|
HIMACHAL PRADESH
| FACTS & FIGURES |
| District Area |
55,673 sq km |
| Population |
6.13 million |
| Capital |
Shimla |
| Rainfall |
(Annual)64 cm |
| Clothing |
Light Tropical in Summers and Wooolen in Winters |
| Languages |
Hindi & Parhari |
| Best Season |
Mid - May to mid - October (trekking); late December to march
(winter sports) |
The land of eternal snow peaks - takes in the transition zone
from the plains to the high Himalaya and, in the trans - Himalayan
region of Lahul and Spiti, actually crosses that mighty barrier
to the Tibetan plateau. The Kullu Valley, with its developed and
tourist - oriented economy, can be considered the backbone of the
state. In the Chamba and Kangra regions can be found typical British
hill stations and small but beautiful temple complexes.
Shimla
 The
capital of Himachal, is thronged by lakhs of people every year.
One of the most popular hill stations, it provides cool relief to
those who come here during the summer months, to cool off. Shimla
was once the summer capital of British. Jhaku Temple, Lakkar Bazar,
Himachal State Museum, Roman Catholic Cathedral, Chadwick Falls,
Prospect Hill and Indian Institute of Advanced Studies are some
places worth visiting.
Nestlings around Shimla are the beautiful hill stations of Kasauli,
Solan, Kandaghat and Chail, which are perfect for those who like
quieter places.
Kullu - Manali
Kullu and Manali, 40 kms. Apart, are the two main tourist centres
of the Kullu Valley. The Kullu valley not wider than 2 kms at any
place has the Beas River running through it with beautiful fields
on either side. To the Northwest is the Solang Valley and to its
North is the Rohtang Pass, the gateway to the great Himalayas, which
is also famous for its skiing activities. The Dholpur Maidan, a
large grassy area is used as the site for the famous Dusshera Festival.
Over - looking the town and valley is the Jagannath Devi Temple.
Mandi
Located in the foothills by the banks of the river Beas, and the
entry point to the Kullu Valley, Mandi has several important temples
dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shivratri festivals Celebrations here
are a spectacular affair.
Dalhousie
 Sprawling
over the five hills at around 2000m, Dalhousie was, in the British
era, a sort of ‘second string’ hill station, mainly used
by people who lived in Lahore. It was acquired from the Raja of
Chamba by the British and was named after Lord Dalhousie, then viceroy
of India. Local sunviews run to the village of Lakkar Mandi and
the meadows of Khajjiar. Amongst the five hills here, the most important
are Potreyn,with the Sacred Heart Convent, Moti Tibba and Bakrota.
At Lakkar Mandi there is a wildlife sanctuary called Kalatope.
Chamba
Chamba is perched on a mountain shelf, 996 Mts. About sea level,
which drops cliff - like to the Chamba River below. The town, just
53 kms, from Dalhousie. At the centre of Chamba is the Chaugan,
a large grassy park that runs for a kilometer along the cliff over
the Ravi River. Chamba lies in a valley at an altitude of 926m -
quite a bit lower than Dalhousie, so it’s warmer in the summer.
Access to Chamba :
Dharamshala, 90 Kms, east of Pathankot railway station also has
direct buses connecting the hill station with Delhi (470 Kms), Chandigarh
(239 Kms), Mandi (147 Kms), Shimla ((278 Kms) and a meter gauge
train from Kangra (17 Kms. away).
Excurisons from Chamba :
Akhand Chandi Palace, an 11th century hari Rai temple, is the largest
of the six temples in Chamba. The temple of Chamunda Mata overlooking
the town and the river, a km. from the Chaugan, is a popular picnic
spot. Also fascinating is the Bhuri Singh Museum named after the
erstwhile raja of Chamba, who ruled from 1904 to 1915.
Dharamshala
 Dharamshala
lies in a spur of the Dhauladhar range of the outer Himalayas. Dharamshala
is a hill station split into two. It lies between 1,250 metres and
1,982 metres on a steep mountainside. The lower part, known only
as Dharamshala, is 9 Kms away by road from the upper part, known
as Mcleodganj. It has a population of some 16,000 and is surrounded
by pine, oak and deodar forests.
Dharamshala itself is of little interest to travelers, although
Kotwali Bazaar, at the foot of the roads leading up to McLeodGanj,
is an interesting and colourful market, and you can visit the Kangra
Art Museum.
McleodGanj
Before Upper Dharamshala, or McLeodGanj, was established in the
mid - 1850s as a British garrison, it was the home of the seminomadic
Gaddi people. There is still a number of Gaddi families in the villages
around McLeodGanj. Today McLeodGanj is best known as the headquarters
of the Tibetan Government in Exile and is the home of His Holiness
the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. It is one of the most popular
Himalayan destinations for foreign tourists.
The Kangra Valley
About 17 Kms. South from Dharamshala is Kangra, situated at the
confluence of the Bener and Majhi streams and overlooking the Banganga
torrent. The country side here can be best enjoyed by taking a journey
on the narrow - gauge train, which runs its 164 Kms. from Pathankot
in the west, to Jogindernagar in the east via Kangra and Palampur
- the two major towns in the valley. From the outskirts of Palampur
the line comes within 16 Kms. Of the snow, and stays close to it,
until it turns southwards to the terminal of Jogindernagar. Nagarkot
and Vajeshwri temple are the main places of interest for visitors.
|
State
Express