Highlights

Uttarakhand’s formidable terrain, characterized by deep gorges and high mountains was conducive to the establishment of the small kingdoms separated by well defined Garh (a fortress) a strategic position from which to protect themselves from their neighbouring and invading armies from the plains of northwest India. The terrain was gradually divided into two regions: one the Garhwal to the west extent as much as Tons River and Kumaon in the East extending to Kali River the present day border of India and Nepal.
Until 2000 the Garhwal and Kumaon together formed a part of state Uttar Pradesh. However with the increasing agitation it became a separate hill state as Uttaranchal in 2000 with Dehradun its administrative headquarter and finally in 2007 it was renamed as Uttarakhand. Language spoken here is Hindi, Garhwali and Kumaoni. Many inter-war British Travelers & Mountaineers described Garhwal as the most beautiful region of the Himalayas. In the early 16th Century the Panwar Dynasty united many of the independent hill regions to form Garhwal. In 1517 it established its capital as Srinagar and administered an impressive area from the Yamuna River to Nanda Devi. In 1790 the Gurkhas attacked many times to form the Himalayan Kingdom as far as Sutlej River. The British wanted to maintain a neutral Himalayan Kingdom between the two powers Gurkhas & Sikhs to protect their trade with Tibet. When the local Rajas wanted the British to intervene it is then they fought many wars with the Gurkhas which resulted in the treaty of Siliguri in 1817. Following the treaty the British ruled Dehradun and eastern districts of Garhwal. Further in 1968 administrative developments ensured Chamoli, Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal and Uttarkashi are administered from Pauri. A line running northeast from the town of Gawaldham up the Pindari valley and along the east ridge of Nanda Devi sanctuary is accepted division between Garhwal & Kumaon.
Beside the trek which has combination of spectacular mountain views, alpine camps, pristine oak and rhododendron forest to the sacred water of Roopkund a similar trek which starts from Lahajung (in chamoli District) leads to Brahma Taal. From the top most point known as Brahma Top we find a spectacular view of Ali Bedni, Bedni Bugyal, Chandaniya Kot. Nanda Ghungti, Trishul, Kalu Vinayak, Kali Dak, Mrik Toli, Mayk Toli, Ronti Pass in the eastern side with Neelkantha, Chawkhamba, Hathi, Ghoda and Bandar Poonch together known as Kailash Range in the western side. This trek is not very well known as Roopkund because there has never been many publications about it and beside the locals we can only find few foreigners visiting this place during the month of November-December. To experience this trek you do not have to be an expert trekker or mountaineer. Persons aged between 7 to 70 years can very well complete is trail at ease. More over it is a family trek. There is an average walk of 3-4 hours every day with a gradual ascent and descent through the forest and meadows. People can relax, read books, take good photographs and the children can have a superb time playing all sorts of rope games in the forest.