Uttarakhand, the land of fasts

The indefinite fast of yoga guru Ramdev against corruption may have created a stir but in Uttarakhand, which is also known as 'Dev Bhoomi', such indefinite hunger strikes are not new.

Perhaps taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, several social activists have created a record of sorts by going on indefinite fast for as many as 84 days.

"Uttarakhand is a 'karam bhoomi' of social activists," says Anil Prakash Joshi, a social activist, who had undertaken several marches all over the country.

Late Shridev Suman, a Gandhian, who waged a war for democracy against the Tehri kingdom in 1940s, holds the record of keeping a 84-day-long fast during his imprisonment. He died on the 84th day of the fast.

Some say he was allegedly murdered inside the jail and his body was thrown in the Bhilangana River.

Environmentalist and Chipko leader Sunder Lal Bahuguna, also a Gandhian, kept a fast of 74 days.

He went on fast against construction of the mega 2400mw multi-purpose Tehri hydel project in 1990s. But the government went ahead to commission the first and second phase of the project.

Bahuguna is still known for the fast and was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan.