Uttarakhand Day, also known as Uttarakhand Divas or Uttarakhand Sthapna Diwas, is observed on November 9 every year. The hill state, which was earlier known as Uttaranchal, became the 27th state of India on November 9, 2000. Since then, Uttarakhand Diwas is observed every year to mark the State's Foundation Day. This year, on Uttarakhand Divas 2022, the 'Devbhumi' will celebrate its 22nd annual State Foundation Day. Uttarakhand Tourism: Temples, Lakes, Wildlife Sanctuaries – 24 Popular Destinations That Are Must Visit.

Uttarakhand Divas History

After India’s independence in 1947, the Himalayan districts of erstwhile United Provinces caught attention in the regional literature. It was in the year 1949 that the Princely State of Tehri Garhwal acceded to the Union of India. Soon after the Constitution of India was adopted in 1950, the United Provinces were renamed as Uttar Pradesh, becoming the state of India.

Even after several years of independence, the Uttar Pradesh government was unable to address the interests of the people in the Himalayan region. Issues like unemployment, poverty and poor infrastructure led to the creation of a separate hill state. The ‘Uttarakhand Kranti Dal’ was formed for the purpose of achieving statehood, thus gaining momentum and leading to widespread statehood movement across the region in the 90s.

The hill state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000, under the BJP government, after a long-drawn agitation. On this day, it was formed as Uttaranchal under the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, which led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Uttar Pradesh. However, on January 1, 2007, Uttaranchal was renamed Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand Divas Significance

On this special day, a wide range of events and activities on social and cultural themes are held at several places across the state. A large number of festivities are observed majorly in areas including Gairsain, Almora, Mussoorie, New Tehri, and Srinagar, besides the state capital Dehradun. However, celebrations in the state were on hold for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Uttarakhand is a famous tourist destination in North India with mystical mountains, exquisite landscapes, and snow-capped Himalayas in all their glory. The state shares borders with Tibet in the north, Nepal in the east with Himachal Pradesh in the west and Uttar Pradesh in the south.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2022 10:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).