Tehri Garhwal District is one of the administrative districts of Uttarakhand. New Tehri is its headquarters. Earlier, Narendra Nagar was the district headquarters. Tehri Garhwal District stretches from the snow clad Himalayan peaks like Thalay Sagar Peak and the Gangotri group of Mountains all the way to the foothills near Rishikesh. Bhagirathi River which runs through seems to divide the district into two, while the Bhilangna River, Alaknanda River, Ganga River and Yamuna River border it on the east and west. Its neighbouring districts are Uttarkashi District, Chamoli District, Pauri Garhwal District, Rudraprayag District and Dehradun District.
Location of Tehri Garhwal District
Tehri Garhwal District is located on the outer ranges of the mid Himalayas which comprise low line peaks rising contiguously with the planes of the northern India. The district lies between the parallels of 30 degree 3 minutes and 30 degree 53 minutes north latitude and 77 degree 56 minutes and 79 degree 4 minutes east longitude. Uttarkashi District from the north, Rudraprayag District from the east, Pauri Garhwal District from the south and Dehradun District from the west are bounding the district. On the western front Yamuna river separates it from Jaunsar Pargana of the Dehradun district while Bhagirathi rising from the north of Gangotri River in the district Uttarkashi touches the district near village Nagun.
History of Tehri Garhwal District
Before the creation of universe, Lord Brahma is said to have meditated on this sacred land. Tehri and Garhwal are the two words combined for naming the district as Tehri Garhwal. While the prefix Tehri is the corrupted form of the word `Trihari` which signifies a place that washes away all the three types of sins, namely sins born out of thought (Mansa), word (Vacha) and deed (Karmana), the other part `Garh` means country fort.
Geography of Tehri Garhwal District
A major portion of Tehri Garhwal District is hilly tract. The plain area is more fertile than the plateau area. Bulk of the area of the district is under forests which occupy a place of importance not only in the ecology but also in the economy of the district. These forests are rich in vegetations. Wood of commercial value is produced. These forests are also famous for production of herbs and plants of medicinal value. There has been a denudation of forests in the past, resulting in impoverishment of forests wealth. Under five year plans efforts have been made to plant trees under forestations programmed. Availability of soft wood has given rise to the manufacturing of wooden toys in the area. Tehri Garhwal District is rich in diverse species of flora and fauna. The chir, oak, conifers, Sal, deodar, haldlu, rhododendron, the birch, horse chestnut, willow, alder and various types of fruit trees like the cornel, the figs, the mulberry, the kingora, the raspberry, the blackberry, currants, gooseberries, hazelnuts, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, plums, peaches, oranges, limes, bananas, pomegranates and walnuts are found in the district besides a variety of herbal plants bushes, scrubs and grass. Tehri Garhwal District has been the habitat, from times immemorial, of a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Further, the district is rich in avifauna and in particular pheasants, partridges, pigeons and doves of various kinds which are the chief game birds.
Culture of Tehri Garhwal District
The hilly terrains and lack of easy communications have helped the district to preserve its indigenous culture intact. Several important fairs and festivals are celebrated in Tehri Garhwal District. Important fairs and festivals organized in different parts of the district include Chamba Thoulu, Gajtfa Thoulu, Dharu Mela, Suri-ka-Mela, Bandwal Gaon, Agram Thoulu, Churiya Kheti Thoulu, Kamand Thoulu, Badshahee Thoulu, Jamti-ka-Mela, Kothyara, Gali, Sem Mukhan, Sri Kunjapuri Yatra, Pali Thoulu, Digoli Thoulu, Bikhot, Nagendra Devta, Chandra Badni, Banjagri, Jagdajat, Chameshwar Mahadev, Vasant Panchami and many more.
Tourism in Tehri Garhwal District
There are several popular tourist places in Tehri Garhwal District. This district is mainly known for its scenic beauty that enhances the charm of travelling experience. Most of the sites of this district offer a commanding view of the beautiful valleys, rivers as well as the snow clad mountains. There are several temples in Tehri Garhwal District, which are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Buda Kedar Temple, Dev Prayag, Narendra Nagar, Khatling Glacier, Dhanolti, Surkanda Peak, Kunjapuri, Nagtibba and Chandrabadani are some of the main attractions of Tehri Garhwal District.
Tehri Garhwal District also attracts adventure lovers as it offers wide scopes for trekking, rock climbing and much more.
