Business in Chattis in British Garhwal

British Administration in Garhwal   -204

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -224

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1057

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

   There were Chattis on Rishikesh –badrinath- Kedarnath –Gangotri-Jamnotri roads. Chatti means a temporary staying place for tourists or pilgrims on main roads. Chattis were within five to eight miles. Local people used to build a hut and offered tourists for staying there. Mostly, it was free stay and pilgrims used to offer tips/inam to Chatti keeper. Chatti keeper used to sell products to pilgrims. Chatti keeper or a business man used to sell local grains, wood, idols, salt, vegetables etc to tourists. After roads becoming comfortable in British Garhwal, tourist numbers increased and so the business increased at Chattis too. Up to Vyas Chatti (Talla Dhangu and Bichhla Dhangu), the local people were owners and beyond that mostly, Kalas of Sumri were Chatti owners (Pau, Garhwal settlement, page 26) . The Sumari villagers used to take their buffalo at each Chatti and used to sell milk there. Pilgrims also needed labor for taking load from one place to other place. Many tourists required ‘Dandi’ or Pinus for carrying old or ill people. There was income for such labors in tourist season. Tourists also required horses at many places as from Guptkashi to Kedarnath. Horsemen are still in business on Guptkashi -Kedarnath road.

References  

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

2- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts Vol.2

3-Moorcrft et all, Travels in Hindustan Vol 1 page 9-56

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India,bjkukreti@gmail.com 23/10/2017

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1058

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

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

 History of British Garhwal, History of Devalgarh Garhwal; History of Badhan Garhwal; History of Barasyun Garhwal; History of Chandpur Garhwal; History of Chaundkot Garhwal; History of  Gangasalan Garhwal;  History of Mallasalan Garhwal;  History ofTallasaln Garhwal; History of Dashauli Garhwal; History of Nagpur Garhwal; Society  in British Garhwal. History of British Garhwal, History of Social Structure and Religious Faith in Chamoli Garhwal, History of Social Structure and Religious Faith of Pauri Garhwal ,  Social and Culture History of Rudraprayag Garhwal