Uttarakhand - People
The people of Uttarakhand are also known as Garhwali or Kumaoni; some of them are also known as Paharis. Large segment of the people in Uttarakhand, especially in the upper reaches, are heterodox Buddhists and Hindus. This is the area which has been known as `Dev Bhoomi''- the land of the gods. Many of Hinduism's most important shrines lie within Uttarakhand, tucked away in the mountains and along the rivers of the state. Amongst these, the most sacred are the `Char Dham''- the four shrines of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, a pilgrimage of which is supposed to ensure instant salvation. The sacred Ganga, on its foaming path down to the plains, meets its tributaries at what are called the Panch Prayag- the five sacred `sangams'' of the river at Vishnuprayag, Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag.
Hindi, Garhwali and Kumaoni are commonly spoken in the state. English is the medium of education in many of its schools. The overall literacy rate in Uttarakhand is 79.6%, which is higher than the national average of 74.0%. Male literacy in the state stands at 88.3%, while female literacy is 70.7%. The allIndia male and female literacy levels are 82.1% and 65.5%, respectively. The state is better placed as compared with India as a whole in the case of literacy, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), pupil–teacher ratio and dropout rate. 14 The state has about 1.2%, 1.7% and 4.6% of the total number of government middle, high and senior secondary schools of the country, respectively. About 72% of the schools in the state are government schools and 28% are private schools. This shows that the government plays a significant role in the education sector.
The infant mortality rate (IMR) in Uttarakhand is estimated at 41 deaths per 1,000 live births for 2009 as against 48 for 2001. The IMR for the state is better than the all-India average. The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) and Crude Death Rate (CDR) stand at 19.7 and 6.5, both slightly below the national average. 12 The health infrastructure in the state fares moderately on most of the health infrastru cture indicators. It is evident that the state is better placed in terms of the number of Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs). There are 8 beds per 10,000 population in Uttarakhand (2008)13 as against the national figures of 4 beds per 10,000 population (2008).
A description of the charismatic beauty of Uttarakhand would be incomplete without the mention of people who inhabit this blessed country – simple, willing to help and hardworking people of the state are as diversified as the elements of nature. Several indigenous tribal groups peacefully co-exist with others, simultaneously keeping their distinct cultures alive. Apart from being a unique tourism destination, Uttarakhand is a goldmine for anthropologists, historians, ornithologists, linguists, geologists.
Culture and people are very closely associated with each other. The term ‘culture’ refers to the complex collection of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and give a common identity to a particular group of people at a specific point in time. All social units develop a culture. Thus it is the inhabitants of a specific region that collectively contribute to form that extraordinary cornucopia of life called culture.
In case of Uttarakhand, the Land of Gods, natural diversity and the element of the Himalaya’s unparalleled beauty and sanctity add a new dimension to the word ‘culture’. The people of the state are as diverse as the landscape. Uttarakhand is blessed with a whole multiplicity of culture greatly influenced and inspired by its geo-social factors. The ancient cultural traditions of Uttarakhand are deep rooted primarily in religion. Music, dance and arts are a manifest for the firm religious bonds of the people with the awe-inspiring Himalayas.
“In those lovely valleys there is still the romance and poetry of life: each tree has its god, each bush its spirit” – So wrote the 19th century British anthropologist and surveyor Charles A. Sherring, describing a fair part of Uttarakhand, in his great research ‘Western Tibet and British Borderland’.
All the local traditions of the state are determinedly attached to nature and its bounty. No legends or myths are complete without nature, seasons or the Himalayas being integral part of them. The people spare no opportunity to celebrate this bountiful natural, social and religious diversity. Collective celebrations become the order of the day – the many fairs and festivals bear testimony to this. These fairs have now become remarkable stages for all sort of uncluttered social, cultural and economic exchange. Visitors from far and wide are drawn to these events in multitudes.
Several indigenous tribes and communities flourish in this state today maintaining their distinct cultural heritage and traditions. The several fairs and festivals celebrated by the tribes such as Bhotias (Shaukas), Tharus, Buxas and Jaunsaris are opprtunies for the locals and the visitors to witness these events as opportunities to keep the traditional modes of life and art alive apart from providing them the recognition they so strongly deserve.
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