Jaunsar-Bawar jaunsari |
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village | |
Location in Uttarakhand, India | |
Coordinates: 30°45′N 77°50′E / 30.75°N 77.83°ECoordinates: 30°45′N 77°50′E / 30.75°N 77.83°E | |
Country | India |
State | Uttarakhand |
District | Dehradun |
Founded by | rana's |
Elevation | 2,118 m (6,949 ft) |
Population (2001) | |
• Total | 90,000 |
Languages | |
• Official | Hindi |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Vehicle registration | UK |
Website | uk |
Jaunsar-Bawar is a hilly region, 85 km from Mussoorie, in Chakrata tehsil, in Dehradun district, it represents the geographical region inhabited by the Jaunsaris, which traces its origin from the Pandavas of Mahabharata & Rajputs of Rajasthan.
Ethnically, Jaunsar-Bawar comprises two regions, inhabited by the two predominant tribes: Jaunsar, the lower half, while the snow-clad upper region is called Bawar, which includes, the 'Kharamba peak' (3,084 metres (10,118 ft)). Geographically adjacent, they are not very different from each other. The Bawar lies in the upper regions of the area. They are a unique tribal community because they have remained cut off from the external world for centuries, leading to the retention of their unique culture and traditions, which have attracted historians, anthropologist and studies in ethnopharmacology to this region for over a century. There is a significant cultural shift from other people of Garhwal, living close by.
The Jaunsar-Bawar region, is a valley, spread over 1002 km² and 400 villages, between 77.45' and 78.7'20" East to 30.31' and 31.3'3" North. It is defined in the east, by the river Yamuna and by river Tons in the west, the northern part comprises Uttarkashi district, and some parts of Himachal Pradesh, the Dehradun tehsil forms its southern periphery.
Modes of livelihood in this region are agriculture and animal husbandry, which in the upper region is mostly for self-sustenance, as merely 10 percent of cultivated area is irrigated. Milk, wool and meat are an integral part of the local economy.
Before the establishment of British Indian Army cantonment in 1866, the entire area was known as Jaunsar-Bawar, and the name continued to be in popular use for the region, till the early 20th century. While western Hindi was popular in most of the neighbouring hill areas, Jaunsari language, part of the Central Pahari languages was spoken by most of the people of the region.
Traditionally, Jaunsar-Bawar region is known for its rich reserves of forested areas, in the high hills region, with trees of Deodar, Pine, and spruce, made for it becoming an important destination for the timber even during the British period, when the logs were rolled down the slopes and floated on Yamuna river to Delhi. Gate system, time table based traffic diversion on one way hilly roads, which was there since the time of British, is now removed.