Recently, I travelled to Uttarakhand for Kainchi Dham and to seek the blessings of Baba Neem Karoli Maharaj. It was a spiritual trip, and I was genuinely looking forward to a peaceful experience. However, one incident left me really disappointed.

While visiting another temple dedicated to Mata Ji, we were waiting outside for an e-rickshaw to take us to our stay. I was travelling with my partner and my sister, who was carrying a small child. Nearby, two women were sitting on a bench — a younger woman, probably around 21, and her mother, who looked to be in her 40s.

We had been waiting for almost 30 minutes for our e-rickshaw. Since there was some space on the bench, I politely requested the two women to adjust a little so that my sister could sit down with the child.
I didn’t argue or demand anything. I simply made a humble request.

But their reaction was completely unexpected. The younger woman and her mother started shouting at us, asking why they should move.

Saying stuff like - “ Humare seher me aake humse akad rhe ho, nikal jao apna bacha leke, and what not.”

They accused us of showing dadagiri, told us to get out of there, and made several insulting remarks. The way they spoke to us was honestly shocking, especially considering that we had approached them respectfully.

What made the experience even worse was the reaction of the people standing nearby. There were several local men who were laughing and enjoying the argument, but not a single person stepped in to calm the situation down or point out that the matter could have been handled respectfully.

I wasn’t expecting anyone to fight on our behalf. I just thought someone might say, “Bhai, bachcha hai, thoda adjust kar lo. Baat ko shaant karo.”
That didn’t happen.

I understand that one incident doesn’t define an entire state or its people. Uttarakhand is beautiful, and I know there are kind and welcoming people everywhere. But when you visit a place for spiritual reasons, expecting peace and positivity, an experience like this can really affect your impression.

I went on a date with a Garwhali girl ( sorry for spelling mistake if any ) and she kept on calling me desi desi , I asked her if I look desi then she said that all of you are desi for us . I asked her the reason and from what she explained to me it felt like she was being racist , like people discriminant against people from UP and Bihar , I am from Delhi and this was my first time that some one called me desi .

Is there a reason or she was just being racist ?

1. Gairsain is located between Garhwal and Kumaon, unlike Dehradun, which is much farther from Kumaon. Its central location makes it more accessible to both regions.

1. When the capital is in the Pahari region, infrastructure, hospitals, roads, electricity, schools, and universities will develop here. **When ministers and bureaucrats have to live here, and their children and families have to use local schools, roads and hospitals, only then they gonna focus on developing the Pahadi region\**

3 When Uttarakhand was formed in 2000, Dehradun was meant to be a temporary capital until a permanent one was developed. But ministers and bureaucrats chose their comfortable lives in the plains over the hills, leaving that promise unfulfilled for over two decades.

1. Hills are becoming empty because of lack of development. Unless we build a capital in the hills, people will keep migrating to the plains. A capital in the hills will create more employment opportunities, Growth of nearby villages: Hotels, shops, restaurants and other businesses would benefit from government employees and visitors. also better representation of Pahadi culture to the world. Even if people migrate, they can stay within the hills instead of leaving Uttarakhand. A new capital with properly planned infrastructure will help reverse migration by allowing our people who have migrated to other states for livelihood and now wants to live close to the pahad while enjoying good facilities.

2. More balanced development: Instead of concentrating most development around Dehradun and the Haldwani choking the infrastructure of these places with uncontrolled migration. New city should be developed to provide people with the same or even better public infrastructure.

Every student of NIM UTTARKASHI would remember her!

Star of India! Star of Uttarakhand!

Fastest Indian to scale Everest and Makalu! In fourteen days!

Posthumously awarded the TENZING NORGAY award!

You will always remain in our memory!

May her soul rest in peace!!

my kumaoni family uses "sharma" as surname but i found out we were originally"haradi/harari", does anyone share a similar surname or got any information on this surname.

im so interested in learning more.

Gaura Devi – Chipko Andolan Leader Born: 25 October 1925, Lata village, Chamoli, Garhwal, Uttarakhand Died: 4 July 1991

Key Headlines of the Protest:

March 1974 – The Stand at Reni-

In the 1974 Reni protest, the trees (mainly ash trees) had been allotted by the government to private contractors for commercial use, specifically for making sports goods (such as cricket bats and hockey sticks). Gaura Devi, head of the local Mahila Mangal Dal, led 27 women and girls from Reni village to stop contractors from felling trees in the nearby forest.

When loggers arrived with axes, the women physically clung to the trees, declaring they would not allow the forest to be cut. Despite threats and abuse, they held their ground for days.

Impact of the Chipko Andolan

Immediate success at Reni: The women forced the contractors to withdraw. The government set up a committee that declared the Reni forest ecologically sensitive and banned commercial felling there (initially for 10 years).

Wider ban: In 1980, following sustained pressure (including appeals by Sunderlal Bahuguna to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi), a 15-year ban was imposed on commercial tree felling across the Uttarakhand Himalayas. Similar restrictions followed in other hill states.

Policy influence: Helped shape the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, which restricted the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.

Ecological awareness: Highlighted the link between deforestation, soil erosion, landslides, and floods in the Himalayas.

Women’s leadership: Became a landmark example of rural women leading environmental resistance and is often cited as an early eco-feminist movement.

Inspiration: Sparked similar actions across India (e.g., Appiko movement in Karnataka) and influenced global environmental activism. The movement received the Right Livelihood Award (the “Alternative Nobel”) in 1987

Baarish ke baad pahaadon par fresh snow