Kotdwar (also spelt Kotdwara) is a city and municipal board in the Pauri Garhwal district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Situated in the Garhwal division at the foothills of the Shivalik range, it serves as the principal gateway to the Garhwal hills from the plains of western Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The town lies along the Khoh river and acts as an important rail-head, commercial centre and transit point for travellers heading further into the Garhwal interior.
| Key Facts | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kotdwar (Kotdwara) |
| Country | India |
| State | Uttarakhand |
| Division | Garhwal |
| District | Pauri Garhwal |
| Civic body | Nagar Nigam Kotdwar (Municipal Corporation) |
| River | Khoh |
| Region | Bhabar belt, Shivalik foothills |
| Languages | Hindi, Garhwali |
The name Kotdwar is commonly interpreted as "the gateway (dwar) to the fort/hill region (kot)", reflecting the town's historical role as the entry point from the plains into the hill kingdoms of Garhwal.
Kotdwar lies in the southern part of Pauri Garhwal district, where the Shivalik foothills meet the Bhabar plain. The Khoh river, a tributary of the Ganga system, flows through the town. The surrounding tract is forested and forms part of the Lansdowne Forest Division, with the Corbett Tiger Reserve landscape lying not far to the south-east. The town's elevation and location at the edge of the hills give it a sub-tropical climate, hotter than the higher Garhwali towns such as Pauri and Lansdowne.
The Kotdwar area is traditionally identified with Kanvashram, the hermitage of the sage Kanva on the banks of the Malini river, associated in the Mahabharata and Kalidasa's Abhijnanasakuntalam with Shakuntala and the birth of Bharata, the legendary emperor after whom India (Bharatavarsha) is said to be named. Kanvashram, located a short distance from the town, is a notable cultural and pilgrimage site.
Other religious sites in and around Kotdwar include the Sidhbali Dham, a Hanuman temple on a hillock overlooking the Khoh river, which draws pilgrims from across the Garhwal region and the adjoining plains.
Kotdwar functions as an urban local body in Pauri Garhwal district. The civic administration was upgraded over the years from a Nagar Palika Parishad (municipal council) to a Nagar Nigam (municipal corporation), reflecting the town's growth. It also forms a Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) constituency in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly.
The town's economy is built around its role as a regional market and transit hub for the surrounding hill belt. Trade in agricultural produce, timber and forest produce, retail commerce, transport services and small-scale industry contribute to local employment. Tourism related to the Corbett landscape, Lansdowne and the Garhwal pilgrimage circuit also supports the local service economy.
Kotdwar hosts a number of schools and degree colleges affiliated with universities in Uttarakhand, serving students from across the southern Pauri Garhwal region. Government and private institutions provide instruction up to undergraduate and postgraduate levels in arts, commerce, science and professional disciplines.
As the principal lowland gateway to Garhwal, Kotdwar combines strategic geographic importance with cult