Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is the ancient name for the stretch of Indian Himalayas that borders the Himachal ranges in the west, and Nepal in the east. Literally North Country or Territory in Sanskrit, its peaks and valleys were well known in ancient times as the abode of gods and site of Hinduism's most sacred pilgrimage spots.

From 1948 to 2000, the region formed the hilly segment of northernmost Uttar Pradesh state, until its separation as part of the new Uttaranchal state in 2000. Until 1998, Uttarakhand was the name most commonly used to refer to the region, as various political groups including most significantly the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (Uttarakhand Revolutionary Party est. 1979), began agitating for separate statehood under its banner. Bringing together the erstwhile rival hill kingdoms of Garhwal and Kumaon, the movement gained significant momentum in 1994 when it achieved almost unanimous acceptance among the people as well as the national political parties.

However, the term Uttaranchal came into vogue when the BJP-led central government initiated a new round of state reorganization and imposed its preferred name. Chosen for its allegedly less separatist connotations, the name change generated enormous controversy among the rank and file of the separate state activists, however they were not quite as successful as Jharkhand state that successfully thwarted a similar move to impose the name Vananchal. As such, Uttarakhand remains popular in the region to this day, even while Uttaranchal has been promulgated and popularized globally through its official usage.

External link

• Uttarakhand Solidarity Network: Web site closely affiliated with the successor movements of the Uttarakhand Andolan.