Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand is a newly formed state in th e nearth western part of India. The state was formed in 2000. In January 2007, the name of the state was officially changed from Uttaranchal, its interim name, to Uttarakhand, according to the wishes of a large section of its people.
Uttarakhand  is both the new and traditional name of the state that was formed from the hill districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Uttarakhand is also the ancient Puranic term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas containing some of Hinduism's most sacred pilgrimage spots. Literally North Country or Section in Sanskrit, its peaks and valleys were well known in ancient times as the abode of gods and source of the Ganges River.
The region was dominated by the Garhwal Kingdom in the west and the Kumaon Kingdom in the east during the medieval period. In 1791, the expanding Gurkha Empire, current Nepal, overran Almora, the seat of the Kumaon Kingdom. In 1803, the Garhwal Kingdom also fell to the Gurkhas and became a part of Nepal. With the conclusion of the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1816, the Garhwal Kingdom was reestablished from Tehri, and eastern British Garhwal and Kumaon ceded to the British as part of the Treaty of Sugauli.
In the post-independence period, the Tehri princely state was merged into Uttar Pradesh state, where Uttarakhand composed the Garhwal and Kumaon Divisions. 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. Although the erstwhile hill kingdoms of Garhwal and Kumaon were traditional rivals with diverse lingual and cultural influences due to the proximity of different neighbouring ethnic groups, the inseparable and complementary nature of their geography, economy, culture, language, and traditions created strong bonds between the two regions. These bonds formed the basis of the new political identity of Uttarakhand, which gained significant momentum in 1994, when demand for separate statehood (within the Union of India) achieved almost unanimous acceptance among the local populace as well as political parties at the national level.
However, the term Uttaranchal came into use when the BJP-led central government initiated a new round of state reorganization in 2000 and introduced 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 who saw it as a political act, however they were not quite as successful as Jharkhand state that successfully thwarted a similar move to impose the name Vananchal. Nevertheless, the name Uttarakhand remained popular in the region, even while Uttaranchal was promulgated through official usage.
In August 2006, India's Union Cabinet assented to the four-year-old demand of the Uttaranchal state assembly and leading members of the Uttarakhand movement to rename Uttaranchal state as Uttarakhand. Legislation to that effect was passed by the State Legislative Assembly in October 2006, and the Union Cabinet brought in the bill in the winter session of Parliament. The bill was passed by Parliament and signed into law by the President in December 2006. Since then, Uttarakhand denotes a state in the Union of India
Uttarakhand is one of the most beautiful and inspiring regions of north India (and beyond). It is a land of outstanding natural beauty. Most of the northern part of the state of Uttarakhand is covered by the Himalayan ranges and glaciers, while the lower parts of the state are densely forested. The Himalayan ecosystem plays host to a large number of animals, plants and rare herbs.
Uttarakhand is a perfect place for hiking, walking or trekking. One can find many well used trails, many of othe are well documented, as well as long lone walks through meadows, hills and mountains. For the less adventurous ones it is good to know there is an entensive network of roads to bring you to many places in the state. 
Two of India's mightiest rivers, the Ganga (Ganges) and the Yamuna find their source in the glaciers of Uttarakhand, and are fed by myriad lakes, glacial melts and the many streams in the region.
To Uttarakhand also belongs some of the holiest Hindu shrines, and for 2000 years pilgrims have been visiting the temples of the 4 Dham: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath in the hope of salvation and purification from sin.
Uttarakhand has traditionally been divided into two parts, the western half known as Garhwal and the eastern region as Kumaon. Uttarakhand derives from the Sanskrit for North Country.
Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000 after a struggle by its people in the 1970-1990s.
Tibet lies to the north and the Terai to the south.The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun which is also a rail-head and the largest city in the region. The small village of Gairsen has good changes in becoming the future capital owing to its geographic centrality. The state is bordering Himachal Pradesh in the north-west and Uttar Pradesh in the South.
The Mahakali River, running along its eastern boundary, forms the Indo-Nepal international border.The Kali River and its valley are prominent in Kumaon. 
At one time, the Kali Valley was the standard trade route from India to Tibet, crossing over the Lipu Lekh pass. The Mahakali originates north of the main Himalayan range, curves its way through the Greater Himalayas and merges with the Ganga (Ganges) in the plains.
The tourism industry is a major contributor to the economy of Uttarakhand, with the Raj era hill-stations at Mussoorie, Almora, Ranikhet and Nainital being some of the most frequented destinations.
Recent developments in the region include initiatives by the state government to capitalise on the burgeoning tourist trade as well as tax incentives to lure high-tech industry to the state. The state also plays host to some of the worst conceived big-dam projects in India such as the monstrously large Tehri dam on the Bhagirathi and Bhilangana rivers, conceived in 1953 and still incomplete.
Uttarakhand finds mention in the ancient Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manakhand and Himavat. The Kushanas, Kudinas, Kanishka, Samudra, Gupta, the Pauravas, Katuris, Palas, the Chandras and Pawaras and the British have ruled in turns.
In the early 9th Century Shri Shankaracharya was almost entirely responsible for the revival of Hinduism. At the time that he set out on his reformist mission, Uttarakhand was a land of mystic cults, naga worship, tantric rites and animistic faith. He established a series of dhams and maths, seats of Hindu religion, at elevated sites in the middle of the Himalayas. At Jyotirmath, now known as Joshimath, he set up an institution of Hindu learning and instruction, a tradition that remains till this day. At Badrinath, he installed the image of Lord Vishnu near the source of the Alaknanda River, and at Kedarnath he chose to enshrine Lord Shiva himself. He died in 820 A.D. at Kedarnath and his samadhi (memorial) behind the temple lures thousands of pilgrims till today.
The Devine Land
Words fail to describe the awesome charm and striking beauty of this magical land. Pictures do never tell the whole story ofcourse. The splendor and the beauty of the land is to be seen and and felt. Blessed with magnificent glaciers, sparkling and joyful milky rivers, gigantic and ecstatic Himalayan peaks, natural biospheres, valleys full of flowers, skiing slopes and dense forests, this abode of Gods includes many shrines and places of pilgrimage. This is the land where Vedas and Shastras were composed and where the great Indian epic Mahabharatha was written. The land has always been the source of inspiration for nature lovers and seekers of peace and spirituality.
Uttaranchal is now officially called Uttarakhand ... Read on
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