Context: Recently, the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary issued a notification declaring ‘Gairsain’ as ‘Uttarakhand’s Second Capital’.

About Gairsain

• Gairsain is a tehsil in Chamoli that is about 280 kms away from Dehradun, the state capital.
• Gairsain lies between both the dominant regions of the state, namely Kumaon and Garhwal.
• The name Gairsain comes from two Garhwali words: Gair and Sain. Gair means at some depth, while Sain means rolling plains.
•  The summer capital is at an altitude of 1,750 metres above sea level and lies at the eastern edge of Dudhatoli mountain range.
•  It is also the source of the state’s Ramganga River.
• In ancient literature, Gairsain was celebrated as the Kedar Kshetra.
• The town has been historically ruled by Nagas, Khasas, Kiratas, Kunindas, and Tunganas.
• The idea of making Gairsain the capital is not new as it was first floated in 2000, the year in which Uttarakhand was declared as a separate state.