History of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand) - Part -7

 Mongolian Kirat culture in Garhwal Kumaon (Uttarakhand) 

History of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand) - Part -7 

Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-3

[Notes on Mongolian Kirat culture in Garhwal Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Pithauragarh Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Bageshwar Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Champawat Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Almora Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Nainital Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Gangotri Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Yamuna Valley Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Bhilangna valley Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Tihri Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Uttarkashi Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Chamoli Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Rudraprayag  Garhwal (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Pauri Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Haridwar/Hardwar Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Dehradun Garhwal  (Uttarakhand)]

                                                   Bhishma Kukreti 

                    Kirat, Kirati, Kiranti ,  Kirant, kimpurush, Kinnar,  Keer, Chir or  Chilyat  are now indigenous ethnic groups of Mid Himalayas. Prototype Tibeto Burmans originated in Yellow River Basin around 10000- 30000 years back. They migrated to Himalayan belt via Assam, Burma, and Yunnan in ancient time. 

                      The historian as Dr. Dabral states that Tharu in Bhabhar regions, Mihir of Tarai and Gir, Ghirat of Kashmir /Kangda are descendent of Kirat. It is believed that Kirats invaded Garhwal –Kumaun 2500- 3000 BC. Kirats pushded Kol Mund people of Uttarakhand towards north –Tibet border or Kol Mund civilization merged with Kirat culture.

             There are abundant mentions of Kirat of Himalayas people in Vedic literature, Bajsaneh Samhita, Atharved, Shatpath, Shankhyayan, Jaimniy, Matsy Puran, Markendey Puran, Vayu Puran, Brahmand Puran literature. Kaalidas mentioned Kirat living in Kumaon, Garhwal, Nepal and Mansarovar in his literature. Rajikirat caste of Kumaon is descendent of Kirats. Same way,   Ghirat, Bogsa, Tharu, Mihir are called the descendent of Kirat civilization.       

  The Kirats were characterized by flat face, flat forehead, flat nose, less hair on face, yellow or whitish color, less height, very strong built.

 As far as Garhwal is concerned, Gangotri, Bhilangana valley and Yamuna valley were main centers of kirat civilization. The village names Kirkhu, Khirsu, Kirmana, Kirmola, Kirsiya are also indicate the prominence of Kirat civilization in Uttarakhand 3000 B.C.

  Kirat took many cultural symbols especially –Kantya, Dag, Bhoot prêt, Pitripret, Ghat etc from Kol Mund culture.

                                                Kirat Culture     

  Kirat of Uttarakhand were hunter, had domestic animals, were used blankets, the culture were aware of bear, dear, Kastura, bats, bugs, frog etc.

 The Kirats used to build cantors for farming in Uttarakhand.

The family relations oriented words were also developed by kirats –father, mother, grandfather, and grandmother etc.

              Kirat gifted the deities as Rudra, Bhairav and Ghantakarn deities to Indian culture. Aryan (vedic culture) were enemies of Kirat culture but in later stage as Veda named Rudra as Girishant, Giritra, Girish, Girichar, Girishay.  Kritivasa was one of the important deities of Kirat.

References and Further Reading Suggestions:

Badri Datt Pandey, 1937, Kumaun ka Itihas, (second edition.) Shyam Prakashan, Almora (page 155-179)

Dabral, Shiv Prasad, Uttarakhand ka Itihas Bhag-2, (pages117 to321), Veer Gath Press, Dogadda, India

Dinesh Prasad Saklani, 1998, Ancient Communities of the Himalayas

D.D Sharma, 2009, Cultural History of Uttarakhand

Hari Krishna Raturi, 1921, Garhwal ka Itihas

Sluser, Mery 1982, Nepal Mandal

Hasrat 1977, on Kirat of Nepal

Moktan  ,Dupwangel Tamang , 1998 Book of Thu:Chen Thu: Jang

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 9/4/2013

(The write up is for general readers and may not be properly suitable for history research scholars)

History of Garhwal –Kumaon (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -8

Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas- to be continued…4

Comments  on Mongolian Kirat culture in Garhwal Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Pithauragarh Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Bageshwar Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Champawat Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Almora Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Nainital Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Gangotri Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Yamuna Valley Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Bhilangna valley Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Tihri Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Uttarkashi Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Chamoli Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Rudraprayag  Garhwal (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Pauri Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Haridwar/Hardwar Garhwal  (Uttarakhand); Mongolian Kirat culture in Dehradun Garhwal  (Uttarakhand to be continued…