Askot or Askote is a small Himalayan town in Pithoragarh district

Pithoragarh District

Pithoragarh district is the easternmost Himalayan district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is naturally landscaped with high Himalayan mountains, snow capped peaks, passes, valleys, alpine meadows, forests, waterfalls, perennial rivers, glaciers and springs. The flora and fauna of this area...

 of Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...

 in India. It is the part of Kanalichhina

Kanalichhina

Kanalichhina is the development block in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state of India. The geographical latitude of this place is 29°40'33"N and the longitude is 80°16'20"E. Kanalichhina is so named after 'Chhin' in Kumauni means an open deep space between two hillocks characterized by...

 development Block and Didihat

Didihat

Didihat is a town and a nagar panchayat in Pithoragarh district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.-Etymology:Didihat is named after Kumauni language word 'Dand' means a small hillock.-Demographics:...

 Tehsil

Tehsil

A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....

.

The place is also famous for the Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary

Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary

Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary is located 54 km from Pithoragarh near Askot in Uttarakhand state of India. This sanctuary has been set up primarily with the object of conserving the musk deer and its habitat. Intensive efforts have been initiated to conserve this rare species...

 dedicated to the conservation of Musk deer

Musk deer

Musk deer are artiodactyls of the genus Moschus, the only genus of family Moschidae. They are more primitive than the cervids, or true deer, in not having antlers or facial glands, in having only a single pair of teats, and in possessing a gall bladder, a caudal gland, a pair of tusk-like teeth...

. Askot lies midway between Pithoragarh

Pithoragarh

Pithoragarh, is a city with a Municipal Board in the Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, was carved out of district of Almora in 1962.-Geography:...

 to Dharchula

Dharchula

Dharchula is a town and a nagar panchayat in Pithoragarh district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Dharchula is a remote town surrounded by mountains. An ancient trading town for the trans-Himalayan trade routes, it is covered by high mountains and is situated on the banks of the river Kali...

 road and located on a ridge. 'Kailash

Mount Kailash

Mount Kailash is a peak in the Gangdisê Mountains, which are part of the Himalayas in Tibet...

-Mansarovar

Lake Manasarovar

Lake Manasarovar, Mapam Yumco , or Manasa Sarovar/Lake Manas , is a fresh-water lake in Tibet Autonomous Region of China approximately from Lhasa. To the west of Lake Manasa Sarovar is Lake Rakshastal and towards the north is Mount Kailash...

 Pilgrimage route from Delhi

Delhi

Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

 - Kathgodam

Kathgodam

Kathgodam is a town in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand state of India. It is part of the twin township of Haldwani-Kathgodam , and is immediately north of Haldwani.-History:...

 - Didihat

Didihat

Didihat is a town and a nagar panchayat in Pithoragarh district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.-Etymology:Didihat is named after Kumauni language word 'Dand' means a small hillock.-Demographics:...

 - Dharchula

Dharchula

Dharchula is a town and a nagar panchayat in Pithoragarh district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Dharchula is a remote town surrounded by mountains. An ancient trading town for the trans-Himalayan trade routes, it is covered by high mountains and is situated on the banks of the river Kali...

, passes through Askot.

Historically, the area has been ruled by the Doti Kings of Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

, Katyuri

Katyuri Kings

The Katyuri Kings were a medieval ruling clan of Uttarakhand believed to have descended from Shalivahan ruler from Ayodhya. This links them with Suryavansha...

, Rajbar

Rajbar

Rajbhar or Rajwar was the title of the erstwhile medieval Kings of Askot in Pithoragarh district of the Kumaon region of the Uttarakhand state of India.-Origin:...

s, Chand

Chand Kings

Chand Kings were a medieval Raghuvanshi Rajput ruling clan of Kumaon region of the Uttarakhand state of India, which ruled the region after the decline of Katyuri Kings in 11th century AD., and continued till the rise of the British in 18th century....

, Gorkha

Gurkha

Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...

 and British rulers

British Raj

British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...

, though Rajbar

Rajbar

Rajbhar or Rajwar was the title of the erstwhile medieval Kings of Askot in Pithoragarh district of the Kumaon region of the Uttarakhand state of India.-Origin:...

s continue to be its ceremonial Head. Van Rawats

Van Rawats

The Van Rawats , represent a native endangered ethnic minority group, originating and living in Uttarakhand, India. They are distributed in the districts of Pithoragarh, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar and in a small area confined to Western Nepal. They are the smallest Himalayan tribal group...

 - an endangered tribe of Uttaranchal, inhabits around this area.

Geography

Askot is located at 29.77°N 80.35°E. It has an average elevation of 1,106 metres (3,629 feet).
It is located on Gori Ganga- Kali river geogrphical divide. Under beautiful natural setting of trees like Pinus, Quercus and Rhododendron

Rhododendron

Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...

,etc., are at the backdrop of Chhiplakot

Chhiplakot

Chhiplakot is the High Himalayan Mountain in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, India at an altitude of 3290 meters. Full of alpine flora and vegetation, Chhiplakot is famous for its lush green alpine meadow called Bugyal. The slopes provide a skii range, and a local cave plays host to a...

 and Panchchuli

Panchchuli

The Panchchuli peaks are a group of five snow-capped Himalayan peaks lying at the end of the eastern Kumaon region, near Munsiyari, in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand state, India. The peaks have altitudes ranging from to . They form the watershed between the Gori and the Darmaganga valleys....

 . The Fertile slopes of Garkha

Garkha

Garkha is the Himalayan fertile and lush green mountain country in front of Askot region of Uttarakhand state of India in the Pithoragarh district . This region tilted from South West to North East. Literally in Kumauni it means the herds of cows. Well linked with roads with Ogla at its entry point...

 are situated on the front side, and Kali river and mountains of Nepal on its left.

The area around is under heavy underground tunnel mining operations. There are polymetallic mines of copper

Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...

, zinc

Zinc

Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...

, gold

Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...

, silver

Silver

Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...

 and lead

Lead

Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...

 deposits.

Origin of name

The name Askot is originated from Assi Kot (Eighty Forts), many of these forts were in Darchula District

Darchula District

Darchula District of 121,996.The town has an Indian counterpart to its northwest, named Dharchula. The split between the two towns is just virtual as the traditions, culture, and lifestyle of the people living across both the regions are quite similar....

 of Nepal.

History

Previously Askot was under the Doti

Doti

Farwestern region of Nepal is also known as Doti or Doti region. The name Dotigarh has been used in the Jagar . This region is situated between River Kali boarding to the Uttarakhand in the west and Karnali river on the east...

 of Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

. Later on, Askot was ruled by the a branch of Katyuri

Katyuri Kings

The Katyuri Kings were a medieval ruling clan of Uttarakhand believed to have descended from Shalivahan ruler from Ayodhya. This links them with Suryavansha...

 kings. After the breakdown of Katyuri Dynasty

Katyuri Kings

The Katyuri Kings were a medieval ruling clan of Uttarakhand believed to have descended from Shalivahan ruler from Ayodhya. This links them with Suryavansha...

, King Abhay Pal, the grandson of Katyuri king, Brahm Deo, brought a branch of Katyuri Dynasty

Katyuri Kings

The Katyuri Kings were a medieval ruling clan of Uttarakhand believed to have descended from Shalivahan ruler from Ayodhya. This links them with Suryavansha...

, here as the Rajbar

Rajbar

Rajbhar or Rajwar was the title of the erstwhile medieval Kings of Askot in Pithoragarh district of the Kumaon region of the Uttarakhand state of India.-Origin:...

s, and established the state of Askot, by taking it as a grant from Kings of Doti

Doti

Farwestern region of Nepal is also known as Doti or Doti region. The name Dotigarh has been used in the Jagar . This region is situated between River Kali boarding to the Uttarakhand in the west and Karnali river on the east...

 in 1279 AD. Later on they came under Chand rulers. From 1279 to 1588 the descendants of Abhay Pal , the Rajbar

Rajbar

Rajbhar or Rajwar was the title of the erstwhile medieval Kings of Askot in Pithoragarh district of the Kumaon region of the Uttarakhand state of India.-Origin:...

 dynasty ruled over the region,

Administratively, at that time, Askot had two regions-Malla Askot and Talla Askot. This area came under Gorkha

Gurkha

Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...

 control in 1742 but the descendants continued to fight against each other. This family feud continued even after the British defeated the Gorkhas in 1815. Before Askot became Capital, the king used to live at Lakhanpur Kot, near the now Bagarihat (Bagar means river bank) village on the right bank of river Kali. It was situated at the base of Champhachal mountain. The remnants of the fort and market are still here.

Source:

• History of Kumaun By B.D.Pandey

Rajbars of Askot

Rajbar or Rajwar was the official title of the former ruler (feudal kings) Zamidari, of the estate of Askot.

Abhay Pal, (1279 AD)
Nirbhay Pal,
Bharati Pal,
Bhairav Pal,
Bhoo Pal,
Ratna Pal,
Shankh Pal,
Shyam Pal,
Shah Pal,
Bhoj Pal,
Surjan Pal,
Bharat Pal,
Surtan Pal,
Achha Pal,
Trilok Pal,
Sur Pal,
Jagat Pal,
Praja Pal,
Rai Pal,
Mahendra Pal,
Jayant Pal,
Birbal pal,
Amar Singh Pal,
Brahm Pal,
Uchhav Pal,
Vijay Pal,
Mahendra Pal,
Rudra Pal,
Bahadur Pal,
Pushkar Pal,
Gajendra Pal,
Bhupendra Pal,
Vikram Bahadur Pal,
Tikendra Bahadur Pal,
Bhanuraj Singh Pal,
Mahiraj Singh Pal,

Kuwar Krishna Bhadur Pal,
Late Bhuvan Pal,
Birendra pal,
Saurabh pal,
Manoj Pal,
Kapil Pal,
Kishan Pal,
Dusyant Pal.
Source:'History of Kumaon' By B.D.Pandey

Shivraj Singh, the son of ex-Maharaja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur

Jodhpur

Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...

, is married to Gayatri Devi of Askot.

Important tourist places near Askot

Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary

Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary

Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary is located 54 km from Pithoragarh near Askot in Uttarakhand state of India. This sanctuary has been set up primarily with the object of conserving the musk deer and its habitat. Intensive efforts have been initiated to conserve this rare species...

 ; Ghangdhura ; Chhiplakot Or Najurkot; Chhipladhura lake, Narayan Ashram ;Askot Polymetallic Deposit tunnel Mines ; Bhadigad river ;Rauntishgad river ;Gurjigad river.Confluence of Gori Ganga river with river Kali at Jauljibi.Dhanlekh is a place near Singali is famous place and worshiped by hindus whole year.

Native Tribes

Van Rawats

Van Rawats

The Van Rawats , represent a native endangered ethnic minority group, originating and living in Uttarakhand, India. They are distributed in the districts of Pithoragarh, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar and in a small area confined to Western Nepal. They are the smallest Himalayan tribal group...

or Raji or Kirat are native indigenous, ethnic minority community of this area. They inhabit at high altitude. Jamtadi is their nearby village. Their other villages are situated at Ghangdhura ridge.