At a time when the movie ‘Padmavati’ is eliciting strong reactions from those opposing or supporting it, one was reminded of a queen of Garhwal who was famous for taking stern decisions, defeating the Mughal army and also developing parts of the kingdom including what is now Dehradun. From historical records, one learns that after the death of Garhwal king Mahipati Shah in 1631, his wife Karnavati took over administration of the kingdom on behalf of the seven-year old prince who was ceremoniously anointed king. Rajmata Karnavati got roads built in various parts and facilitated irrigation to boost farming as in villages located between Dehradun and Rajpur which were far apart at that time. She also reorganised and improved the Garhwali army under its chief general Madhosingh Bhandari. Among her advisers was Dost Beg Mughal who was made a captain in the Garhwali army earlier and probably on his suggestion, she started handing out stern punishments to dissenters and criminals like cutting off the noses of those violating the State’s order. While this led to her also being referred to as Nak-Katti Rani, it is also believed that dacoity and other crimes were nearly eradicated. Historians state when Shah Jahan ruled the Mughal empire, the sixth Sikh guru Hargobind Singh after fighting three battles against the Mughals between 1628 and 1634 decided to visit Srinagar, Garhwal to rest. At that time, Swami Ramdas- later the guru of Chatrapati Shivaji- who was on a pilgrimage to Badrinath, met Guru Hargobind at Srinagar in 1634. It is said that Karnavati had assured Ramdas at that time that the Garhwal army will protect this sacred land from Mughal invaders. Later, when the Mughals invaded this region with their army about 55 miles from Srinagar, the rains started and the Garhwal army repelled the invaders. Karnavati handed over reins of the kingdom fully to her son after he reached 18 years of age. The point behind recollecting this history is that one might otherwise not get to know this visiting Dehradun which has a range of monuments and statues, only a few of which point to the rich history of the state beyond a certain era. For a State wanting to capitalise on tourism there is no focus on the remains of the 52 plus forts which dotted the Garhwal region alone, with more in the Kumaon region.
When Uttarakand State recently marked 17 years of its creation, leading personalities including the army chief, railway board chairman and others attended the State Government programme with limited audience. They deliberated upon the problems and solutions for Uttarakhand, though there are those who are skeptical about the outcome of the event. While plans are made about the future of the state and its people, there are many who believe that though the 17 year history of the State is often recalled, the many centuries of history of this region and even the comparatively recent experiences appear to be ignored by the authorities and even the general public. The traditional knowledge, belief system and other factors which guided initiatives like the Chipko Movement seem to be pushed to the background. As a noted environmentalist recalled, when the head of a major industrial family wanted to renovate and increase the dimensions of the Badrinath shrine decades ago, the locals objected and stopped execution of the plan. It was later noted that the unaltered dimensions of the shrine also made it safer from avalanche. With the prime minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurating various developmental works in Kedarnath, there are many who wonder whether the developmental path of the state is taking the right direction. The network of roads has spread and improved but people have continued to migrate from the mountainous regions. Technological facilities have improved and reached a greater area but agriculture, health and education appear to be in need of major improvement. Some opine that the developmental priorities and other factors being experienced in the state are influenced by the problem of identity in a state where all the native languages are said to be in decline. Those failing to see a connection could try to recall a progressive state where the native tongues are ignored. For an identity not clouded by various influences, one should know history and learn from it without prejudice. This seems unlikely now with there being little or no major focus on the history and preservation of its aspects in Uttarakhand apart from those preserved in the shrines. However, old timers warn that sustainable development cannot be achieved in the real sense by ignoring the region’s history and its lessons. Learning history and appreciating the situations at that time will also help remove the negative effects of divisions which can be addressed better.