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Home :: Himachal
Tour :: Palaces of Interest
Himachal Palaces of InterestSIMLA Scottish civil servant Charles Pratt Kennedy built Shimla's first British summer home in 1822, and by the latter half of the 19th century the town had become the summer capital of the British Raj. British soldiers, merchants and civil servants moved there each year to escape the heat and disease of summer in the Indo-Gangetic plain. Pre-independence structures still dot Shimla; imposing Victorian monuments of British rule in India. Places of interest: The mall, Gaiety Theater, Viceregal Lodge, Jakhoo Temple (a temple of the Hindu god Hanuman) is located at the highest point in Shimla. DHARMSHALA Dharamsala has been connected with Hinduism and Buddhism for a long time with many monasteries having been established there in the past built by Tibetan immigrants in the 8th century. However, these monasteries are believed to have declined, with traditional Hindu building styles experiencing a revival. The local Gaddi people are now almost all Hindu, and for the most part worship many gods and goddesses, principally Durga and Shiva. In 1848, the British annexed the area and a year later, a military garrison was established in the town. Dharamsala eventually became the administrative capital of Kangra District in 1852. It became a popular hill station for the British working in or near Delhi, offering a cool respite during the hot summer months. However, the town was virtually destroyed in a massive earthquake in 1905, which killed an estimated 20,000 people. After this, the British moved their summer headquarters to Shimla which though not far away, is off the main fault line and therefore, less likely to experience a serious earthquake. When the Dalai Lama left Tibet, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru offered to permit him and his followers to establish a "government-in-exile" in Dharamsala in 1960. Since then, many Tibetan exiles have settled in the town, numbering several thousand. Most of these exiles live in Upper Dharamsala or McLeod Ganj, where they established monasteries, temples and schools. The town is sometimes known as "Little Lhasa", and has become an important tourist destination with many hotels and restaurants, creating a resurgence in tourism and commerce. Places to see: Bhagsu Nath temple, Dal Lake, St. John in the wilderness church, Norbulingka institute. PALAMPUR/ KANGRA The Katoch rajas had a stronghold here, with a fort and rich temples. Mahmud of Ghazni took the fort in 1009 and from one of the temples carried off a vast treasure. In 1360 Feroz Shah again plundered Kangra. The temple of Devi Bajreshri was one of the oldest and wealthiest in northern India. It was destroyed, together with the fort and the town, by an earthquake on the 4th of April 1905, when 1339 lives were lost in this place alone, and about 20,000 in and around Dharbashala. In 1855 the headquarters of the district were removed to the sanitarium of Dharmsala. Kangra fort, Andretta pottery, Sobha Singh’s art gallery, Baijnath temple, Jwalaji temple, Taragarh palace (now being run as a heritage hotel). CHAMBA Chamba was the ancient Pahari capital and Raja Sahil Verma who named the settlement after his daughter Champavati established it in AD 920. Places of interest: Chaugan, Laxmi Narayan temple, Bhuri Singh museum, Chamunda Devi temple, church of scotland DALHOUSIE 80 kms from Pathankot, Dalhousie was established in 1854 by the British Empire in India as a summer retreat for its troops and bureaucrats. The town was named after Lord Dalhousie who was the British Viceroy in India at that time. Dalhousie is built on and around five hills. It is located on the western edge of the Dhauladhar mountain range of the Himalayas Places of interest: Kalatop wildlife sanctuary, Panchpula, Subhash Baoli, St. Andrews church. KHAJJIAR Shimla- Delhi DN 550 0845 Situated at an altitude of 6300 ft. Khajjiar is another wonderland midway of Dalhousie and Chamba. The drive from Dalhousie is on a long winding road through dense forest of pines and cedar. There is also a bridal path from Dalhousie to Kalatop and on to Khajjiar. Khajjiar is a beautiful sylvan glade about a mile in length and half a mile in breadth picturesquely set in the midst of forest. The glade is green in its turf and contains in its bosom a small lake. Its depth has been mentioned as 13 feet by Dr. Hutchison put as per prevailing belief, the lake is fathomless and no one has been able to measure its depth so far. Once, a saint is said to have attempted to measure its depth with a rope for days together but in vain. On the brink of lake, there is a beautiful temple of Khajji Nag from where the place derives its name as Khajji. So it attached a religious significance for the local people who celebrate a fair every year. The Khajji Nag temple is made in Pahari style and the object of worship is 'Nagdev', carved out of stone in human form. The images of Pandavas made out of wood stand in the corners of the Mandapa of the temple. A small temple of Hidimba also stands close by. This has led people to believe that the Pandavas visited this place during their exile and their period of incognito. MANALI Tourism in Manali received a real boost after the rise of militancy in Kashmir in the late 1980s. This once quiet village was transformed into a bustling town with hundreds of hotels and restaurants. Places of interest: Manikaran, Vasistha hot water spring, Beas Kund, Hadimba Devi temple, Rohtang Pass. SARAHAN The Gods were generous when they gave Sarahan (2165m) its settings. Located halfway up a high mountainside, the road to Sarahan winds past flowering pine trees that give way to stately oaks. The fields and orchards that surround the small villages with their slate roofed houses, compose pictures of pastoral perfection. Above Sarahan, a many deodar trees rides the slopes and higher still, encircling the Bashal peak, are trees of smooth birch and variety of wild flowers and rare medicinal herbs. This sparsely populated tract is steeped in ancient legends and here is the famous Bhimakali temple regarded as one of the fifty- one sacred Shaktipeeths. The temple's unusual architecture and wealth of carvings have made it a resplendent example of what is loosely called the Indo-Tibetan style. Deep down the alley flows the river Sutlej and across lies the snow-clad Shrikhand peak. The historical temple of Bheemakali is a multistoried structured building, a fusion of Hindu and Buddhist architecture. The tall tower like structure and unusual roof of the temple dominate the complex. The centuries old temple is now locked and in the newly built temple, the goddess Bhimakali is portrayed as a maiden and as a woman. Another attraction of the town is the bird park. Near the temple complex is a pheasant-breeding center. It also houses the State bird Monal which is of a great attraction. KALPA This spectacular mountain village is reached through a winding road climbing up from Rekong Peo (district headquarters of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh) through pine forest, apple orchards and fields. Known as Chini back in the days when it was the regional capital, Kalpa has changed little in the last 500 years. It is said that as and when Lord Dalhousie wanted to take a break from his hectic schedule in Shimla, he would come here on his horseback. The views of the Kinner Kailash range are some of the most spectacular in the Himalayas. Kinner Kailash is the legendary home of Lord Shiva who is said to retire here each winter to meditate. You get a complete panorama from behind the Chorten (Tibetan Pagoda) at the top of the hill. The range looks so up close that one gets a feeling that one can just reach out and touch it. Another interesting place to see is the Narayan Nagini Temple Complex, which has shrines of Hindu, Buddhist and local deities. In September, villagers offer wildflowers here as part of the colorful Phulech Festival. Kalpa is also home to the “Chilgoja” (a kind of dry fruit) tree found in abundance here. The tree belongs to the pine family and the fruit is in about an inch long soft cover. Other than Kalpa, “Chilgoja” grows only in Turkey and Iraq. PRAGPUR: THE HERITAGE VILLAGE The Kangra Valley, where heritage village Pragpur is located is panoramic and replete with history. It is the home of the famous Kangra School of painting and probably the world's - most certainly India's - oldest ruling lineage comes from here. The area of Pragpur was part of the Principality of Jaswan whose chief, in the late 16th or early 17th Century charged a band of learned men, led by a Kuthiala Sood, to find a suitable place to commemorate Princess 'Prag' of his royal lineage. Founded about 3 centuries ago Pragpur has held onto the essence of an earlier era - unchanged shops, cobbled streets, ornamental village tank, mud plastered and slate roofed houses By a notification dated 9th December 1997 the state government has classified Pragpur as a "Heritage Zone. Heritage Village Pragpur is ideal for Village land nature tourism and is being promoted as an example of community involvement in tourism. NALAGARH Nalagarh is well ensconced in the Shivalik Hills in the foothills of Himalayas. Erstwhile capital of the Kingdom of Hindur, Nalagarh, established in 1121 AD by Raja Ajai Chand, is an ideal gateway to Himachal Pradesh. Nalagarh is known for Nalagarh Fort that was built in 1421 by Raja Bikram Chand. Built in the Mughal architectural style on five different levels, Nalagarh Fort has terraces and stairways, which connects the entire ‘garh’ or fort. Hotel Nalagarh Fort is a vision of beauty and elegance that combines the sophistication of 21st century and imperial elegance of bygone era. The present ruling family continues to stay at the heritage resort, which adds to its regal ambience. The hotel’s popularity ensures the staff are always on their toes and invariably always attentive and hospitable Places to visit: Ramgarh Fort built by Raja Ramchander in the year 1540, Pinjore Garden – built by the Mughals. |
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