46 Abode of Gods

The land

The territory east of Alaknanda on the one hand, Nainital-
Almora on the other and Bijnore, Dehradun district in the
south was known as Paurl Garhwal (British Garhwal) and the
territory of Alaknanda on the one hand, Pauri—on the
east, Sirmaur and Saharanpur in the north was known as
Tehri-Garhwal (Royal Garhwal) till 1960. Chamoli was
carved out of Pauri Garhwal, and Uttarkashi outofTehri
Garhwal in 1960. This region is very well connected with the
roads from Rishikesh and Kotdwar which merge at Srinagar
and from here, the road climbs all along the Mandakini and
Alaknanda right tipto Gaurikund in Kedarnath and Badrinath
•dham. Starting from Kotdwar to Srinagar, the road passes
through Dogadda and Satpuli to Paurl where the District and
Divisional headquarters are located. Pauri presents infinite
view of britliant Himalayan panorama.

The road descends down from Pauri to Srinagar. Srinagar
is a beautiful town which is gradually coming up. It was once
seat of the Panwar kings but due to Guikha plundering and
the floods the town lost most of its magnificent buildings
particularly in the floods of 1830 when most of the magnificent
buildings, parts of which could still be seen or imagined
through the paintings of Maularam. However, Srinagar still
preserves some remnants of the glorious past,

A little ahead of Srinagar is Rudraprayag which is known
for the confluence of Mandakini and Alaknanda. The spot
where Jim Corbett had his famous kill of a v tiger suddenly
brought this incongrous place inte a famed place;

Across Mandakini lies the glorious Kedarriath valley.

the main route teaches to Badrinath all along the upstrearii
of Alaknanda passing through Rudraprayag, Karanpraya^i
Cbamofi andd Joshimath. •"•'• "" . •''*•' .:- ' •". "<" '- ' ' •'•r "'

Qarhwalis prefer physical labour and they are good tillers.
Iti short, they arfe honest and halr^workisg. This makes ''them
intrepid fighters which facilitated their entry "into Garhwal
regiiiaemt and in 1S5S they wef* combined in the 2nd Battalion
of the Hiirdl Gorkha regiment" in ^ Alnidrk v and- were