/ground-report/media/post_banners/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/himalaya.jpg)
Himalayas are spread from Hindkush to the valleys of Arunachal. They are said to be the crown of India. World’s tallest peak Mount Everest at 29,029 ft (8,848 m) situated in the Himalayas. Other famous peaks include K2, Kailash, Kanchenjunga, Nanga Parbat, Annapurna, and Manasklu.
/ground-report/media/post_attachments/acaa4cf71e7b05b47ffc0d65b1a7e4cf2944652cd91f55fc5a574444ed91db3f.png "publive-image")
Himalayas are said to be the third largest deposit of ice and snow. It is home to 15,000 glaciers, 9000 glaciers lakes. Siachen Glacier in India Is the largest glacier outside poles and is said to be 72km long. It also has the reputation of being the world's highest war ground.
History
/ground-report/media/post_attachments/bfec907273f425bbfb0cad41c9767131cce1b3ac799e9fc76dd8e7b83c63733e.jpeg "publive-image")
Every year on September 9th Uttarakhand celebrates Himalaya Diwas. In 2015, September 9 was officially declared as Himalaya Day by the then Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat. This day is celebrated to mark the importance of the Himalayas. The Himalayan hill cities face many challenges due to poor building planning and design, poor infrastructure like roads, water supply, sewage etc. and unprecedented felling of trees.
Himalaya Day 2022 was observed under the theme ‘Himalayas will be safe only when the interests of its residents are protected’. Functions were held at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that a committee for study and conservation of the natural water sources of Himalaya and its streams will be set up.
Some facts about Himalayas:
- Himalayan Range is over 2400 km long.
- Himalayas are the youngest mountain ranges in the world, only 70 million year old.
- Youngest mountain range in the world is still growing at the rate of about an inch a year
- Nestled in the Himalayas, Mount Kailash is a spiritual and religious site for 4 religious traditions - Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Bőn.
- Himalayas feed over 20% of world population with river systems like Ganga, Indus and Bhramputra.
- The legend has it that the Himalayas are home of Wildsnow man Yeti.
- Himalayas are the home of some of the most exotic wildlife in the world including Snow leopard, Musk deer, Tibetan sheep, Wild goat and Red Panda etc.
The Himalayas are the result of tectonic plate motions that collided India into Tibet. Because of the great amount of tectonic motion still occurring at the site, the Himalayas have a proportionally high number of earthquakes and tremors. The Himalayas are one of the youngest mountain ranges on the planet. Last Year only heavy destruction was caused due to the breaking of glacier in Uttarakhand.
The Himalayas play an important role in saving and maintaining nature and protecting the country from adverse weather conditions. Apart from being rich in biodiversity of flowers and fauna, the Himalayan range is also responsible for bringing rain to the country. Himalaya Day is also an excellent day to raise awareness among the general public and bring about community participation in conservation activities. The Himalayas are a source of strength and a valuable heritage for the entire world.
Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.
Keep Reading
MP farmers battle stray animals, and sleepless nights to protect crops
Pesticides and agriculture threaten Sarus Cranes at Indore’s Yashwant Sagar wetland
Changing weather patterns impacts soybean crops in the Dewas region of MP
Follow Ground Report on X, Instagram and Facebook for environmental and underreported stories from the margins. Give us feedback on our email id [email protected].
Don't forget to Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Join our community on WhatsApp, Follow our Youtube Channel for video stories.
