Since the formation of groups dedicated to sustaining the cultures of Uttarakhand overseas in the early 1990s, the sharing of information about happenings back home have been one of the key aspects in bringing these associations together.

For early comers and recent immigrants alike, news of any sort from our native hills used to be hard to come by. In the 70s and 80s when many of the current migrants left home for distant shores, it was a real struggle to get any sort of news, let alone books or articles about Garhwal or Kumaon. Moreover, the idea of statehood seemed like a distant dream, spoken about, but never really considered a possibility until 1994, when Uttarakhand was aflame, and everyone back home seemed to be involved in the movement. Yet even then, news filtered out in dribs and drabs.

Fortuitously, the Uttarakhand movement coincided with the advent of the internet. This web site, the first so dedicated to Uttarakhand and the movement for statehood, came about in 1997 largely due to this greatly expanded flow of information that made international networking possible. For a couple of years, the web site developed, aided by resources from South Asian libraries throughout the US as well as new friends who stumbled upon the site and shared their knowledge and experience. In the last two years, this uttarakhand.org site (originally, geocities.com/~karnavati) was joined by several others including uttaranchal.ws, garhwalhimalayas.com, and hamarauttaranchal.com. Moreover, major Indian newspapers began keeping archives, covering the birth of Uttaranchal and subsequent events.

However, local perspectives have remained elusive and it has been difficult to ascertain the hearts and minds of our kin back home without the filtering of the major news media. Luckily, we now have the good fortune to be able to subscribe to a particular Hindi-language magazine that has been publishing monthly since 15 August, 1947. YUGWANI has been at the forefront of every major development in Uttarakhand, its humble roots tracing back to the agitation against the Tehri raja, right through the Chipko movement and Uttarakhand Andolan.

For subscription information, please visit:

www.geocities.com/yugwani

or you can write and send a check ($30 USD per year) to:

Yugwani
14-B, Cross Road,
Dehradun, Uttaranchal,
India.
[email protected]

By subscribing to Yugwani and similar magazines, the expatriate community can play a crucial role in supporting local media that give local people a voice.

Other endeavors presently on the net have included both personal and institutional projects. One local journalist, Vipul Dhasmana, has taken the initiative to report current events on the web at personal.vsnl.com/highlander/ug.html -- his work is an attempt to monitor the political situation in our new state for the benefit of all its citizens whose right to information is paramount.

Also available on the net is the garhwalpost.com, an English-language fortnightly that provides news and commentary on Uttarakhand politics.

One significant organized effort to document the society, culture, history, and environment of Uttarakhand specifically, and the Himalaya in general is that of PAHAR, the People's Association For Himalaya Area Research. PAHAR has been publishing an annual reference journal on Himalayan research for almost 20 years, while releasing booklets on a whole range of topics, from Uttarakhandi luminaries such as Chander Singh Garhwali, the poet Gumani, Gaurda, Chandra Kunwar Barthwal, Gopi Das & Mohan Singh Reethagarhi, to specific investigative studies on the geography and ecology of the region. PAHAR has also organized study treks and tours and awareness programmes (visit paharhimalaya.org maintained by Deepak Pant for a full list of treks), many led by members of the advisory board consisting of such eminent personnages as Chandi Prasad Bhatt, P.C. Joshi, A.N. Purohit, Madhav Gadgil, and M.S. Swaminathan.

Annual memberships run at $20 USD, while life and special memberships cost $250 and $500 respectively. Funds can be remitted in the name of PAHAR, Nainital, India by bank draft or international money order.

Every member gets the annual Pahar, Pahar Pustika, posters free of cost, and special discounts on other PAHAR publications.

Contact:

PAHAR
'Parikrama', Talla Danda
Nainital, Uttarakhand
263002 INDIA

PAHAR's past work and collaborations has put it at the forefront, like Yugwani, of the struggle to preserve Uttarakhand's unique natural and cultural heritage. Its approach has been marked with scientific thoroughness, and it is well regarded in academic circles. In fact it is seen as a starting point for conducting any study as its director, historian Shekhar Pathak, is a chief authority on all matters Uttarakhandi. As such, PAHAR deserves our sustained support.

Best of luck in your endeavours,

Rajiv Rawat
Board of Directors, UANA
Secretary, Uttarakhand Support Committee