Didihat is a town and a
Nagar Palika
In India, a Municipal Council (also known as Municipality, Nagar Palika, or Nagar Palika Parishad) is an Urban Local Body that administers a city of population 100,000 or more. However, there are exceptions to that, as previously Nagar Palikas co ...
in
Pithoragarh District
Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...
in the state of
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is one of the eleven
administrative subdivisions
Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
of
Pithoragarh district
Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...
and also serves as its administrative headquarter. With a population of 6522, Didihat is located at a distance of from the state capital
Dehradun
Dehradun () is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislative As ...
.
Didihat is named after the
Kumauni word 'Dand' meaning a small hillock. Didihat falls on the pilgrimage route to
Kailash Mansarovar
Lake Manasarovar (Sanskrit: मानसरोवर), also called Mapam Yutso (;) locally, is a high altitude freshwater lake fed by the Kailash Glaciers near Mount Kailash in Burang County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The ...
. Earlier it was known as “Digtad”. Present day name Didihat is derived from Hat Tharp village which is the heart of this town.
History
![Malaynath Serakote Mandir Didihat Pithoragarh Uttarakhand DJI 0864G](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Malaynath_Serakote_Mandir_Didihat_Pithoragarh_Uttarakhand_DJI_0864G.jpg)
The area of present-day Didihat was ruled by
Katyuri dynasty
The Katyuri kings were a medieval Hindu Rajput's ruling clan of Khasha origin from Joshimath that ruled over the regions in present day regions of Kumaon, Uttarakhand in India and parts of Doti/Sudurpashchim Province in Nepal from 700 to 120 ...
after the fall of katyuris. the region came under Malla kings of Sirakot. The ancient Shirakot Temple of Lord Malay Nath was built by the Raika Kings. Till the time of King
Hari Malla, this region was under
Doti
Doti ( ne, डोटी), also known as Doti region, Dotigarh (डोटीगढ़) as used in the Jagar (folk tales; जागर), in the Farwestern region of Nepal (Sudurpashchim Province), is a region situated between River Kali bordering ...
principality of the katyuri dynasty. Later on in 1581 AD at the time of
Chand dynasty ruler Rudra Chand, this region came under the control of Chand rulers defeating
Raikas
The Rabari people (also known as Desai, Rabari, Raika, and Dewasi people) are an ethnic group from the Rajasthan also found in Gujarat Kutch region.
Origin Myth
The Rabari myth of origin is kshatriya that Shiva put them on earth to tend to the ...
of
Doti
Doti ( ne, डोटी), also known as Doti region, Dotigarh (डोटीगढ़) as used in the Jagar (folk tales; जागर), in the Farwestern region of Nepal (Sudurpashchim Province), is a region situated between River Kali bordering ...
. still today some remnants of ancient fort and temples are present in Didihat.
Didihat was a
Tehsil
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
in the
Almora district
Almora is a District (India), district in the Kumaon Division of Uttarakhand state, India. The headquarters is at Almora. It is 1,638 meters above sea level. The neighbouring regions are Pithoragarh district to the east, Chamoli district to the w ...
of
United Provinces in 1947 when
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
won its Independence from Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
. The Didihat Tehsil, along with other north-eastern parts of
Almora district
Almora is a District (India), district in the Kumaon Division of Uttarakhand state, India. The headquarters is at Almora. It is 1,638 meters above sea level. The neighbouring regions are Pithoragarh district to the east, Chamoli district to the w ...
were transferred to the newly created
Pithoragarh district
Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...
in 1960. During 2001-2011 new tehsil
Berinag
Berinag is a hill station, located 124 km from Pithoragarh city in the Pithoragarh district, which is the easternmost Himalayan district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the six Administrative Subdivisions (tehsil) of Pitho ...
was created by transferring 298 villages from Didihat tehsil. The creation of a new district, Didihat was declared on 15 August 2011, by then
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
The chief minister of Uttarakhand is the chief executive of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's ''de jure'' head, but ''de facto'' executive authority rests with the chief min ...
,
Ramesh Pokhriyal
Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank" (born 15 July 1959), is an Indian politician who was appointed on 31 May 2019 to serve as Minister of Human Resource Development and as of July 2020, following the ministry's name change, his title was changed to Min ...
, however, the district is yet to be officially formed.
Geography
Didihat lies at in
Northern India
North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central ...
at above sea level, in
Pithoragarh district
Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...
of
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is located at a distance of from District Headquarter
Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh ( Kumaoni: ''Pithor'garh'') is a Himalayan city with a Municipal Board in Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the fourth largest city of Kumaon and the largest in Kumaon hills. It is an education hub of t ...
. It covers an area of . The Nearest city with a population of one lakh and more is
Haldwani
Haldwani (Kumaoni language, Kumaoni: ''Haldvānī'') is the largest city of Kumaon division, Kumaon. It is also the third List of cities in Uttarakhand by population, most populous city and largest commercial market in the Indian state of Uttarak ...
() while the Nearest city with a population of five lakh and more is
Bareilly
Bareilly () is a city in Bareilly district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is among the largest metropolises in Western Uttar Pradesh and is the centre of the Bareilly division as well as the historical region of Rohilkhand. The city ...
().
According to the
Bureau of Indian Standards
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standar ...
, the town falls under
seismic zone 5, in a scale of 2 to 5 (in order of increasing vulnerability to earthquakes). Didihat has been struck by Flash Flood two times; on 20 July 2003 and 13 August 2007.
[SEOC Data, 2011. State Emergency Operation Centre, Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre, Govt. of Uttarakhand] 4 People lost their life in both these disasters.
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and depressions. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, or tropical storm, or by meltwater from ice or snow flowing o ...
s are very common
hydro-meteorological hazards
A hazard is a potential source of harm. Substances, events, or circumstances can constitute hazards when their nature would allow them, even just theoretically, to cause damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value. The probabi ...
due to excessive
rainfall
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...
or
snowmelt
In hydrology, snowmelt is surface runoff produced from melting snow. It can also be used to describe the period or season during which such runoff is produced. Water produced by snowmelt is an important part of the annual water cycle in many part ...
, bursting of dams,
cloudburst
A cloudburst is an extreme amount of precipitation in a short period of time, sometimes accompanied by hail and thunder, which is capable of creating flood conditions. Cloudbursts can quickly dump large amounts of water, e.g. 25 mm of prec ...
, etc.
Such floods are common due to the high velocity of water with much energetic capacity to carry away everything in its way.
Demographics
According to the
2011 Census of India
The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...
, the population of Didihat Nagar Panchayat was 6,522. Didihat has a
literacy rate
Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
of 91.03%; 95.20% of the men and 86.44% of the women are literate. Didihat's
sex ratio
The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species devia ...
in 2011 was 889 women per 1000 men. Almost all of the residents of Didihat are native
Kumaonis
Kumaonis, also known as Kumaiye and Kumain (in Nepal), are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who speak Kumaoni language as their first-language and live mostly in Kumaon region in the Indian Himalayas .
Kumaoni is also used as an addr ...
. About 20.55% of the population belongs to the
Scheduled Castes
The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...
, numbering over 1,340 in the 2011 census. In addition, the city is home to some 649 people, who belong to the
Scheduled Tribes
The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...
. Didihat is the native place of 'Rajis', a Scheduled Tribe.
Approximately 1,400 people live in slums within the city. Didihat had a population of 4805 according to the
2001 Census and 3514 according to the
1991 Census of India
The 1991 Census of India was the 13th in a series of censuses held in India every decade since 1872.
The population of India was counted as 838,583,988. Developed under the Auspices of the UNESCO, EOLSS Publishers, Paris, France Retrieved 17 Dec ...
.
Economy
Didihat had traditionally been a place where merchants from adjoining areas brought their goods for sale on a prescribed day of the week.
Wool
Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool.
As ...
and
salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
from
tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
was exchanged for
grain
A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legum ...
here.
The "Kumaon Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation" established a "Carpet Center", a "Blanket Production Center" and a "Wool Production and Sales Center" at Didihat for the all-around economic-development of the Scheduled Tribes living here.
Culture
Didihat observes a wide range of festivals. Popular celebrations and observances include
Kumauni Holi, which is celebrated in different forms such as the Baithki Holi, the Khari Holi and the Mahila Holi. The festival of lights,
Deepavali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...
, is celebrated with the lighting of lamps in every house, decorating the floors with rangoli, and sharing of sweets with relatives and Friends.
Kumaoni is the mother tongue of majority in Didihat; however people speak
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
as well. The dialect of
Kumaoni spoken in Didihat is called 'Sirali'.
Village Hat Tharp is famous for its Hiran Chital Festival during rainy season. This village also conducts one of the oldest Ramlila’s of the Didihat area.
People of village Hat Tharp invented a unique idea about conserving their forest by dedicating the whole forest to Maa Bhagwati of Pankhu for 10 years. No one is allowed to take their axe and cut forest, only dry wood collection is allowed.
Tourism
Didihat is a
Himalayan tourist destination situated 43 km from
Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh ( Kumaoni: ''Pithor'garh'') is a Himalayan city with a Municipal Board in Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the fourth largest city of Kumaon and the largest in Kumaon hills. It is an education hub of t ...
. Didihat is situated on the hilltop plain of 'Digtarh' with the river Charamgad (Bhadigad) flowing below. Below the town there is a fertile 'Haat valley'. Within Didihat is the temple (mandir) known as Sirakot (Malaynath Mandir) of Lord Shiva (Bholenath). Another mandir is situated in the top hill of the nanpaupu village is known as dechula.
Views of Himalayan snow-capped peaks can be observed from Didihat, especially
Panchachuli and
Trishul. Didihat is known for the ancient Shirakot Temple of Lord Malay Nath, built by Raika Kings. Approximately 8 km from here, is Narayan Swamy Ashram at Narayan Nagar. The regional Headquarters of
ITBP
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is a border patrol organization of India deployed along its borders with Tibet Autonomous Region. It is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces, established in 1962 in the aftermath of the Sino-Indi ...
is situated at Merthi at 6 km from Didihat.
Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary
Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary is located from Pithoragarh near Askot in Uttarakhand state of India. This sanctuary has been set up primarily with the object of conserving the musk deer ''(Moschus leucogaster)'' and its habitat. Intensive efforts h ...
is administratively situated in Didihat
Tehsil
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
.
There’s a large stone bigger than a house in the middle of a field in Village Hat Tharp known as Bheem Ka Patthar, every year people of village worship there. It is believed Bheem brought that stone and left there.
About 53 km from Didihat, the small hilly town
Berinag
Berinag is a hill station, located 124 km from Pithoragarh city in the Pithoragarh district, which is the easternmost Himalayan district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the six Administrative Subdivisions (tehsil) of Pitho ...
is known for its natural environment. Berinag is also known for its nag mandirs. One small tea garden is also there. One of the most well-known gufa is known as "
Patal Bhuvaneshwar
Patal Bhuvaneshwar (Hindi पाताल भुवनेश्वर) is a limestone cave temple 14 km from Gangolihat in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state in India. It is located in the village of Bhubneshwar. Legend and folk ...
", this is related to "
Pandavas
The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledg ...
"
Dvapara Yuga
''Dvapara Yuga'' ( Dwapara Yuga), in Hinduism, is the third and third best of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by ''Treta Yuga'' and followed by ''Kali Yuga''. ''Dvapara Yuga'' lasts for 864,000 years (2,400 divine y ...
.
Administration
Didihat is a Class-V town and a
nagar palika
In India, a Municipal Council (also known as Municipality, Nagar Palika, or Nagar Palika Parishad) is an Urban Local Body that administers a city of population 100,000 or more. However, there are exceptions to that, as previously Nagar Palikas co ...
in
Pithoragarh district
Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...
in the state of
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
The Didihat city is divided into 4 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. Didihat Nagar Panchayat has a committee consisting of a chairman with ward members. Membership consists of a minimum of ten elected ward members and three nominated members. The Notified Area Committee members of the Nagar Panchayat are elected from the several wards of the Nagar Panchayat on the basis of adult franchise for a term of five years. Two Non-Notified Slums exist in Didihat; Nai Basti having 150 households and G.I.C. Ward with 180 households.
Administratively it is also a
tehsil
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
and a subdivision of the
Pithoragarh district
Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...
.
Tehsil
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
Didihat is divided into three developmental blocks—Didihat,
Kanalichhina
Kanalichhina is a development block in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state of India. It consists of 203 villages with a total 1994 population of 42,174. The geographical latitude of this place is 29°40'33"N and the longitude is 80°16'20" ...
, and
Berinag
Berinag is a hill station, located 124 km from Pithoragarh city in the Pithoragarh district, which is the easternmost Himalayan district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the six Administrative Subdivisions (tehsil) of Pitho ...
. Didihat tehsil is the second most populous tehsil in
Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh ( Kumaoni: ''Pithor'garh'') is a Himalayan city with a Municipal Board in Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the fourth largest city of Kumaon and the largest in Kumaon hills. It is an education hub of t ...
and has the highest number of villages. There are about 367 villages in Didihat Tehsil.
Transport
![Pithoragarh(Didihat)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Pithoragarh%28Didihat%29.jpg)
Buses form the main form of Transport that connect the town to national capital Delhi and other cities. Buses are either run by state controlled
Uttarakhand Transport Corporation
Uttarakhand Transport Corporation also referred to as UTC or Uttarakhand Roadways, is the state run bus service of Uttarakhand state of India. UTC buses serves routes to towns and cities within Uttarakhand and adjoining states and union territt ...
or private K.M.O.U. Nearest Railway station is
Tanakpur
Tanakpur (Kumaoni: टनकपुर) is a city and a municipal board in Champawat district of Uttarakhand state of India. Located in the plains area in the northern part of India. The town is the gateway for Purnagiri Temple (around 24 ...
()
Education
Didihat had a literacy rate of 79% in 2001 which rose to 91.03 percent in 2011. As of 2011, literacy rate among male and female were 95.20 and 86.44 percent respectively.
Schools in Didihat are run either by the municipal corporation, or privately by entities, trusts and corporations. The majority of schools are affiliated with the
Uttarakhand Board of School Education, although some are affiliated with the
Central Board for Secondary Education
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national level board of education in India for public and private schools, controlled and managed by the Government of India. Established in 1929 by a resolution of the government, the Board ...
,
Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) is a privately held national-level board of school education in India that conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Examination for Class X and the India ...
and
National Institute of Open Schooling
The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), formerly National Open School (name changed in 2002), is the board of education under the Union Government of India. It was established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Gove ...
.
References
External links
*
{{Pithoragarh district
Didihat official Instagram page Hill stations in Uttarakhand
Cities and towns in Pithoragarh district