Dhaun is a village in the Champawat Tehsil of Champawat district, Uttarakhand, India. It is situated in the Kumaon division along National Highway 9. The census village code is 053869.
Geography and climate Dhaun is a village located in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand. According to the 2011 Census of India it covers a total geographical area of 190.21 hectares. Geographically it is situated along the 118 km stretch of National Highway 9 (also known as N.H. 125) that connects Bastia to Ghat. The village's topography features hills and lower regions along with small rivulets that serve as natural habitats and migratory routes for wildlife such as leopards and deer. The village sits at an elevation of approximately 1500 metres (4900 ft) above sea level and its surrounding ecosystem is predominantly characterized by oak forests with major plant species including Quercus leucotricophora (banj oak) and Pinus roxburghii (chir pine) alongside Myrica esculenta (kafal) and Shorea robusta (sal). Specific meteorological data for Dhaun is unavailable but it shares the region's overall climate since it is part of the district. The Champawat area experiences a warm and temperate humid subtropical climate with an average annual temperature of 16.2 °C (61.2 °F) and receives around 3783 mm (148.9 in) of precipitation annually. Dhaun receives the majority of its rainfall during the south-west monsoon season.
History Historical documents and local folklore state that the ancestors of the Dhauni community originally came from historical cities of North India like Dharanagari or Jhansi. They first settled at a place called Dhaun on the Pithoragarh-Tanakpur route. According to author and historian Dr. Ram Singh these ancestors were two brothers. The older brother settled in a Jagir in the Mangol patti which became known as Maun Kana and his descendants are called Mauni. The younger brother continued to live in Dhaun and his descendants came to be known as Dhauni. Later the ancestors of the Dhauni people settled in Silang village the central place of Gumdesh also known as Chamdewal where the Chand kings assigned them eastern border responsibilities. Following the relocation of the Dhauni ancestors the area was subsequently settled by a notable population of the Rawat community. According to Badri Datt Pandey's book History of Kumaun the Rawat people were the ancient inhabitants and rulers of Daunkot. His accounts further specify that the main fort of the Rawat Raja was located half a mile west of Rajbunga. Geographically, this ancient Daunkot fort was situated near the present-day district headquarters approximately 14KM north-west of the modern Dhaun village. Edwin T. Atkinson's Himalayan Gazetteer further records that the Rawat rulers of Daunkot eventually lost their territory when Som Chand with the assistance of the Taragi clan defeated the Rawat Raja. Following the loss of their royal power the descendants of the Rawat rulers scattered across different regions of Kali Kumaon and settled in Gumdesh and Salli village of the Charal patti and Dhoun village in the PalBelon Malla area. The historical presence of the community in the village is distinctly documented in early British colonial revenue records where the settlement was officially registered as an independent land revenue unit named Dhoun Rout in the Palbeloun malla patti of Kalee Kumaon. According to the Beckett Settlement report colonial registers document the village's land revenue assessments for the years 1823, 1828, 1832 and 1844 AD recorded as Vikram Samvat 1880 (the historic Assi Sala Bandobast), 1885, 1889 and 1901 where Dhoun Rout was recorded as Mouzah number 2. Furthermore historical census data from the Beckett Settlement recorded the village's demographic profile with a total of 38 inhabitants comprising 27 males and 11 females.
Demographics and Migration According to the 2011 Census of India Dhaun covers an area of 190.21 hectares and has 70 households. The total population is 364 comprising 184 males and 180 females which gives the village an overall sex ratio of 978 females per 1,000 males. There are 68 children in the age group of 0 to 6 years resulting in a child sex ratio of 1061. The effective literacy rate stands at 81.42%. A total of 87 residents account for 23.9% of the population and belong to Scheduled Castes with no Scheduled Tribe population recorded in the village. As part of the wider Champawat district the area around Dhaun is subject to Regional demographic trends such as temporary and circular migration. Due to limited non-agricultural employment and higher educational Facilities in the broader region working-age men often travel to urban centers for work but typically maintain strong ties to their native villages and regularly return home.
Economy and agriculture
The local economy of Dhaun in Champawat is primarily agrarian, supported by horticulture and a growing tertiary sector. Because of the small terraced fields, farming relies entirely on family and exchange labour. In recent years, the non-farm economy has grown, supplemented by local shops and transport businesses along NH-9 as well as remittances from village men working in urban areas. Agriculture in the region is largely rainfed, and fodder and fuelwood are managed through community-led Van Panchayats. However, the local agricultural sector faces ecological challenges, including erratic rainfall and crop depredation by wild boars and monkeys. The agricultural and economic profile of the village is outlined below:
+ Agricultural & Economic Profile of Dhaun Category Details Workforce 168 active workers (122 land-owning cultivators, 0 registered agricultural labourers) Kharif crops Paddy, maize, and millets (mandua, jhangora) Rabi crops Wheat, barley, mustard, and pulses (lentils, urad) Horticulture Citrus (malta), stone fruits (peaches, plums, apricots), apples, walnuts, and off-season vegetables (potatoes, ginger) Livestock Indigenous Badri cattle and goats
Civic administration and utility The village is administered under the Dhaun Raut Gram Panchayat within the Champawat Kshetra Panchayat. The official Local Government Directory (LGD) code for the gram panchayat is 22703. Postal services to the village are provided through the Dhaun Branch Post Office (PIN: 262523) which operates as an active delivery office. Dhaun is fully electrified and is connected to a piped water supply network under the Jal Jeevan Mission. In addition, the village relies on traditional groundwater sources, such as stepwells (naula).
Education and healthcare
Education
Early childhood and primary education are provided by a local Anganwadi centre and Government Primary School (GPS) Dhaunrawat. Established in 1998 it is a co-educational Hindi-medium school managed by the Department of Education offering classes from 1 to 5 with an on-site Anganwadi centre. Secondary and higher secondary education are provided by Government Inter College (GIC) Dhaun. Established in 1986 it is a co-educational state board school offering classes from 6 to 12. The campus features a library a playground and electricity. Like many rural Himalayan schools GIC Dhaun occasionally experiences shortages of permanent teaching staff which the education department manages by deploying guest teachers to maintain academic continuity. For transportation, students have access to the state's "Vidyavahini" bus service. Additionally, the school was selected for the "Lab on Wheels" mobile science program. Run in collaboration with UCOST the state government and the Agastya International Foundation this initiative provides rural students in classes 6 to 10 with access to science experiments and laboratory equipment.
Healthcare
Primary healthcare services in Dhaun are provided at a local Primary Health Centre (PHC), which has been upgraded to an 'Ayushman Arogya Mandir' to offer both curative and preventive healthcare. Previously, remote health centers in the region faced a severe shortage of medical staff. To address this and improve local healthcare delivery, the state government appointed a permanent medical officer to the Dhaun PHC as part of a broader district-wide initiative. The medical officer currently oversees routine Outpatient Department (OPD) services and vaccination programs.
Cultural heritage and folklore Bhaga Dhaunani Mata Temple
According to regional oral traditions (Raag-Bhag) Bhaga Dhaunyani was the great ancestor of the Dhoni community and a symbol of matriarchal power. Her historical significance and bravery are documented by historian Dr. Ram Singh in his book Raag-Bhag Kali Kumaon. In Local Folklore a 4 to 5 quintal (400-500 kg) flat rectangular granite stone Located near the modern Dhaun bus stand is associated with her. Known as Bhaga Dhaunyaniko Udhyuno local legends state she was incredibly strong and carried this Massive sickle-sharpening stone wrapped in The folds of her traditional ghaghari while going to cut grass. In modern Hindi literature author Laxman Singh Bisht 'Batrohi' immortalizes this stone in his narrative Kimpurush: Kramashah and his other work Hum Teen Thokdar.
Religious beliefs and Kuldevi
According to historical Research by Author Dr.Arun Khuksal Maa Jhalimali was The primary Family deity (Kuldevi) of the ancient Suryavanshi Katyuri dynasty and the Raut (Rawat) and Mahar kings of the Kali Kumaon region. Oral traditions and Jagars suggest that Maa Jhalimali was originally a Katyuri princess who came to be revered and deified as a protective guardian of the dynasty. In Himalayan Traditions Maa Jhalimali is venerated as the Goddess of War and Fire. Her original shrine is located in Fungar village Champawat. Furthermore regional rulers and feudal lords carried her jot (sacred flame) into military campaigns to instill courage among soldiers and seek divine protection. Her historical commercial and cultural significance—including references to ancient trade routes with Tibet (as the deity of the Huns)—is documented in traditional folk songs (Shakunakhar) and regional folklore. In regional folk ballads the miraculous power of Kuldevi Jhalimali is vividly depicted in the tale of Sadai who was granted a brother as a boon from the Goddess. When Sadai later sacrificed Her two sons to fulfill her vow the Goddess miraculously resurrected the children back to life.
Places of interest Henry Waterfall is a perennial waterfall with a drop of approximately . It is situated in Bettigad of the Dhaunraut Gram Panchayat in Champawat district near the Tanakpur-Pithoragarh National Highway. The waterfall earned its name in the 19th century after frequent visits by British officer Henry Ramsay. Its water flow increases by up to 30 percent during the monsoon season. The site received infrastructure development and beautification during the 2022–23 financial year under the MGNREGA scheme. The project included the construction of an approach path along with check dams and retaining walls. The development also created a 300-square-foot water catchment area with two small reservoirs and seating parapets. Furthermore the year-round water availability is being utilized for irrigation and the construction of tanks for pisiculture (fish farming) to support the local economy.
Transport Dhaun is located on National Highway 9, which connects Tanakpur to Pithoragarh. Tanakpur railway station is the nearest railhead, and Pantnagar Airport is the nearest operational airport.
References
External links