Wow India Travel

High Season : October - March

8-30℃

Low Season : April - September

21-39℃

Nearest Airport -PGH

Pant Nagar Airport

Nearest Train Stations -HDW

Haldwani Railway Station

History

Haldwani is a city that is located in the foothills of Kumaon, Himalayan mountain ranges and comes under Nainital District in Uttarakhand. Haldwani together with Kathgodam becomes a twin township and has a Municipal Corporation from 2011. In Uttarakhand, Haldwani is known as “Gat” and is the third most populous city.

According to the Mughal historians, Gyan Chand, a local ruler of Chand Dynasty visited the Sultanate of Delhi in 14th century and received the regions of Bhabhar-Terai till Ganges as a grant. Later, when the Mughals tried to take over the hills, they could not succeed as the region was a difficult terrain.

In 1856, it came under British Rule and was under Sir Henry Ramsay, Commissioner of Kumaon. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the city came under the control of the rebels of Rohilkhand for a brief time but Sir Henry Ramsay soon declared martial law and the region was cleared of the rebels in 1858.

It was Sir Ramsay who laid road from Nainital to Kathgodam in 1882. Similarly, he also laid railway track from Bareilly to Kathgodam and the first train arrived from Lucknow to Haldwani on 24 April 1884. It was further extended up to Kathgodam.

In 1901, Haldwani’s population was 6,624 and it became the headquarters of the Bhabhar region of Nainital District, United Province. It was also the winter headquarters of both Kumaon and Nainital District. In 1901, the Arya Smaj Bhawan was built while the Sanatan Dharm Sabha was built in 1902. In 1899, Haldwani became the headquarters of Bhabhar Tehsil, one of the four divisions of Nainital District and a tehsil office was also opened here. Originally Bhabhar tehsil was formed with 4 towns, 511 villages, total population of 93445 (1901) with a total area of 1279 sq miles. Until the district of Nainital was formed in 1891, it was under Kumaon District which later called as Almora District.

It became the notified area in 1904 and got the status of town in 1907.

In mid 19th century, there was a British camp/post to the south of Haldwani at 4 Km which was called as Gora Padao. Gora being slang for the British.

Facts & Culture

Haldwani has developed into a colourful bouquet of populations, dialects, cuisine, languages, music and fairs and festivals. All these are the sum total of the culture of the region. The original inhabitants of the area were Kumaonis and Garhwali. In the early 1970s several migrants from Punjab settled here in what was called the Terai region. Thus, there is a mixed population which has given rise to its rich and varied culture.