbhusandi Lake: This is a small oblong lake with emerald green water. It is at an altitude of 5230 metres, and is almost a km in length. Myriad blossoms decorate its banks. Set in the lap of Hathi Parbat (6730 metres), the lake can be approached either from Bhiundhar village, near Ghangria, or from Vishnu Prayag. 

Nanda Devi Sanctuary: Nanda Devi Sanctuary has been converted to a National Park and temporarily closed for visitors on environmental considerations. It has an average altitude exceeding 4500 metres and is surrounded several peaks, Nanda Devi being the highest. It is in the form of cup with lush green meadows, waterfalls, and rich wild flora and fauna. 

Hemkund Sahib: Hemkund (Lake of gold), is situated nearly 29 kms from Joshimath. It is believed that Guru Gobind Singh had meditated on the bank of this lake in one of his earlier births. 

Kuari Pass: Standing at the Kuari Pass facing north, the vision sweeps from the gorges of Trishul in the east to the peaks of Kedarnath in the west. One can approach the Pass from Tapovan. The entire area is rich in exotic flora and fauna 

Rudranath Temple: It is one of the Panch Kedars of the country. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Neelkantha. The temple is situated amid thick forest at a height 2286 metres. 

Chamoli District is a boon for tourists and environment lovers offering immense scope for trekking and exploring.