Bygone Doon by Pradeep Singh

The Doon Valley and its Himalayan hinterland for over two thirds of its undulating length and width were clothed in forests of varied flora and fauna. The geomorphology and ecology was unmatched in its beauty, enriched by the boon of two mighty and revered rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna, and delineated in the south by the verdant Siwaliks. Its charms were legendary as they were enchanting. Memoirs of travellers to the Doon Valley are studded with descriptions of the unique grandeur of its wilderness. In the summer of 1835, Captain Trower crossing the Doon Valley penned his observation: “I cannot describe the mingled emotions of awe and delight which thrilled me as I came up, through these magnificent mountains. I have endeavoured to give an idea of the kind of scenery but pen and ink cannot convey the effect.” The swathe upon swathe of forested Siwaliks and foothills of the upper Doon Valley while pleasing to the eye were nevertheless not very hospitable to the needs of everyday exis...

Water has been central to the growth and stability of all civilisations that have appeared ever since homo sapiens discovered that they were the chosen ones amongst all species by the virtue of having two thumbs, which enabled them not only to grip objects but do it with dexterity. Water that was abundant was also uncontrollable and destructive but had immense potential to provide security amidst an unpredictable environment. The need for food security to increase size of social groups that sought a stable supply of essential commodities impelled the adoption of socially relevant norms and institutions to deliver on this prime necessity. Thus, from its formative stages, a civilisation sought means to control access to water and its distribution to its members. Control over water gave nascent states their power over the people and their livelihood. Several millennia later, water continues to be the most controlled commodity and an exclusive state monopoly. In the Doon Valley, the...

The Suswa Valley at its broadest point, between Nagsidh Range and Phandowala. The river in its stressed state flows to the left of the pic beyond which is the Rajaji National Park! Today it witnessed three seasons in a single day: early morning was a chilly spring, day was early summer, afternoon was shades of monsoon. Though unseasonal rains help no farmer but hopefully it will restore some life into the near toxic Suswa which is still considered the main tributary to the Ganga from Eastern Doon. This micro valley within the greater Doon Valley is still pursuing some of the crop patterns that were worked out with diligence over a century ago, when the pioneers introduced sugarcane plantations and cultivation of pedigreed basmati rice that benefitted from the alluvial riches brought by the Suswa during the monsoons.

Laxman Sidh: Shrine in the Valley Even at the height of the Mughal rule, the Doon Valley was considered terra incognita not only by the state but also by the common man. The impenetrable forests, numerous swamps and marshes and the uplands and ravines in which water flowed rapidly were not a prospect that appealed to either the farmer or the pastoralists. The terrain did not encourage the farmer, and the teeming wildlife deterred the cattle raising communities even if fodder was aplenty. But these very challenging circumstances provided another very select group of men with what they thought was a paradise. The very wilderness that daunted even stalwart men became a beacon for solace seekers and those on a quest for spiritual uplift. The site was selected due to the solitude that pervaded the area and provided the deep silence and seclusion necessary for contemplation and the spiritual quest that was difficult in a material world. These men were able to tap into the concentrat...

When the Doon Valley was opening its portals to the modern world and allowing its length and width to be traversed by seasoned explorers and men of a scientific bent, the countryside presented a mind boggling landscape. Within its confines lay a kaleidoscope of terrain that changed every few miles. From humid steamy jungles, open grasslands, boulder strewn stretches, countless streams to undulating plains and uplands – all this enclosed by the Siwaliks and the Himalayas. However, the single most striking feature of the geomorphology of the Valley was its ubiquitous wetlands that were encountered at regular intervals in a major part of the Doon. Depending on how one looked at the country it presented a mixed bag of surprises. The biodiversity around the wetlands was a wealth of knowledge lying to be unraveled, perhaps untouched since millennia. What did these wetlands do for the ecology of the Valley? Why were they thought of as being an impediment to development? Much depe...