Champawat

Champawat ( Kumaoni: ''Champāvat'') is a town and a Nagar Palika Parishad in Champawat district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Champawat district. The town was the former capital of the Kumaon Kingdom.

Belief and religion

Champawat is believed to be the place where the Kurmavtar (the turtle incarnation of Lord Vishnu) took place. These days there is a temple called Kranteshwar Mandir, which is dedicated to lord Shiva. It is also believed that the head of Ghatotkacha (son of Bhima and the Rakshasi Hidimbi ) fell here after he died in the battle of Mahabharata. The Gahtku Mandir is the temple dedicated to Ghatotkacha. There is a temple called the Shani Mandir (or Manokamna Purn Mandir Kaula) in the village of Maurari

History

The original name of Champawat is said to be Champavati, which was due to its location on the banks of the Champavati stream. To the west of this region was a fort called Donkot, where the local Rawat kings resided. There are seven ancient temples in the valley of the Champavati stream: Baleshwar, Kranteshwar, Tadkeshwar, Rishneshwar, Dikteshwar, Mallareshwar and Maneshwar, of which, the Baleshwar temple is considered to be the most important. According to a local epic titled Gurupaduka, Champavati, the sister of the Nagas, did penance near the Baleshwar temple of Champawat. In her memory, the temple of Champavati is still located inside the Baleshwar temple complex. According to the Vayu Purana, Champavati was the capital of nine kings of Puri Naga Dynasty.

Champawat was formerly the capital of the Chand dynasty rulers of Kumaon. The Baleshwar Temple built by the Chand rulers in the 12th century is an excellent monument with marvelous stone carving works.

The Champawat Tiger, a man-eating tigress who killed in excess of four hundred people, was named after this town, as she operated primarily in its surrounding area. She was shot in 1907 by the famed hunter Jim Corbett, the first designated man-eater he killed in a 30 year long career.

Geography

Champawat, the administrative headquarters of Champawat district in Uttarakhand, is a small town situated in the Kumaon region of northern India. The city lies at geographical coordinates . Perched at an altitude of about above sea level, Champawat offers a picturesque view of the surrounding Shivalik Hills and the Himalayan foothills. It is strategically located near the town of Tanakpur to the south and the city of Pithoragarh to the northeast, which serves as key urban centers for trade and connectivity in the region. The town itself, covering a relatively small area of , is known for its scenery and cultural heritage. The city of Champawat lies in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand, which was carved out from the Pithoragarh district by the Government of Uttar Pradesh in 1997.

The topography of Champawat is characterized by its rugged hills and undulating terrain. Situated on the lower slopes of the Shivalik range, the city benefits from a cool climate, with winters being cold and summers being moderately pleasant. The region is crisscrossed by numerous seasonal streams and rivers that drain into the larger Kali river system, which plays a significant role in the town's ecosystem and irrigation. The landscape around the city is dominated by forests, agricultural fields, and small settlements, contributing to a unique rural-urban blend.

Geologically, Champawat falls under the seismic zone IV, indicating a relatively high risk of earthquakes. The region is part of the active tectonic belt of the Himalayas, where the Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate, contributing to the complex geological structure of the area. The terrain is largely shaped by these tectonic forces, leading to the formation of steep hills, valleys, and river systems. Additionally, the area is rich in minerals like limestone and gypsum, which are mined in nearby regions. Champawat, like many other parts of Uttarakhand, is vulnerable to landslides and flash floods, especially during the monsoon season. The heavy rains often cause soil erosion, leading to the displacement of communities and damaging infrastructure. Earthquakes also remain a significant threat, as the city is located along a fault zone that has witnessed seismic activity in the past.

Champawat's biodiversity is a defining feature of its geography. The surrounding forests, which cover a substantial portion of the region, support diverse flora such as Chir pine, Teak, Eucalyptus, and various medicinal plants. The fauna of the area includes several species of wild animals like leopards, deer, and birds such as pheasants and partridges. The government has made significant efforts to preserve the ecological balance, with the establishment of protected areas and conservation programs.

Tehsil

Total No of Tehsil in Champawat District

* Pati
* Shri Poornagiri
* Champawat
* Lohaghat
* Barakot

Climate

Champawat has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with distinct wet and dry seasons. Due to its high elevation, Champawat usually enjoys a more moderate climate throughout the year. The average temperature for the year in Champawat is . The warmest month, on average, is June with an average temperature of . The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of . The average amount of precipitation for the year in Champawat is . The month with the most precipitation on average is July with of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is November with an average of . There are an average of 43.8 days of precipitation, with the most precipitation occurring in August with 10.9 days and the least precipitation occurring in November with 0.6 days.

Tourism

Due to its cooler temperatures Champawat is a conduit for tourists visiting Pithoragarh, Dharchula, Almora and other mountain towns. The long winding sealed roads leading up to Champawat through Tanakpur are a common route for motorcyclists. Champawat has multiple hotels and guesthouses for individuals visiting the town. Bal Mithai of Champawat is known for its unique taste. According to India.com, Champawat was ranked among ten most peaceful places in India. Several other non governmental organisations also ranked Champawat among ten most peaceful places in India.

Demographics

Champawat had a population of 4801 in 2011 within its administrative limits on a land area of , 21.3% up from 3958 in 2001. Out of the total Population, 2,543 are males while 2,258 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.

Population of Children with age of 0–6 is 554 which is 11.54% of total population of Champawat. In Champawat, Female Sex Ratio is of 888 against state average of 963. Moreover, Child Sex Ratio in Champawat is around 748 compared to Uttarakhand state average of 890. Literacy rate of Champawat city is 91.69% higher than state average of 78.82%. The Male literacy is around 95.91% while female literacy rate is 87.04%.

Schedule Caste constitutes 18.60% while Schedule Tribe were 0.94% of total population in Champawat. Out of total population, 1,356 were engaged in work or business activity. Of this 1,103 were males while 253 were females. Of total 1356 working population, 95.28% were engaged in Main Work while 4.72% of total workers were engaged in Marginal Work.

Transport

Champawat lies on the National Highway 9. The highway running from Malout in Punjab to Askot in uttarakhand connects Champawat with Delhi, Rudrapur, Tanakpur and Pithoragarh. As of 2011, the town has a small road network of , maintained by the municipal board.

Popular modes of transport are shared taxis and buses run by Uttarakhand Transport Corporation and Kumaon Motor Owners Union, which connect Champawat to Delhi and other major cities in the state of Uttarakhand, such as Dehradun, Tanakpur, Haldwani, Pithoragarh, Almora and Rudrapur. The Champawat Bus Station, located in Shant Bazar locality of the town, was inaugurated on 27 Jan 2019.

The Naini Saini Airport in Pithoragarh, located at a distance of from the town is the nearest Airport, that connects it with Dehradun. The Pantnagar Airport, located at a distance of , provides air connectivity with Delhi. The nearest railhead is at Tanakpur, at a distance of , which has direct rail connections with major cities of India including Delhi, Agra, Lucknow and Kolkata.

Education

As of 2011, there are eight primary schools, three middle schools, two secondary schools, two senior secondary schools / Inter colleges and one degree College in the town. The Govt. P.G. College, Champawat - the only degree college in the town was established in 1996, and was previously affiliated to Kumaun University, Nainital. The college, along with all other degree colleges of Champawat district got affiliated to Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, when it was founded in 2020.

See also

* Advaita Ashrama
* Gurudwara Reetha Sahib

References

External links

Champawat city, Official website

Champwat website from Government of India Portal

{{Kumaon

Cities and towns in Champawat district
Hill stations in Uttarakhand
Former capital cities in India