Chakrata

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?Chakrata Uttarakhand • India
Chakrata
Coordinates: 30°41′N 77°52′E / 30.69, 77.86
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 2,118 m (6,949 ft)
District(s)	Dehradun
Population	3,497 (2001)

Coordinates: 30°41′N 77°52′E / 30.69, 77.86 Chakrata or Chakrauta (चक्राता) is a cantonment town in Dehradun district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.

It is situated between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 5,500-6,500 feet, 92 km from state capital, Dehradun, it was originally a cantonment of British Indian Army. Due west lies Himachal Pradesh, and due east are Mussoorie (73 km), Garhwal.

1 History
2 The cantonment
3 Local attractions
4 Demographics
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

The area was earlier known as Jaunsar bawar, a near by village ^[1], belonging to the Jaunsari tribe, which still has a marked presence in the surrounding villages.

A cantonment of British Indian Army, was established in 1866 by Colonel Hume of the 55th Regiment, British Indian Army ^[2], and the troops and officers first occupied the cantonment in April 1869 ^[3].

View from Deovan of Chakrata

In 1901, Chakrata Tahsil was part of the Dehradun district, of United Provinces, with a collective population of 51,101, which consisted of the towns of Chakrata (population 1250 and Kalsi, with a population of 760 ^[1], which is most known for the rock edict of the Mauryan king Ashoka 2nd century BC, first discovered by John Forest, in 1860 ^[4].

[edit] The cantonment

Chakrata is an access-restricted military cantonment, and foreigners face severe restrictions in visiting. Notably, it is the permanent garrison of the secretive and elite Special Frontier Force, also known as Establishment 22 ( called "Two-Two"), the only ethnic Tibetan unit of the Indian Army, which was raised after the Indo-China War of 1962. Various kinds of weapons and survival training is also imparted by R&AW and other intelligence services in Chakrata, in support of various Indian foreign policy goals, especially pertaining to other countries in the Indian Subcontinent.

[edit] Local attractions

The area has an abundance of conikrs, rhododendrons and oaks. A key attraction near Chakrata is the waterfall named Tiger Fall. A secluded -nearby, leafy hamlet of Deoban is offered a panoramic view of the Himalayas stretching from Kinnaur to Garhwal and Kumaon.

The region also has a host of temples including ones at Hanol a temple dedicated to Lord Mahasu; Radina, Thaina, Indroli, Lakhwar, and Lakhamandal, on the banks of river Yamuna, known for its ancient Shiva Temple, which traces its existence to the legends of Mahabharata, the village also has several natural caves ^[5] ^[6].

The alpine meadows of Mundali (2776 mts.), offers skiing opportunities, November to April.

There are approx. 2-3 basic private hotels in Chakrata, and some dhabas. Petrol and diesel are hard to come by (for civilians), but can be obtained in small quantities from local traders.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census,^[7] Chakrata had a population of 3497, belonging to the Jaunsari tribe ^[6]. Males constitute 62% of the population and females 38%. Chakrata has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; w ith male literacy of 81% and female literacy of 65%. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.