I never imagined that within Uttaranchal, I'll find a region like Garhwal- a paradise. The Garhwal Himalayas have nurtured civilization from the wee hours of history. My guide Pinku told me that Garhwal have voluminous mythology of the Puranic period. He handed me a book on Garwhal history. In the book, it was written that the traditional name of Garhwal was Uttarakhand and excavations have revealed that it formed part of the Mauryan Empire. It also finds mention in the 7th-century travelogue of Huen Tsang. By going through the book I came to know that it is Adi Shankaracharya who is usually linked with Garhwal. He was the one who visited the snow-laden heights of Garhwal, established a math (Joshimath) and resorted some of the most sacred shrines, including Badrinath and Kedarnath.

Garhwal resembles other parts of the Himalayas where various ethnic groups live side by side. Following chiefly the agrarian-pastoral way of life, native Garhwalis make their living from the hilly land the best they can. Some, like the Bhotia traders, migrate far and wide, although the ancient trade routes with Tibet have been closed since 1950. Most of the indigenous people like Jaunsari, Bhotia, Buksha, Tharu, and Raji are heterodox Hindus and Buddhists, while Sikh migrants from West Punjab have settled in the lowlands since 1947. A few Muslim groups are also native to the area, although most of them have settled recently. The Muslim Gujjar herders also migrate to the hills.

Personaly I think that the Garhwal Himalayas are a trekkers delight. The beauty of Garhwal hills is picture-perfect, a fusion of high mountain valleys and lakes, of many streams and among India's greatest rivers. Comprising the districts of Uttarkashi, Tehri-Garhwal, Pauri-Garhwal, Dehra Dun and Chamoli, the Garhwal hills are a vertible paradise for trekkers.