Editing Garhwal division (section)

==History==
{{Chota Char Dham}}
The [[Garhwal Himalayas]] appear to have been a favourite locale for the voluminous mythology of the Puranic period. The traditional name of Garhwal was kedarkhand means "the land of God".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r-dZQ8GcXz4C&q=Kedarkhand&pg=PR4|title=Where Gods Dwell|pages=Xviii|isbn=9780143066026|last1=Budhwar|first1=Kusum|year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books India }}</ref> Excavations have revealed that it formed part of the [[Mauryan Empire]].<ref>'Ancient Communities of the Himalaya', Page 48, Dinesh Prasad Saklani, 1998</ref>

The earliest reference regarding Garhwal and its pride spots are cited in the Skanda Purana and the [[Mahabharata]] in the [[Vana Parva|Van Parva]]. [[Skanda Purana]] defines the boundaries and extend of this holy land.<ref name="Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective - Ajay S. Rawat - Google Books" >{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=olP_A60L-CMC|title=Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective|first=Ajay S.|last=Rawat|date=20 November 2002|publisher=Indus Publishing|isbn=9788173871368|access-date=20 March 2020|via=Google Books}}</ref> It also finds mention in the 7th-century travelogue of [[Xuanzang|Huen Tsang]]. However, it is with [[Adi Shankara|Adi Shankaracharya]] that the name of Garhwal will always be linked, for the great 8th-century spiritual reformer visited the remote, snow-laden heights of Garhwal, established a [[Joshimath]] and restored some of the most sacred shrines, including [[Badrinath]] and [[Kedarnath]].{{cn|date=March 2022}}

The history of Garhwal as a unified whole began in the 15th century, when king Ajai Pal merged the 52 separate principalities, each with its own garh or fortress. For 300 years, Garhwal remained one kingdom, with its capital at [[Srinagar, Uttarakhand|Srinagar]] (on the left bank of [[Alaknanda River|Alaknanda river]]). Then Pauri and Dehradun were perforce ceded to the Crown as payment for British help, rendered to the Garhwalis during the Gurkha invasion, in the early 19th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.euttaranchal.com/uttarakhand/history-of-uttarakhand|title=eUttaranchal - Rediscover Uttarakhand - Tourism, Culture & People|website=www.euttaranchal.com|access-date=20 March 2020|archive-date=20 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320102056/https://www.euttaranchal.com/uttarakhand/history-of-uttarakhand|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The earliest ruling dynasty of Garhwal known is of the [[Katyuri kings|Katyuri]]s. The Katyuri Raja of Uttarakhand ([[Kumaon Kingdom|Kumaon]] and [[Garhwal Kingdom|Garhwal]]) was styled 'Sri Basdeo Giriraj Chakara Churamani'. The earliest traditions record that the possessions of Joshimath Katyuris in Garhwal extended from [[Satluj]] as far as [[Gandaki River|Gandaki]] and from the snows to plains, including the whole of [[Rohilkhand]]. Tradition gives the origin of their Raj at [[Joshimath]] in the north near [[Badrinath]] and subsequent migration to Katyur Valley in [[Almora]] district, where a city called [[Baijnath, Uttarakhand|Kartikeyapura]] was founded.<ref name="Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective - Ajay S. Rawat - Google Books" />

Katyuris ruled Uttarakhand up to the 11th century and in certain pockets even after their decline. In Garhwal their disruption brought into existence 52 independent chiefs. One of the important principalities in that period was that of Parmars, who held their sway over Chandpur Garhi or Fortress.<ref name="Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective - Ajay S. Rawat - Google Books" /> Katyuris ruled Uttarakhand up to the 11th century and in certain pockets even after their decline. Kanak Pal was progenitor of this dynasty. Raja Ajay Pal, a scion of the Parmars in the 14th century is credited with having brought these chiefs under his rule.<ref name="Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective - Ajay S. Rawat - Google Books" /> After his conquest Ajay Pal's domain was recognised as Garhwal owing to exuberance of forts. It is possible that after annexing all principalities, Raja Ajay Pal must have become famous as Garhwala, the owner of forts. With the passage of time his kingdom came to be known as Garhwal.<ref name="Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective - Ajay S. Rawat - Google Books" />

===Garhwal Kingdom===
[[File:Flag of the Princely State of Tehri Garhwal.svg|thumb|right|Princely flag of [[Garhwal Kingdom|Kingdom of Garhwal]].]]
{{main|Garhwal Kingdom}}
[[Garhwal Kingdom]] was founded by [[Parmar (Rajput clan)|Parmar]]s. Nearly 700 years ago, one of these chiefs, Ajai Pal, reduced all the minor principalities under him and founded the Garhwal Kingdom. He and his ancestors ruled over Garhwal and the adjacent state of [[Tehri-Garhwal]], in an uninterrupted line till 1803, when the [[Gurkha]]s invaded Kumaon and Garhwal, driving the Garhwal chief into the plains. For 12 years the Gurkhas ruled the country with an iron rod, until a series of encroachments by them on British territory led to the [[Gurkha War]] in 1814. At the termination of the campaign, Garhwal and Kumaon were converted into British districts, while the [[Tehri]] principality was restored to a son of the former chief.

The British district of Garhwal was in the [[Kumaon Division]] of the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]], and had an area of {{Convert|5629|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}. After annexation, Garhwal rapidly advanced in material prosperity. IN 1901 the population was 429,900. Two battalions of the [[Indian army]] (the 39th Garhwal Rifles) were recruited in the district, which contained the military cantonment of Lansdowne. Grain and coarse cloth were exported, and [[salt]], [[borax]], livestock and [[wool]] were imported. Trade with [[Tibet]] was considerable. The administrative headquarters was at the village of [[Pauri]], but [[Srinagar, Uttarakhand|Srinagar]] was the largest city. It was an important mart, as was [[Kotdwara]], the terminus of a branch of the [[Oudh]] and [[Rohilkhand]] railway from [[Najibabad]].

During the turn of the 19th century, the Gurkhas attacked Garhwal and drove the rulers of Garhwal down to the plains (Rishikesh, DehraDun). [[Pradyumna Shah]] died fighting at the [[battle of Khurbura]]. Thereafter the rulers of Garhwal took the help of the British forces in India and regained their kingdom. The rulers of Garhwal gave away 60% of their kingdom for the support the British gave them in driving back the Gurhkas.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

During the [[World War II|Second World War]], the Raja Narendra Shah contributed his troops and aircraft to the British war effort. In recognition for his services, the British gave him the title of "Maharaja", made him a Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Star of India]] (KCSI) and knighted him. Thus his full title was Sir Maharaja Narendra Shah KCSI.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}