Champawat

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title: "Champawat" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["champawat", "cities-and-towns-in-champawat-district", "hill-stations-in-uttarakhand", "former-capital-cities-in-india"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champawat" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Champawat
other_name	Kali Kumaon
settlement_type	Town
image_skyline	File:Champawat town.jpg
image_caption	Champawat Town
pushpin_map	India Uttarakhand#India
pushpin_map_caption	Location in Uttarakhand, India
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	India
subdivision_type1	State
subdivision_name1	Uttarakhand
subdivision_type3	District
subdivision_name3	Champawat
subdivision_type2	Division
subdivision_name2	Kumaon
established_title
government_type
governing_body	Nagar Palika
unit_pref	Metric
area_total_km2	5
elevation_m	1615
population_total	4801
population_as_of	2011
population_density_km2	auto
demographics_type1	Languages
demographics1_title1	Official
demographics1_info1	Hindi
timezone1	IST
utc_offset1	+5:30
postal_code_type	262523
postal_code	262523
registration_plate	UK-03
website
::

::callout[type=note] the municipality in Uttarakhand, India ::

| name = Champawat | other_name = Kali Kumaon | nickname = | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = File:Champawat town.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = Champawat Town | pushpin_map = India Uttarakhand#India | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Uttarakhand, India | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = India | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Uttarakhand | subdivision_type3 = District | subdivision_name3 = Champawat | subdivision_type2 = Division | subdivision_name2 = Kumaon | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | named_for = | government_type = | | governing_body = Nagar Palika | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_rank = | area_total_km2 = 5 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 1615 | population_total = 4801 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_rank = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_footnotes = | demographics_type1 = Languages | demographics1_title1 = Official | demographics1_info1 = Hindi | timezone1 = IST | utc_offset1 = +5:30 | postal_code_type = 262523 | postal_code = 262523 | registration_plate = UK-03 | website = | footnotes = | official_name = Champawat (Kumaoni: Champāvat) is a town and a Nagar Palika Parishad in Champawat district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Champawat district. The town was the former capital of the Kumaon Kingdom.

Belief and religion

Champawat is believed to be the place where the Kurmavtar (the turtle incarnation of Lord Vishnu) took place. These days there is a temple called Kranteshwar Mandir, which is dedicated to lord Shiva. It is also believed that the head of Ghatotkacha (son of Bhima and the Rakshasi Hidimbi ) fell here after he died in the battle of Mahabharata. The Gahtku Mandir is the temple dedicated to Ghatotkacha. There is a temple called the Shani Mandir (or Manokamna Purn Mandir Kaula) in the village of Maurari

History

The original name of Champawat is said to be Champavati, which was due to its location on the banks of the Champavati stream. To the west of this region was a fort called Donkot, where the local Rawat kings resided. There are seven ancient temples in the valley of the Champavati stream: Baleshwar, Kranteshwar, Tadkeshwar, Rishneshwar, Dikteshwar, Mallareshwar and Maneshwar, of which, the Baleshwar temple is considered to be the most important. According to a local epic titled Gurupaduka, Champavati, the sister of the Nagas, did penance near the Baleshwar temple of Champawat. In her memory, the temple of Champavati is still located inside the Baleshwar temple complex. According to the Vayu Purana, Champavati was the capital of nine kings of Puri Naga Dynasty.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Fort_and_the_capital_city_of_Kali_Kumaon,_Champawat,_1815.jpg" caption="Fort and the capital city of Kali Kumaon, Champawat, 1815."] ::

Champawat was formerly the capital of the Chand dynasty rulers of Kumaon. The Baleshwar Temple built by the Chand rulers in the 12th century is an excellent monument with marvelous stone carving works.

The Champawat Tiger, a man-eating tigress who killed in excess of four hundred people, was named after this town, as she operated primarily in its surrounding area. She was shot in 1907 by the famed hunter Jim Corbett, the first designated man-eater he killed in a 30 year long career.

Geography

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Goral_field_-panoramio(4).jpg" caption="Goral field"] ::

Champawat, the administrative headquarters of Champawat district in Uttarakhand, is a small town situated in the Kumaon region of northern India. The city lies at geographical coordinates . Perched at an altitude of about 1615 m above sea level, Champawat offers a picturesque view of the surrounding Shivalik Hills and the Himalayan foothills. It is strategically located near the town of Tanakpur to the south and the city of Pithoragarh to the northeast, which serves as key urban centers for trade and connectivity in the region. The town itself, covering a relatively small area of 5 km2, is known for its scenery and cultural heritage. The city of Champawat lies in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand, which was carved out from the Pithoragarh district by the Government of Uttar Pradesh in 1997.

The topography of Champawat is characterized by its rugged hills and undulating terrain. Situated on the lower slopes of the Shivalik range, the city benefits from a cool climate, with winters being cold and summers being moderately pleasant. The region is crisscrossed by numerous seasonal streams and rivers that drain into the larger Kali river system, which plays a significant role in the town's ecosystem and irrigation. The landscape around the city is dominated by forests, agricultural fields, and small settlements, contributing to a unique rural-urban blend.

Geologically, Champawat falls under the seismic zone IV, indicating a relatively high risk of earthquakes. The region is part of the active tectonic belt of the Himalayas, where the Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate, contributing to the complex geological structure of the area. The terrain is largely shaped by these tectonic forces, leading to the formation of steep hills, valleys, and river systems. Additionally, the area is rich in minerals like limestone and gypsum, which are mined in nearby regions. Champawat, like many other parts of Uttarakhand, is vulnerable to landslides and flash floods, especially during the monsoon season. The heavy rains often cause soil erosion, leading to the displacement of communities and damaging infrastructure. Earthquakes also remain a significant threat, as the city is located along a fault zone that has witnessed seismic activity in the past.

Champawat's biodiversity is a defining feature of its geography. The surrounding forests, which cover a substantial portion of the region, support diverse flora such as Chir pine, Teak, Eucalyptus, and various medicinal plants. The fauna of the area includes several species of wild animals like leopards, deer, and birds such as pheasants and partridges. The government has made significant efforts to preserve the ecological balance, with the establishment of protected areas and conservation programs.

Tehsil

Total No of Tehsil in Champawat District

• Pati
• Shri Poornagiri
• Champawat
• Lohaghat
• Barakot

Climate

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Snow_fall_-_panoramio.jpg" caption="Champawat after snowfall"] ::

Champawat has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with distinct wet and dry seasons. Due to its high elevation, Champawat usually enjoys a more moderate climate throughout the year. The average temperature for the year in Champawat is 24.6 C. The warmest month, on average, is June with an average temperature of 32.1 C. The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 14.3 C. The average amount of precipitation for the year in Champawat is 1239.5 mm. The month with the most precipitation on average is July with 358.1 mm of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is November with an average of 2.5 mm. There are an average of 43.8 days of precipitation, with the most precipitation occurring in August with 10.9 days and the least precipitation occurring in November with 0.6 days. | collapsed =
| open =
| metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Champawat

| temperature colour = pastel | Jan maximum humidex = | Feb maximum humidex = | Mar maximum humidex = | Apr maximum humidex = | May maximum humidex = | Jun maximum humidex = | Jul maximum humidex = | Aug maximum humidex = | Sep maximum humidex = | Oct maximum humidex = | Nov maximum humidex = | Dec maximum humidex = | year maximum humidex = | Jan record high C = | Feb record high C = | Mar record high C = | Apr record high C = | May record high C = | Jun record high C = | Jul record high C = | Aug record high C = | Sep record high C = | Oct record high C = | Nov record high C = | Dec record high C = | year record high C = | Jan avg record high C = | Feb avg record high C = | Mar avg record high C = | Apr avg record high C = | May avg record high C = | Jun avg record high C = | Jul avg record high C = | Aug avg record high C = | Sep avg record high C = | Oct avg record high C = | Nov avg record high C = | Dec avg record high C = | year avg record high C = | Jan high C =10.2 | Feb high C =14.1 | Mar high C =18.1 | Apr high C =22.4 | May high C =26.4 | Jun high C =30 | Jul high C =30.5 | Aug high C =26.1 | Sep high C =19.1 | Oct high C =16.1 | Nov high C =13 | Dec high C =11.9 | Jan mean C =14.3 | Feb mean C =15.9 | Mar mean C =22.2 | Apr mean C =28.4 | May mean C =31.8 | Jun mean C =32.1 | Jul mean C =29.5 | Aug mean C =29.2 | Sep mean C =28.5 | Oct mean C =25.4 | Nov mean C =20.4 | Dec mean C =15.6 | year mean C =24.5 | Jan low C =4.5 | Feb low C =5.7 | Mar low C =11.4 | Apr low C =15.4 | May low C =16.1 | Jun low C =20.2 | Jul low C =20.4 | Aug low C =16.4 | Sep low C =14.9 | Oct low C =10.9 | Nov low C =5.8 | Dec low C =4.5 | Jan avg record low C = | Feb avg record low C = | Mar avg record low C = | Apr avg record low C = | May avg record low C = | Jun avg record low C = | Jul avg record low C = | Aug avg record low C = | Sep avg record low C = | Oct avg record low C = | Nov avg record low C = | Dec avg record low C = | year avg record low C = | Jan record low C = | Feb record low C = | Mar record low C = | Apr record low C = | May record low C = | Jun record low C = | Jul record low C = | Aug record low C = | Sep record low C = | Oct record low C = | Nov record low C = | Dec record low C = | year record low C = | Jan chill = | Feb chill = | Mar chill = | Apr chill = | May chill = | Jun chill = | Jul chill = | Aug chill = | Sep chill = | Oct chill = | Nov chill = | Dec chill = | year chill = | precipitation colour =
| Jan precipitation mm =23.8 | Feb precipitation mm =25.3 | Mar precipitation mm =19.7 | Apr precipitation mm =14.2 | May precipitation mm =33.2 | Jun precipitation mm =165.4 | Jul precipitation mm =356.9 | Aug precipitation mm =352.5 | Sep precipitation mm =193.8 | Oct precipitation mm =43.3 | Nov precipitation mm =3 | Dec precipitation mm =9.5 | year precipitation mm =1240.6

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| Jan precipitation days =1.8 | Feb precipitation days =1.8 | Mar precipitation days =1.7 | Apr precipitation days =1.3 | May precipitation days =1.8 | Jun precipitation days =4.9 | Jul precipitation days =10.8 | Aug precipitation days =10.9 | Sep precipitation days =5.5 | Oct precipitation days =1.8 | Nov precipitation days =0.6 | Dec precipitation days =0.9 | year precipitation days =43.8 | unit rain days =
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| Mar sun = | Apr sun = | May sun = | Jun sun = | Jul sun = | Aug sun = | Sep sun = | Oct sun = | Nov sun = | Dec sun = | year sun = | Jand sun =10.9 | Febd sun =11.6 | Mard sun =12.4 | Aprd sun =13.3 | Mayd sun =14.1 | Jund sun =14.4 | Juld sun =14.2 | Augd sun =13.6 | Sepd sun =12.7 | Octd sun =11.8 | Novd sun =11.1 | Decd sun =10.7 | yeard sun =12.6 | Jan percentsun = | Feb percentsun = | Mar percentsun = | Apr percentsun = | May percentsun = | Jun percentsun = | Jul percentsun = | Aug percentsun = | Sep percentsun = | Oct percentsun = | Nov percentsun = | Dec percentsun = | year percentsun = | source = Weatherbase

Tourism

Due to its cooler temperatures Champawat is a conduit for tourists visiting Pithoragarh, Dharchula, Almora and other mountain towns. The long winding sealed roads leading up to Champawat through Tanakpur are a common route for motorcyclists. Champawat has multiple hotels and guesthouses for individuals visiting the town. Bal Mithai of Champawat is known for its unique taste. According to India.com, Champawat was ranked among ten most peaceful places in India. Several other non governmental organisations also ranked Champawat among ten most peaceful places in India.

Demographics

| source = | 1981 | 1702 | 1991 | 2525 | 2001 | 3959 | 2011 | 4801

|title=Religions in Champawat |titlebar=#Fcd116 |left1=Religion |right1=Percent |float=right |bars=

Champawat had a population of 4801 in 2011 within its administrative limits on a land area of 5 km2, 21.3% up from 3958 in 2001. Out of the total Population, 2,543 are males while 2,258 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.

Population of Children with age of 0–6 is 554 which is 11.54% of total population of Champawat. In Champawat, female sex ratio is of 888 against state average of 963. Moreover, the child sex ratio in Champawat is around 748 compared to Uttarakhand state average of 890. The literacy rate of Champawat city is 91.69% higher than the state average of 78.82%. The male literacy is around 95.91% while the female literacy rate is 87.04%.

Schedule Caste constitutes 18.60% while Schedule Tribe were 0.94% of total population in Champawat. Out of total population, 1,356 were engaged in work or business activity. Of this 1,103 were males while 253 were females. Of total 1356 working population, 95.28% were engaged in Main Work while 4.72% of total workers were engaged in Marginal Work.

Transport

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Champawat_Bus_Station.jpg" caption="UTC]] Bus Station at Champawat"] ::

Champawat lies on the National Highway 9. The highway running from Malout in Punjab to Askot in uttarakhand connects Champawat with Delhi, Rudrapur, Tanakpur and Pithoragarh. As of 2011, the town has a small road network of 20 km, maintained by the municipal board.

Popular modes of transport are shared taxis and buses run by Uttarakhand Transport Corporation and Kumaon Motor Owners Union, which connect Champawat to Delhi and other major cities in the state of Uttarakhand, such as Dehradun, Tanakpur, Haldwani, Pithoragarh, Almora and Rudrapur. The Champawat Bus Station, located in Shant Bazar locality of the town, was inaugurated on 27 Jan 2019.

The Naini Saini Airport in Pithoragarh, located at a distance of 80 km from the town is the nearest Airport, that connects it with Dehradun. The Pantnagar Airport, located at a distance of 170 km, provides air connectivity with Delhi. The nearest railhead is at Tanakpur, at a distance of 70 km, which has direct rail connections with major cities of India including Delhi, Agra, Lucknow and Kolkata.

Education

As of 2011, there are eight primary schools, three middle schools, two secondary schools, two senior secondary schools / Inter colleges and one degree College in the town. The college, along with all other degree colleges of Champawat district got affiliated to Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, when it was founded in 2020.

References

References

1. "Champawat Pin code". pin-code.net.
2. "Champawat Tourism - Discover the Untouched Beauty of Uttarakhand".
3. "About - Champawat".
4. (2014). "जनपद चम्पावत के दर्शनीय स्थल". Binsar Publishing.
5. [https://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/39/Champawat.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Champawat]
6. "Champawat: District of Champawat, Uttarakhand, India".
7. Singh, P. K. Geography of Uttarakhand: Landscape and Ecosystems. Pustak Mahal, 2018, p. 23)
8. "Profile: District of Champawat, Uttarakhand, India".
9. (6 February 2017). "उत्‍तराखंड इलेक्‍शन: उत्तराखंड में आकार नहीं ले सके नफा-नुकसान के जिले". [[Dainik Jagran.
10. Sati, V. B. Tectonics of the Kumaon Himalayas. Geological Society of India, 2017, p. 41
11. Sharma, R.K. Geological Formations and Mineral Resources of Uttarakhand. Gyan Publishing House, 2014, p. 75
12. Kumar, Arun, et al. Seismicity and Earthquake Hazard Assessment in Uttarakhand, India. Springer, 2013, p. 59
13. Pandey, Chandra. Ecology and Conservation of the Himalayan Region: A Case Study of Champawat. Himalayan Research Institute, 2015, p. 102
14. "Champawat, India Köppen Climate Classification and Weather Summary".
15. "Champawat, India". Weatherbase.
16. "District Census Handbook Champawat Part-A". Directorate of Census Operations, Uttarakhand.
17. (1972). "District Census Handbook: Series 21, Uttar Pradesh".
18. "District Census Handbook Champawat Part-b". Directorate of Census Operations, Uttarakhand.
19. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India.
20. "Champawat City Population Census 2011 – Uttarakhand".
21. "Rationalisation of Numbering Systems of National Highways". [[Department of Road Transport and Highways]].
22. "चम्पावत रोडवेज बस स्टेशन का उद्घाटन हुआ". Hindustan.
23. "Govt. P.G. College (GPGC), Champawat - 2021 Admissions, Courses, Fees, Ranking".
24. "Bhandari to be first VC of Soban Singh Jeena varsity". The Pioneer.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::