"Mi" means people, and "Zo" means highland.

Tara Dutt Gairola was a prominent Garhwali writer, poet, and historian. He compiled folk stories and songs and also contributed to the study of Garhwal's history and culture, including works like “The Songs of the Hill Folk of Garhwal”.

Lusei (or Lushei) is the largest and most influential tribe.

The Bagwal Fair, especially celebrated at Devidhura, is believed to commemorate a military victory of the Chand dynasty. The fair is also known for its ritual stone-throwing battle, now done symbolically.

Historical records suggest they migrated from China through Burma.

Henry Ramsay served as the Commissioner of Kumaon from 1856 to 1884 and was highly respected by the locals for his just and efficient administration. He came to be fondly called the “King of Kumaon” by the people.

The Jageshwar temple complex near Almora consists of over 100 stone temples. Most were built and renovated during the reign of the Katyuri kings, who promoted Shaivism and temple architecture in the region.

Mizos are the major tribe and original inhabitants of the region.

Govind Ballabh Pant, along with other leaders, played a vital role in abolishing the oppressive Coolie Begar system, under which villagers were forced to carry British officials and their baggage without pay.

The Katyuri dynasty had their capital at Kartikeyapura, which corresponds to present-day Baijnath in Bageshwar district. It was a prominent political and cultural center during their reign from the 7th to 11th century CE.

George William Traill was appointed Commissioner of Kumaon in 1815. He implemented the ‘non-regulation system’, giving wide powers to the Commissioner due to the difficult terrain and tribal customs, bypassing the usual legal framework.

Badri Datt Pandey, a freedom fighter, journalist, and historian, authored “History of Kumaon”, which remains one of the most respected and authentic sources on the history of the region.

The Lohba Revolt was part of the 1857 uprising where local leaders and villagers in Almora district rose against the British. Though not widely known, it was one of the first uprisings in the hill region during the Revolt of 1857.

Before unification by Ajay Pal, Garhwal was a fragmented region with 52 separate ‘Garhs’ or small principalities, each ruled by a local chief or king. Ajay Pal united these into a single kingdom in the 14th century.

The Battle of Khurbura (1804) was fought between the Gorkhas and the Garhwal King Pradyumna Shah. The king was killed in battle, and the Gorkhas captured Garhwal, ruling it until their defeat by the British in 1815.

Praja Mandal movements were launched in princely states like Tehri Garhwal in the 1930s–40s. They demanded civil rights, end of autocratic rule, and integration with independent India. Leaders like Sridev Suman played a key role.

Jahangir, in his memoirs “Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri”, described his failed expedition against Garhwal and the bravery of King Mahipat Shah. The Mughals could not gain a stronghold in the Garhwal region due to the rugged terrain and strong resistance.

The Tehri Garhwal princely state was ruled by the Shah dynasty until 1948, when Manabendra Shah, the last ruler, agreed to merge the state with the Indian Union. It became part of the United Provinces.

In 1916, the Salt Satyagraha (Salt Tax Protest) occurred in Kumaon, led by Badri Datt Pandey. It was one of the earliest organized resistance movements in the region against British taxation policies.

Baz Bahadur Chand, a prominent ruler of the Chand Dynasty, built the Golu Devta temple at Chitai in Champawat district. Golu Devta is revered as the God of Justice in Uttarakhand.

The Chand Dynasty ruled Kumaon from the 11th to 18th century. Their initial capital was Champawat, later shifted to Almora by Raja Rudra Chand. The dynasty built many temples and promoted art and architecture in the region.

The Skanda Purana refers to the present-day Uttarakhand as “Kedarkhand” (Garhwal region) and “Manaskhand” (Kumaon region). These texts describe religious places like Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Nainital, highlighting the region’s spiritual significance since ancient times.

The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) was formed in 1979 and became the first political party to officially demand a separate state of Uttarakhand, focusing on issues of regional identity, development, and self-governance.

Kalu Singh, a sepoy from Pauri Garhwal, participated in the 1857 rebellion. He is considered one of the first martyrs from Uttarakhand, executed by the British for his role in the uprising.

The Coolie-Begar Movement (1921) in Kumaon was a major peasant protest against the forced labor system (begar) under the British. It gained strength during the Non-Cooperation Movement, led by activists like Badri Datt Pandey.

Ajay Pal (14th century) unified the Garhwal region, which was previously divided among small principalities. He established Srinagar (Garhwal) as the capital and laid the foundation for a unified Garhwal Kingdom.

Pradyumna Shah, the ruler of Garhwal, died fighting the Gorkhas in the Battle of Khurbura (1804). After his death and Gorkha occupation, the region later came under British control.

The Treaty of Sugauli (1815-1816) marked the end of the Anglo-Nepalese War, under which Nepal ceded large tracts of land (including Kumaon and Garhwal) to the British East India Company.