Himachal
Pradesh stores numerous
wonderful hill stations, which are particularly cool in summers.
Shimla, Dalhousie, Kullu , Kasauli, Manali, Chail and Kufri are
a few of the hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh which offer
breathtaking scenery. Dharmasala, where the Dalai Lama lives, is
another important centre on the tourist map. The foremost shrine
in Kangra town is the Brajeshwari Devi temple. 30-km from Kangra
is Jwalamukhi, one of the most revered temples in northern
India. The Kangra Museum has an impressive art collection.
Population in
Himachal Pradesh: 6 million
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Festivals of Himachal
Pradesh:
Shivratri festival in Mandi in Feb/March; Sul Mata festival
in Chamba in March; Kangra Valley Tea Festival in April; Shimla
Summer Festival in May; Kulu Dussehra, which begins when
festivals in the rest of the country have ended in October; Renuka Fair, held on the banks of Renuka lake in November.
Capital of
Himachal Pradesh:
Built in the mid-eighteenth century, Shimla was highly popular
among the British royalty after it was named the 'Summer Capital
of India'. The Parliament used to move up to the hills to get a
break from the hot Indian summers. The town is a picturesque
place dotted with charming bungalows and shops made of stone. A
perfect setting for romance or to go on a idle holiday. The best
way to see Shimla is to pick up a tour book, which tells a small
history of the buildings and churches.
History of Himachal
Pradesh:
Aryan groups filtered into the more productive valleys
during the Vedic Period. Later, the Mauryans, Guptas and the
Mughals sought to exercise varying degrees of control over trade
and pilgrimage routes into this area and between India and
Tibet. Lahaul and Spiti was controlled by Ladakh from the decline
of the Mughal Empire (about the mid-18th century) until the
early 1840s, when it briefly came under Sikh rule. British
domination followed the Anglo-Sikh Wars and continued, directly
or indirectly, for the next 100 years. In 1948, it was
constituted as an administrative unit comprising 30 princely
states.
The People:
Himachalis lead a simple and quiet life, tending their
orchards, fields and flocks. The population is composed of a
variety of distinctive hill tribes: Gadis, Gujaris, Kinnauris,
Lahulis, Pangwalis, and Rajputs. Hindi (the official state
language) and Pahari are the principal languages. Himachal
Pradesh is the least urbanized state in India; the urban
population accounts for less than 10 per cent of the total. The
simple people of Himachal Pradesh still hold their gods in awe.
Culture in Himachal:
Keeping alive their rich highland identity, they remain
immersed in the annual rounds of fairs and festivals full of
music, song and dance. The Shimla hills, the Kullu valley
(including the town of Manali), and Dalhousie are tourist
attractions. Skiing, golfing, fishing, trekking, and
mountaineering are activities for which Himachal Pradesh is
ideally suited.
Occupation in Himachal:
Most people in Himachal Pradesh earn their keep by
agriculture, pastoralism, horticulture, and forestry. The
state's main industrial products are agricultural implements,
turpentine, and resin at Nahan, television sets, fertilizer,
beer, and liquor at Solan, cement at Rajban, processed fruit at
Parwanoo, and electronics near Shimla. Thousands of
artisan-based, small-scale industrial units are also in
operation.
Handicrafts from
Himachal:
Exquisitely designed shawls of Kinnaur, the distinctive
woollen caps of Kullu ,and the embroidered hankerchiefs of Chamba are some of the very attractive examples of local
weaving. Himachal Pradesh is also known for its Kangra Valley
School of Paintings.
Climate of Himachal
Pradesh:
The State can be divided into two regions: the Southern
part, which is almost as hot as the plains and the northern
region having temperate summer and a winter with extreme cold
and heavy snowfall. The rainfall is around 180 cms. Best time to
visit Himachal is during the months of Mid-May to Mid-October. |