The Nanda Devi National Park, also known as the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, was created in 1982. It is located near the peak of Nanda Devi (7816 m) in the Chamoli Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, northern India. The entire park is above 3,500 m (11,500 ft) above sea level.
In 1988, the national park was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2005, the park was expanded and renamed the Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks.
Inside the park is the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, a basin formed by glaciers and surrounded by peaks ranging from 6,000 m (19,700 ft) to 7,500 m (24,600 ft). The Rishi Ganga river flows through the Rishi Ganga Gorge, a very steep and hard-to-cross pass.
The national park is part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, which covers 2,236.74 km² (863.61 mi²). This reserve is surrounded by a buffer zone covering 5,148.57 km² (1,987.87 mi²) that protects the UNESCO site.
The best time to visit Nanda Devi National Park is from May to October.
History
The first known effort to explore the sanctuary took place in 1883 by W. W. Graham, who reached only as far as Rishi Ganga. Other explorers, including T. G. Longstaff in 1870 and Hugh Ruttledge in 1926, 1927, and 1932, also tried to explore the area but did not achieve success. In 1934, Eric Shipton and H. W. Tilman entered the inner sanctuary through Rishi Ganga, which began more detailed exploration of the area. In 1939, the region was officially designated as a game sanctuary.
During the Cold War, China conducted its first nuclear test in 1964 and later tested missiles. The United States and India worked together to secretly gather information about China's nuclear activities. Before the use of spy satellites, much of the secret spying relied on tools on the ground. China's missile testing site was located north of the Himalayas, making it difficult to detect signals from the tests. The CIA searched for a high Himalayan peak that could provide a clear view of the Chinese testing area. With help from India's Intelligence Bureau, they planned a secret mission to place a nuclear-powered listening device on the peak of Nanda Devi. A team of American climbers hired by the CIA and Indian soldiers from the military were assigned to carry out the mission.
At that time, the climbing season was ending, and the mission faced bad weather. The team left the plutonium-powered device behind, planning to return during the next climbing season. A later Indian expedition found the device missing from its original spot. It likely fell due to a rockslide and moved toward the glaciers, carrying its plutonium with it. All later secret missions to recover the device failed. In 2018, Mr. Satpal Maharaj, the Tourism Minister of Uttarakhand State, met with India's Prime Minister to express concerns that the lost device, which disappeared over 50 years ago, might be polluting the Ganges River.
On February 7, 2021, at approximately 10:45 a.m. IST, a flood disaster occurred along the Rishiganga River and its valley after a landslide, avalanche, or glacial lake burst from the Nanda Devi glacier.
Geography
The Nanda Devi Sanctuary in the National Park is divided into two parts: the Inner Sanctuary and the Outer Sanctuary. Both areas are surrounded by a main wall that forms a roughly square shape. High ridges run along the north, east, and south sides of the sanctuary. On the west side, ridges are lower but still noticeable, and they slope toward the Rishi Ganga Gorge, which drains the sanctuary to the west.
The Inner Sanctuary covers about two-thirds of the total area. It includes Nanda Devi peak and two major glaciers next to the peak: the Uttari Rishi Glacier and the Dakshini Rishi Glacier. These glaciers are fed by smaller glaciers called the Uttari Nanda Devi and Dakshini Nanda Devi Glaciers. The first recorded visit by British explorers to the Inner Sanctuary was in 1934 by Eric Shipton and H. W. Tilman, who entered through the Rishi Gorge.
In addition to Nanda Devi, the following peaks are located in the area:
– Nanda Devi: 7,816 meters (25,643 feet)
– Devistan I: 6,678 meters (21,909 feet)
– Devistan II: 6,529 meters (21,421 feet)
– Rishi Kot: 6,236 meters (20,459 feet)
The Outer Sanctuary covers the western third of the sanctuary and is separated from the Inner Sanctuary by high ridges. The Rishi Ganga River flows through these ridges, splitting the Outer Sanctuary into two parts. On the north side of the river is the Ramani Glacier, which flows from the slopes of Dunagiri and Changabang. On the south side is the Trisul Glacier, which flows from the Trisul peak. This area is accessible from outside the sanctuary, though it requires crossing a high pass. The first major climbing expedition through the Outer Sanctuary was led by T. G. Longstaff in 1907, when he climbed Trisul I via the Trisul Glacier.
The listed peaks are arranged in clockwise order, starting just north of the Rishi Gorge. Some of these peaks are small and not very high above the surrounding area, while others are larger and stand alone.
– Hanuman: 6,075 meters (19,931 feet)
– Dunagiri: 7,066 meters (23,182 feet)
– Changabang: 6,864 meters (22,520 feet)
– Kalanka: 6,931 meters (22,740 feet)
– Rishi Pahar: 6,992 meters (22,940 feet)
– Mangraon: 6,568 meters (21,549 feet)
– Deo Damla: 6,620 meters (21,719 feet)
– Bamchu: 6,303 meters (20,679 feet)
– Sakram: 6,254 meters (20,518 feet)
– Lhatu Dhura: 6,392 meters (20,971 feet)
– Sunanda Devi: 7,434 meters (24,390 feet)
– Nanda Khat: 6,611 meters (21,690 feet)
– Panwali Dwar: 6,663 meters (21,860 feet)
– Maiktoli: 6,803 meters (22,320 feet)
– Devtoli: 6,788 meters (22,270 feet)
– Mrigthuni: 6,855 meters (22,490 feet)
– Trisul I, II, III: 7,120 meters (23,360 feet), 6,690 meters (21,949 feet), 6,008 meters (19,711 feet)
– Nanda Ghunti: 6,309 meters (20,699 feet)
– Bethartoli: 6,352 meters (20,840 feet)
The following peaks are notable because they are near the sanctuary wall and connected to it by high passes. These peaks are just outside the park’s boundaries:
– Hardeol: 7,151 meters (23,461 feet) (northeast corner)
– Trishuli: 7,074 meters (23,209 feet) (just beyond Hardeol)
– Nanda Kot: 6,861 meters (22,510 feet) (southeast corner)
– Nanda Ghunti: 6,309 meters (20,699 feet) (southwest corner)
Ecology
Nanda Devi National Park is home to many large mammals, including the Himalayan musk deer, mainland serow, and Himalayan tahr. The Himalayan goral live near the park but not inside it. Meat-eating animals in the park include the snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, and possibly the Himalayan brown bear. Langurs live within the park, while rhesus macaques are found in areas close to the park. During a scientific study in 1993, 114 different bird species were identified in the park.
The park has a wide variety of plant life. Scientists have recorded 312 plant species, including 17 rare ones. Common plants include fir, birch, rhododendron, and juniper. Vegetation is limited in the inner part of the park because the area is very dry. There are no plants near the Nanda Devi Glacier. Other important plant species include Ramani, mosses that grow in high areas, and lichens.