Rural conditions in British Garhwal

 British Administration in Garhwal   -167

       -

History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -187

-

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1019

-

                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

         At the initial stage of British rule, the human settlements in Bhabhar were near water sources. Bijnor section was administrating Bhabhar. Garhwalis did not wish for settling in Bhabhar till 1947 as they believed that by settling in Bhabhar, they would lose next generation.

   Garhwalis used to stay in hilly regions. People used to settle where there was water source very near, there was plenty land for animal grazing and had opportunity for travelling one place to other place.  People built huts or houses on stony rocky place at higher place where sun shine was for long; where there was no fear of landslides, no chance of stone, landslide falling on them, water was very near and no fear of flooding. Those were real requirement. People did not settle in river , rivulet banks.

     From protection point of view, 10-15 houses were there at one place. In many villages, houses were built as fortress (Kotha). Upper class had houses at upper side (Bithan) and scheduled caste families were always at lower side  (Duman)of village. Families of sub castes used to have houses at one place and other castes just nearby but other place and called Khwal.

   At initial stage of British rule, water source was in the village but slowly due to rapid changes, many villages lost water sources by drying the water source or flown away due to landslide.As around 1890 or so, in Jaspur (Malla Dhangu, Pauri Garhwal), there was big landslide and water source flown away.

                                          Houses in British Garhwal

                      The house walls were made of stones and roofs were made by flat grey stones or fibers and leaves. In upper Garhwal as in upper Mandakini or Alaknanda source regions (Bhotia region), the houses were built by wood. People in Bhotia region, the roof were made by wood plates and then mud was settled on wood. Usually, houses were of ground floor and fist floor houses. There was no custom of keeping window.

  Usually, houses of a village were in two rows. One house or two houses were there at dead end and only one way was left for passage as happened in fort. It was a need for protection from looters. At initial stage, domestic animals were kept at ground floor or very near gaushalas.

XXX   

References  

1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 343-456

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India,bjkukreti@gmail.com 28/8/201710History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1020

-

*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

-

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

Forest settlement , History of British Rule, Administration , Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; Forest settlement , History of British Rule , Administration , Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; Forest settlement ,  History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; Patwari , Civil Police History of British Rule, Forest settlement,  Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;