Haldwani
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Haldwani (Hindi: हल्द्वानी ) is one of the most populous towns in the Indian state of Uttaranchal. It is known as the "Gateway of Kumaon". In Kumaoni (the local dialect), the place is called "Halduvani", after the tree named "Haldu" which was found in abundance prior to deforestation for agriculture and settlement. Kathgodam is a satellite town of Haldwani.
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[edit] Profile
Geologically, Haldwani is settled on a piedmont grade (called Bhabhar) where the mountain rivers go underground to re-emerge in the Indo-Gangetic plain. Eight kilometers north of Haldwani at Ranibagh famous for its Chitrashila ghat, the funeral place for hindu. To the south of Haldwani comes Pantnagar famous for the Pantnagar University. To the east lies the great Gaula river and to the west is Ramnagar. A fair called Uttarayani (also called Ghughutiya in Kumaoni) is held here on Makar Sankranti (on 13-14 of January) every year. The Gaula river is exploited for a large quantity of boulders, sand and gravels every year. Long in the shadow of its famous hill cousins, the Haldwani area has a lot to offer by the way of quaint villages, rolling deciduous forests and open spaces outside the urban sprawl.
[edit] Lifestyle
Haldwani houses people of nearly all the religions and regions. But the majarity of them are kumaoni. One can find variety in all aspects from dishes to clothings, from dialect to architecture. Few years back, the place was not so called modernised. But now Haldwani, boasts off as a trading hub with many shopping centres, branded showrooms, & good hospitals.
The city now seems to be the fastest growing city in the state.It has every thing to offer.Specially very good roads in whole of the area.
[edit] places to visit
naya gaoun near haldwani is a very cool place where u can chill out urself in summers,. ++one more place to visit++ do-gaoun a place from where u can have a good look at haldwani(a top view),this is a place wrere u can feel heavenly,a place to stop when u are going to nainital...if u want to enjoy a ride on ur moterbike u can,drive the devil in haldwani nainital bypass its a very clean road witn no traffic at all...... ("bhupesh gururani")
The place started out as the trade hub between the hilly regions of Kumaon and plains regions. One of the oldest landmarks in Haldwani is the Kalu Sayyad Temple, established when the area was still under dense forest cover.
[edit] Halduani to Haldwani
In 1815, after the British defeated Gorkhas, Gardner was appointed as the Commissioner of Kumaon. Later on Gerorge William Trail took over as Commissioner. In 1834 Trail renamed Halduvani as Haldwani.
[edit] Later Additions
"Gora Padao", 4 km south of Haldwani is named after a British camp/post at that location in the mid 1800s. In 1856, Henry Ramsay took over as the Commissior of Kumaon. He connected Nainital with Kathgodam by road in 1882. In 1883-84, the railway track between Bareilly and Kathgodam was laid. The first train arrived at Haldwani from Lucknow on April 24, 1884. Later, the railway line was extended to Kathgodam. The Arya Samaj Bhavan was built in 1901 and Sanatan Dharm Sabha in 1902. The Tehsil office was opened in 1899. In 1907 Haldwani got the status of town area. Haldwani-Kathgodam Municipal Council was established on September 21, 1942. Currently it is the second largest Municipal Council in the state of Uttaranchal after Haridwar.
[edit] Present & Recent
Well connected with the Indo-Gangetic plain by road (to New Delhi, Dehradun and Lucknow) and rail (New Delhi, Lucknow and Agra), Haldwani is an important commercial hub. It is home to one of the largest vegetable, fruit and foodgrain markets in Northern India.
[edit] Education
Haldwani is also home to the schools which provide an exceptionally high standard of pre-college education, without the elitism and expenses associated with the residential hill schools of Uttaranchal. The major names in the schools include Nirmala Convent Sr. Sec. School, St. Paul's Sr. Sec. School, Beersheba Sr. Secondary School. It also boasts a premier university of agriculture and technology nearby namely Pantnagar University, and a medical college Sushila Tiwari Memorial Medical College.Haldwani is prime city for IT education and most of IT professionals in world wide are from Haldwani, here Big Byte and Future Point Computer School is prime center for Computer Education which provide IT related coachings to MCA, BCA, B.Tech and IT related students, also some other organisation like Amrapali and KIIT are famous for higher education. Besides this Haldwani has over a dozen coaching institutes which attract engineering and medical aspirants from nearby places like Almora, Bageshwar, Ranikhet and Nainital. Haldwani's leading coaching institute TARGET has produced great engineers like Hitendra Bankoti!
[edit] Trade & Commerce
Haldwani boasts of a large sabji mandi, with the supplies to and from nearly all over India. It interfaces to nearly all the farmers of the region. The other income builders of the city is the Gravel extraction from Gaula river.
[edit] Future Plans
There are various plans for the city owing to its importance in the state of Uttaranchal. These include a stadium, flyover etc. And the city needs importance too because in the last 20 years have seen an explosion in the demographics leading to a creaking infrastructure. The city is struggling to live up to its sobriquet of "Green City". sale
