Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh

HIMACHAL PRADESH

AREA : 55,673 SQ. KM
POPULATION  : 6,077,900
CAPITAL : SHIMLA
PRINCIPAL LANGUAGES :HINDI & PAHARI

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Himachal situated in the heart of the Western Himalaya, identified as “Dev Bhumi” is believed to be the abode of Gods and Goddesses. The entire State is punctuated with stone as well as wood temples. The rich culture and traditions has made Himachal unique in itself. The shadowy valleys, rugged crags, glaciers and gigantic pines and roaring rivers and exquisite flora and fauna compose the symphony that is for ever Himachal.

Himachal Pradesh came into being as a Union Territory in April 1948 as a result of integration of 30 princely states spread over 27,000 sq.km. In 1954, when another “C” class state of Bilaspur merged in Himachal Pradesh, its area increased to 28,241 sq.km. The position remained unchanged till 1966. On reorganization of the State, the hilly areas of Punjab were merged with the State, increasing its size to 55,673 sq.km. Himachal Pradesh today is quoted as a successful model of not only hill area development but also for having realized development in education, health and social services.

SHIMLA

The State came into being as a union territory in April 1948, as a result of integration of 30 princely states spread over 27,000 sq. km. In 1954, when another ‘C’ class State of Bilaspur merged with Himachal Pradesh, its area increased to 28,241 sq. km. The position remained unchanged till 1966, when on reorganization of the states, the hilly areas of Punjab were merged with the state increasing its size to 55,673 sq. km. proportionately.

PLACES TO SEE

SHIMLA: Jhaku Temple is best seen in the soft morning sunlight. This temple is on an incline. Dedicated to the monkey God Hanuman. The Kufri Zoo at Kufri is a showcase of the wildlife found in the Himalayas. The Himalayan brown bear, the sloth bear, the panther are all there for the visitor to see. A rare snow leopard is also there, though it is to be shifted to the Darjeeling zoo shortly. Narkanda is famous ski slopes. It comes alive during the winters and all ski lovers head here. Though during the summers the snow melts early. It is 65 Kms from Simla.Kali Bari Temple is 150 years old temple houses the deity of Shyamala Devi, from whom Shimla has derived its name. A visit to the temple is a must for all visitors to Shimla. Shimla’s most sought after place, The Mall Road, runs along the top of the ridge and is one destination each traveler and visitor longs to visit. This is the centre of Shimla’s social life. Below this pulsating with life is the Lower Bazaar. On the Ridge of the Mall road you can get majestic views of the Himalayas. Also situated on the Mall is the historic Church, a splendid sight indeed.

PRAGPUR: Sixty-five km from Dharmshala, this small village seems to hold the kernel of much of Kangra’s rural beauty. Narrow Judges Court cobbled lanes flow past old houses and flowering bougainvillea drape their color over pipal and banyan trees. And to the north the snow-clad Dhauladhar ranges frame this picture of pastoral beauty. Pragpur has been notified as a Heritage Village. Completed in 1918, the Judge’s Court stands in a large orchard and here, the area’s rural life goes easily by. Built in the ‘Haveli’ style, but with a largely European floor plan, the house has been meticulously restored.

MANDI: The historic town of Mandi is built along the banks of the river Beas. It has long been an important commercial centre and the sage Mandva is said to have meditated here. Mandi is renowned for its 81 old stone temples and their enormous range of fine carving, it is often called the ‘Varanasi of the Hills’. The town has remains of old palaces and notable examples of ‘colonial’ architecture. The temples of Bhutnath, Trilokinath, Panchvaktra and Shyamakali are among the more famous ones.

BILASPUR: Formerly the seat of the ruler of the State is now submerged in the Gobind Sagar; it was situated on the south east side of the Satluj. The new Bilaspur Township can be truly described as the first planned hill town of the country. The pleasure of a visit will be enhanced manifold when a motor launch is preferred as the means of travel, gliding through cool and enchanting waters of the lake.

UNA: Una has been carved out of Hoshiarpur district of Punjab in 1966 where the hilly areas of Punjab were transferred to Himachal Pradesh and the whole area is warm. It has borders with Kangra Hamirpur and Bilaspur and then acts as a gateway to these regions.

HAMIRPUR: This is another area situated at lower elevation and comparatively warmer but has some hilly ranges covered with Pine forests. It is well connected by roads from all sides and thus can be promoted as a tourist destination by developing some historical and religious places. At present the known attractions are Deot-Sidh, Temple of Sujanpur Tihra and Nadaun.

CHAMBA : The town of Chamba, the district headquarter of Chamba district is situated in the western Himalayas. The town stands on a plateau on the right bank of the Ravi river valley between Dhauladhar and Zanskar ranges south of the inner Himalayas. This town was founded by Raja Sahil Varman when he conquered the lower Rani valley from the petty chiefs called Ranas and Thakurs in the beginning of 10th Century. It seems the original name of the town was Champa as mentioned in Kalhan’s Rajtarangani.

KULLU: The most charming and beautiful Kullu valley spreads out its charm on either side of river Beas. The valley runs north to south of this river and is 80kms. Long and about 2kms at its broadest. Yet with awe inspiring glens and mossy meadows encircled by the rushing streams and meandering brooks, flung east & west, a fairly wide area is open to the tourists, the trekkers, the mountaineers, the artists and to anyone who wishes to escape the heat & dust of the plains to breathe the exhilarating air of the Himalaya and enjoy the spectacle of the variegated mountain scenery. The valley is also famous for its exquisitely woven colorful hand made shawls and kullu caps.

MANALI: Just 40 kms away from Kullu to the north, Manali is situated near the end of the valley on the National Highway leading to Leh. The landscape here is breath taking. One sees well-defined snow capped peaks, the Beas River with its clear water meanders through the town. On the other side are deodar and pine trees, tiny fields and fruit orchards. It is an excellent place for a holiday, a favorite resort for trekkers to Lahaul, Spiti, Bara Bhangal (Kangra), and Zanskar ranges. From temples to antiquity, to picturesque sight-seeing spots and adventure activities, Manali is a popular resort for all seasons and for all travelers.

SOLAN: Blessed with a pleasant climate all the year round. Solan is districts headquarter and has the famous temple of Shoolini Devi and from Solan the Jatoli village and the temple of Lord Shiva and on Rajgarh road the Buddhist may be visited. Known as the “Mushroom city of India” Solan has an old brewery (and a sprawling horticulture and forestry university at Nauni.

RENUKA: The most important place of tourist interest in Sirmour is the sacred and picturesque lake of Renuka. It is one of the most beautiful lakes in Himachal Pradesh having crystal clear waters. It is shaped like a sleeping woman. As per a legend Renuka was the mother of the legendary saint Parsu Ram, who killed her in obedience of the orders of his father – the sage Jamadagni. After her death, Lake Renuka was formed surrounded by stepped fields of golden corn.

PAONTA SAHIB: Paonta Sahib is a sacred town built in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. The road passes through Sataun and follows the Giri River along the beautiful scenery. Situated on the banks of Yamuna River, Paonta Sahib is a bustling township with growing industries. It is one of the important holy places for the Sikhs. It retains tangible memories of Guru Gobind Singh in the form of his weapons and a majestic Gurudwara. It recalls his presence even in the name of the city which is derived from Paonta meaning “foot”, either because he set foot on this place or, according to an alternate story, he lost an ornament which he wore on his foot called “Paonta” while bathing in the Yamuna River.

NAHAN: Nahan is situated on an isolated ridge in the Shiwalik hills, overlooking green fields. Nahan is a well laid-out picturesque town, known for its cleanliness and dust free streets. Saint and princes are linked with the origin of Nahan. The city was founded as a capital by Raja Karan Prakash in 1621. Another version recalls a saint who lived with a companionable Nahar on the site where the Nahan palace now stands “Nahar” means a Lion and probably the town takes its name from this saint. Nahan situated at an altitude of 932 meters, is a good base for visits to the surrounding areas viz. Renuka, Paonta Sahib, Trilokpur temple and the Suketi Fossil Park.

LAHAUL: Lahaul is marked by a central mass of uniformly high mountains and massive glaciers. The two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga which rise on either side of the Baralacha La, flow through the narrow Chandra and Bhaga valleys. Lahaul is a land of fascinating Buddhist art and culture. The monasteries of Lahaul-Spiti are rich repositories of ancient murals, thankas, wood carving and golden images of Padmasambhava. Summer in this valley is cool and pleasant with green grass and alpine flowers. There are little monsoon in both these valleys and this enables climbers & trekkers to enjoy a long and unbroken season in perpetual sunshine to explore the wilderness and grandeur of the inner Himalaya. This unique feature makes Lahul-Spiti as an ideal destination for tourists and trekkers in the month of July, August and September.

SPITI: Spiti is the sub division of Lahaul & Spiti district with its hqrs. at Kaza. It is called “Little Tibet” because it has almost the same terrain, vegetation & climate. Spiti also means “Middle Country”. It lies between Tibet, Ladakh, Kinnaur, and Lahaul & Kullu. The Spiti River flows fast through deep gorges at some places. The valley is not wide but there are villages and some fields where people grow barley, buck- wheat, peas & vegetables.

KINNAUR: Located in the dizzying heights of the Himalayas, with passes that remain closed for six months linking them with the rest of the world, Kinnaur, Spiti & Lahaul were till now a forbidden land. Only a chosen few were granted permission to visit this secret world, officials, Moravian missionaries who settled here in 1853 and a few mountaineers. Now this area has been opened for the daring and adventurous to discover what had been hidden from the world for centuries.

PALAMPUR: The town of Palampur is situated in a idyllic valley priding itself with tea gardens, and hills covered with pine trees. The place enjoys a year-round pleasant climate and the pine scented air is said to have curative properties. The scenery presents a sublime and beautiful contrast- the valleys presents a picture of rural innocence and repose, while the hills are majestic. Overlooking this town are the majestic Dhauladhars, whose tops remain covered with snow for most of the year. This place is thronged tourists and is now being developed as a large tourist centre.

DHARAMSHALA: This is a hill station lying on the spur of the Dhauladhar range; this hill station is wooded with oak and conifer trees and snow capped mountains enfold three sides of the town while the valley stretches in front. The snowline is perhaps more easily accessible at Dharamshala than at any other hill resort and it is possible to make a day’s trek to a snow-point after an early morning’s start.

KANGRA: The Kangra valley is one of the most picturesque valleys of lower Himalayas. The valley, sheltered by the sublime Dhauladhar range, is green and luxuriant. It provides a tremendous contrast in nature of places to be visited. Dharamshala is full of Buddhist air whereas ancient Hindu Temples like Bajreshwari Devi, Chamunda Devi, Baijnath Shiv temple and Jwala Devi ji dot the country side. The history of Kangra valley dates back to the Vedic times more than 3500 years ago. Crafts like the exquisitely designed shawls and miniature paintings of this region are internationally appreciated.

DALHOUSIE: Dalhousie is a hill station full of colonial charm that holds lingering echoes of the Raj. Spread out over the five hills (Kathlog, Potreys, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun) the town is named after the 19th century British Governor General Lord Dalhousie. It was popular with the British Army personnel in 1860′s. The town’s varying altitude shades it with a variety of vegetation that includes stately grooves of pines, deodars, oaks and flowering rhododendrons. Rich in colonial architecture, the town preserves some beautiful churches. St. John church, St. Francis church, St. Andrew church and St. Patrick church.