History
The region covered by the district of Chamoli was a part of the district of Pauri garhwal till 1960.
A Brief History of earstwhile rulers who ruled over this area is as follows:-
Till 800 AD
Ruled by Nands, Mauryas, Maukharis, Vardhans etc. Dynasties.
800 AD to middle of 1100 AD
Ruled by Katyuri rulers, Capital at Joshimath, Shankaracharya visited.
Middle of 1100 AD to end of 1200AD
Ruled by Chand of Kumaon and Pala of Garhwal.
End of 1200 AD to middle of 1300 AD
Nepali Rulers
Middle of 13th centaury
Local rulers. Kadil Pal, Ajay Pal (Panwar dynasty).Kumaon rulers and Rohillas fought with Pals for control over Pinder valley.
1790 AD to 1815 AD
Nepali rulers, Gorkha rulers from 1804
1815 AD to 1947 AD
British Rule
1947 AD to 2000 AD
Under U.P. Govt.
2000 AD- till date
Uttarakhand Govt.
It is believed that about 300 BC, Khasa invaded Garhwal through Kashmir, Nepal and Kumaon. Due to this invasion a conflict took place between these outsiders and natives. The natives for their protection built small forts called Garhi. Later on, Khasa defeated the native totally and captured the forts. After Khasa, Kshatiya invaded this land and defeated Khasa and accomplished their regime. They confined Garhwal from hundreds of Garhi in to fifty-two Garhi only. One general of kshatriya (Vashudev Katyuri) established his regime on the northern border of garhwal and founded his capital in joshimath then Kartikeypur. Katyuri was the founder of katyura dynasty in Garhwal and they reign Garhwal over hundreds of years. In this period of katyuri regime Aadi-Guru Sankaracharya visited garhwal and established Jyotrimath which is one of the four famous Peeths established by Aadi-Guru Sankaracharya. He also reinstated idol of lord Badrinath in Badrinath, before this the idol of Badrinath was hidden in Narad-Kund by the fear of Budhas.
Mythological Significance
Today's Garhwal was known as kedar-khand in the past. In puranas kedar-khand was said to be abode of God. It seems from the facts, vedas puranas, Ramayna and Mahabharat that these Hindu scriptures are scripted in kedar-khand. It is believed that God Ganesha wrote the first script of vedas in Vayas gufa situated in the village Mana only four km. from Badrinath. According to Rigveda (1017-19) after Inundation (Jalprlya) Sapt-Rishis saved their lives in the same village Mana.The roots of vedic literature also seems to be originated from Garhwal because the Garhwali language has a lot of words common with Sanskrit. The work place of vedic Rishis are the prominent pilgrim places in Garhwal specially in chamoli like Atrimuni Ashram in Anusuya about 25 km from chamoli town and work place of Kashyap Rishi at Gandhmadan parwat near Badrinath. According to Aadi-Puran, vedvyasa scripted the story of Mahabhrat in Vyas Gufa near Badrinath. Pandukeshwar, a small village situated on the Rishikesh Badrinath high-way from where Badrinath is just 25 km away is regarded as Tapsthali of king Pandu. In Kedar-khand Puran this land is regarded the land of lord Shiva.
Sanjay Gaur
A proud resident of Chamoli Garhwal, who wants our state to be famous throughout the world. Everyone should know the diversity in flora, fauna, tourism, mythology and it should become a tourist paradise and people instead of migrating away from it come back to it.