On

Himachal Pradesh

By –

Rajdeep singh bundela

Rajat jaiswal

Tenendra Tembhare

PGDM TT ( B )

Himachal Pradesh is famous for its abundant natural beauty. After the war between

Nepal and Britain, also known as the Anglo-Gorkha War (1814–1816), the British

colonial government came into power. In 1950 Himachal was declared a union

territory, but after the State of Himachal Pradesh Act 1971, Himachal emerged as

the 18th state of the Republic of India. Hima means snow in Sanskrit, and the

literal meaning of the state's name is In the lap of Himalayas. It was named by

Acharya Diwakar Datt Sharma, one of the great Sanskrit scholars of Himachal

Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh is the least urbanized state in India with nearly 90% of

population living in rural area, but the Shimla district is comparatively urbanized

with nearly 25% population living in an urban area. According to a 2005

Transparency International survey, Himachal Pradesh is ranked the second-least

corrupt state in the country after Kerala.

Popularly known as the Devbhumi ­– "Land of the Gods", Himachal Pradesh is a

beautiful hill state in India, nestles in north-west region of western Himalayas. The

state is landlocked with the Tibetan plateau to the east, Jammu and Kashmir to the

north, and the Punjab to the west. However, the state stands apart from its

neighbours in terms of its sheer topographic diversity and breathtaking pristine

natural beauty. From vast tracts of high-altitude Trans-Himalayan desert to dense

green deodar forests, from apple orchards to cultivated terraces, from snow capped

high Himalayan mountain ranges to snow fed lakes and gushing rivers.

Map of Himachal Pradesh

History

Himachal Pradesh is called the “Devbhumi” as it is regarded as the Land of the

Gods.

Himachal Pradesh literally means a 'region of snowy mountains’. The word 'Hima'

actually means snow in Sanskrit terminology. Acharya Diwakar Datt Sharma, an

eminent Sanskrit Scholar from Himachal Pradesh named the state.

Located in the northern part of India, Himachal Pradesh is known for its glorious

hill stations.

In the year 1950 Himachal Pradesh was declared as one of the Union Territories of

India . Later on however, with the passing of Himachal Pradesh Act of 1971, it

emerged as the eighteenth state of India.

Himachal pradesh is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the

west and south-west, Haryana and Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet

Autonomous Region on the east.

{Masroor Rock Temples}

The British territories came under the British Crown after Queen Victoria's

proclamation of 1858. The states of Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur made good

progress in many fields during the British rule. During World War I, virtually all

rulers of the hill states remained loyal and contributed to the British war effort,

both in the form of men and materials. Among these were the states of Kangra,

Jaswan, Datarpur, Guler, Nurpur, Chamba, Suket, Mandi and Bilaspur.

After independence the Chief Commissioner's Province of H.P. came into being on

15 April 1948 as a result of integration of 28 petty princely states in the

promontories of the western Himalaya, known in full as the Simla Hills States &

four Punjab southern hill States by issue of the Himachal Pradesh (Administration)

Order, 1948 under Sections 3 & 4 of the Extra-Provincial Jurisdiction Act, 1947

.The State of Bilaspur was merged in the Himachal Pradesh on 1 April 1954 by the

Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur Act, 1954. Himachal became a part C state on 26

January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India and the Lt.

Governor was appointed. Legislative Assembly was elected in 1952. Himachal

Pradesh became a Union Territory on 1 November 1956. Following area of Punjab

State namely Simla, Kangra, Kulu and Lahul and Spiti Districts, Nalagarh tehsil of

Ambala District, Lohara, Amb and Una kanungo circles, some area of Santokhgarh

kanungo circle and some other specified area of Una tehsil of Hoshiarpur District

besides some parts of Dhar Kalan Kanungo circle of Pathankot tehsil of Gurdaspur

District; were merged with Himachal Pradesh on 1 November 1966 on enactment

of Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 by the Parliament. On 18 December 1970, the

State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new state came

into being on 25 January 1971. Thus Himachal emerged as the eighteenth state of

the Indian Union.

Geography and climate

Himachal is situated in the western Himalayas. Covering an area of 55,673

kilometres (34,594 mi), it is a mountainous state.

The drainage system of Himachal is composed both of rivers and glaciers.

Himalayan rivers criss-cross the entire mountain chain. Himachal Pradesh provides

water to both the Indus and Ganges basins.The drainage systems of the region are

the Chandra Bhaga or the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, the Sutlej and the Yamuna.

These rivers are perennial and are fed by snow and rainfall. They are protected by

an extensive cover of natural vegetation.

Due to extreme variation in elevation, there is great variation in the climatic

conditions of Himachal . The climate varies from hot and sub-humid tropical in the

southern tracts to, with more elevation, cold, alpine and glacial in the northern and

eastern mountain ranges. The state has areas like Dharamsala that receive very

heavy rainfall, as well as those like Lahaul and Spiti that are cold and almost

rainless. Broadly, Himachal experiences three seasons: Summer, Winter and rainy

season. Summer lasts from mid April till the end of June and most parts become

very hot (except in alpine zone which experiences a mild summer) with the

average temperature ranging from 28 to 32 °C (82 to 90 °F). Winter lasts from late

November till mid March. Snowfall is common in alpine tracts.

Latitude and Longitude

Latitude and Longitude

Latitude : 32° 29' N

Longitude : 75° 10' E

Climate

The Climate of any place is dependent on various geographical factors. The state

of Himachal Pradesh, India is a hilly region and it experiences a pleasant Climate

through out the year. It even experiences heavy snow fall during the winter

months. The weather of Himachal alters with the change of altitude. The best time

to visit the state of Himachal is from September to March.

The temperature of Himachal Pradesh is highly dependent on altitude. The average

altitude of the region is from 350 meter to 700 meter above sea level. The region

generally experiences three seasons. The winter season spans from October to

February. The summer months in Himachal are the months of March to June. By

July the rainy season starts in the hilly region and it ends in September. In the

winter months, some parts of Himachal experiences heavy snow fall. It occurs

generally in the months of December to March. The days and nights during this

time of the year become very cold.

The Weather and Climate of Himachal Pradesh becomes very beautiful after the

rainy season. The landscape of the place become lush green. But heavy rains often

cause floods and landslides causing destruction to life and property. The highest

amount of rainfall that has been recorded in Dharmasala is 3400 mm. The annual

rainfall of Himachal Pradesh is 2909 to 3800 mm. The average temperature in the

summer months vary from 22 degrees to 37 degree Celsius. The temperature varies

from 0 degree to 15 degree Celsius.

Flora and fauna

According to 2003 Forest Survey of India report, legally defined forest areas

constitute 66.52% of the area of Himachal Pradesh, although area under tree cover

is only 25.78% Vegetation in the state is dictated by elevation and precipitation.

The southern part of the state, at lower elevations than the north, has both tropical

and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf

forests.These are represented by northwestern thorn scrub forests along the border

with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and by Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous

forests in the far southeast. Sal and shisham are found here.

Rising into the hills, we find a mosaic of western Himalayan broadleaf forests and

Himalayan subtropical pine forests. Various deciduous and evergreen oaks live in

the broadleaf forests, while Chir pine dominates the pine forests. Western

Himalayan subalpine conifer forests grow near treeline, with species that include

East Himalayan Fir, West Himalayan Spruce, Deodar (State tree), and Blue pine.

The uppermost elevations have western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows in

the northeast and northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows in the

northwest. Trees are sturdy with a vast network of roots. Alders, birches,

rhododendrons and moist alpine shrubs are there as the regional vegetation. The

rhododendrons can be seen along the hillsides around Shimla from March to May.

The shrublands and meadows give way to rock and ice around the highest peaks.

Himachal is also said to be the fruit bowl of the country, with orchards being

widespread. Meadows and pastures are also seen clinging to steep slopes. After the

winter season, the hillsides and orchards bloom with wild flowers, while gladiolas,

carnations, marigolds, roses, chrysanthemums, tulips and lilies are carefully

cultivated. The state government is gearing up to make Himachal Pradesh as the

flower basket of the world.

Himachal Pradesh has around 1200 bird and 359 animal species, including the

leopard, snow leopard (State animal), ghoral, musk deer and Western Tragopan. It

has 2 major national parks and sanctuaries — the largest number in the Himalayan

region. The Great Himalayan National Park in Kullu district was created to

conserve the flora and fauna of the main Himalayan range, while the Pin Valley

National Park to conserve the flora and fauna of the cold desert.

Heritage

Himachal has a rich heritage of handicrafts. These include woolen and pashmina

shawls, carpets, silver and metal ware, embroidered chappals, grass shoes, Kangra

and Gompa style paintings, wood work, horse-hair bangles, wooden and metal

utensils and various other house hold items. These aesthetic and tasteful

handicrafts declined under competition from machine made goods and also

because of lack of marketing facilities. But now the demand for handicrafts has

increased within and outside the country.

Himachal is extremely rich in hydro electric resources. The state has about 25% of

the national potential in this respect. It has been estimated that about 20,300MW of

hydro electric power can be generated in the State by constructing various major,

medium, small and mini/micro hydel projects on the five river basins. The state is

also the first state in India to achieve the goal of having a bank account for every

family. As per the current prices, the total GDP was estimated at INR 254 billion

as against INR 230 billion in the year 2004–05, showing an increase of 10.5%.

Tourism

ourism in Himachal Pradesh is one of its major contributor to the state economy

and growth. State is endowed with variety of landscape and vivid topographic

features which attracts tourists from all the parts of the world. The state is also

known for its adventure activities which includes Paragliding in Bir-billing and

Solang valley, Rafting in Kullu, ice skating in Shimla, Boating in Bilaspur and

various other activities like trekking, horse riding, Skiing, fishing etc. The state is

also a famous destination for various film shooting units and various films have

been shot in the state like Roja, Henna_(film), Jab_We_Met, Veer-Zaara,

Yeh_Jawaani_Hai_Deewani, Highway_(2014_Hindi_film) mostly by the

contribution of Mr Anil Kaistha. Major tourist and religious destinations include

Bahadurpur fort, bhakra dam, naina devi temple, Manimahesh, Bhuri Singh

museum, Bharmaur, khajjiar, dalhousie, sujanpur tira, dharamshala, palampur,

masroor rock temple, kangra fort, kinnaur, manikaran, manali, rohtang pass, spiti,

Shimla, kasauli, gobind sagar lake.

Himachal is peppered with the awesome landscape that is a dream of everyone.

With lofty Himalayas draped with snow, deep valleys, vast woods, chilled rivers,

green surroundings, scenic lakes and deep gorges, Tourist attractions in Himachal

appeals to your sight and mind.

In addition to this, there are a number of tourist places in Himachal Pradesh that

add to its overall charm.

Various adventure sports such as trekking, skiing, ice skating, river rafting,

paragliding, etc. that give many reasons to tourists to get drawn to Himachal.

Tourist Places in Himachal Pradesh

Manali

Shimla

Chamba

Khajjiar

Kasauli

Dharamshala

Dalhousie

Lahaul and Spiti

Kangra

Palampur

Shimla

Shimla is one of the best refuges during vacations and a perfect destination for

tourist.

Various tourist attractions are Mall Road, Kali Bari Temple, Christ Church,

Summer Hill, Shimla Ridge, etc.

The place is a wonderful abode for nature lovers who feel like exploring all the

tourist places in Himachal Pradesh.

Manali (265 Kms. away from Shimla)

Manali is an amazing destination for mountain lovers and especially the snow

capped mountains.

Kinnaur

Chail

Kufri

Kullu

People can have fun over the snow blanket of the Solang Valley and Rohtang Pass

or can visit the holy Hadimba Temple or the Vashisht Temple.

Dharamshala (245 Kms. ((Via Hamirpur) away from Shimla)

Dharamshala presents you with all the amazing charm of a hill resort.

Awesome spots such as the St. John’s Church, Dal Lake, Kangra Art Museum,

Namgyal Monastery, Nurpur Fort, Maharana Pratap wildlife Sanctuary, Chamund

Devi Temple, etc., Dharamshala is there to fascinate you completely.

Lahaul and Spiti (Tabo (Spiti) – 355 Kms away from Shimla)

Lahaul and Spiti showcase a number of heritage spots and primitive places.

Here, you come across monasteries, lakes, valleys, rivers, gorges, mountains,

temples, etc. that make the place completely arresting.

One can explore the royal heritages of Gondla or can have the sacred essence of

the Guru Ghantal Monastery.

This makes Lahaul and Spiti one of the best Himachal Pradesh tourist spots

Dalhousie (340 Kms. (Via Hamirpur) away from shimla )

Dalhousie appears to be extremely charming due to the existence of Kathlog,

Balun, Porteyn, Moti Tibba and Bakrota hills.

The hill station is ideal for tourists, who can explore it by visiting the spots such as

the Laxmi Narayan Temple, Satdhara Springs, various churches, picnic spot named

as Dalhousie Panchpula, Kalatop, etc.

Chamba ( 347 kms away from shimla )

Chamba’s charm is gets enriched with the lively River Ravi and Chamba’s art,

culture, museums, temples as well as natural attractions are more than enough to

let you glued to it. One can behold the arresting Dhgauladhar Ranges or can visit

the Chaurasi Temple Complex or the famous Champavati Temple. People fond of

historical findings can head towards the Bhuri Singh Museum

Kangra (220 kms away from shimla)

Kangra is marked with the stunning views of the Dhauladhar Hills and the

picturesque Kangra Valley. The place is marked with an array of attractions

including the Jwalaji Temple surprising you with the natural flames emerging from

the rocks, Brajesshwari devi Temple, etc. Adventure freaks can enjoy sports like

rock climbing, fishing, trekking, mountaineering, etc.

Palampur ( 215 kms away from shimla )

Palampur is rich with its tea gardens and has the beauty of the Dhauladhar Hills.

Here, you find valleys, mountains, lush greenery and attractions including Mata

Bundla Temple, Newgal Park, Saurab Kaliya Ban Vihar, St. John’s Church,

Neugal Khad, etc.

Kasauli (Kasauli (Solan) – 75 Km away from shimla )

Kasauli is filled with the natural serenity, lush greenery and bunches of flowers.

People visiting Kasauli can enjoy the chance of exploring the tourist places of

Himachal Pradesh such as Monkey Point, Dharampur, Dagshai, Sabathu, Sanawar,

etc., that take you amidst the tranquility and beauty of Nature. One just can’t

remain bereaved of exploring it...

Kinnaur (Sangla(Kinnaur) 230Kms away from shimla)

Kinnaur enchants you with vineyards, valleys, orchards, snow covered mountain

and their peaks, as well as various fruits such as apples, apricots, pine nuts,

almonds, etc. Rivers such as Spiti, Baspa and Satluj add to the richness of Kinnaur

and make it serene. One can visit the Recong Peo temple or can forget oneself

amidst the Oak, Chestnut, Mangolia, Alder as well as Birch forests

Khajjiar ( 330 kms away from shimla )

Khajjiar appears more than appealing with its Pine and Deodar trees and its scenic

beauty and attractions make it ‘Mini Switzerland’. One can visit the Khajjiar

Temple or can behold the lively adventure of Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary. Or else,

one can bask in the beauty of the stunning Dhauladhar Ranges.

Kufri ( 12 kms away from shimla )

Kufri is also well known for its snow draped peaks and Mahasu Peak and Mahasu

Ridge are some of the most splendid attractions of Kufri. People can try out the

sports such as toboganning, trekking, skiing or can behold the amazing sight of

valleys as well as vast forests. Truly, this hill station is enough to make you

awestruck.

Kullu ( 208 kms away from shimla )

Kullu is a heavenly valley that is considered to be one of the best destinations for

tourists. The hill station is marked with the splendid River Beas as well as a series

of attractions such as Bijli Mahadev Temple, Jagannathi Devi Temple, various

wildlife sanctuaries, Raghunath Temple, etc. The place is also an amazing spot for

trekkers and adventure lovers...

Chail ( 50 kms away from shimla )

Chail, an awesome hill station in Himachal bewitches you with its temples,

palaces, natural beauty and landscape and a number of tourist attractions such as

the renowned Chail Cricket Ground, the highest cricket ground in the world, Sidh

Baba Ka Mandir, Maharaja’s Palace, Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, etc. that together

make it a worth visiting place.

How to Reach Himachal Pradesh

By Road :

The most beautiful Indian State is well connected via road to all the major cities

of the country.

Three National Highways criss-cross Himachal Pradesh. NH- 20 enters

Himachal through Pathankot, which connect Nurpur, Dharamshala,

Palampur, Joginder Nagar and ends at Mandi.

NH-21 begins at Chandigarh and goes upto Leh via Bilaspur, Mandi and

Kullu Manali.

National Highway- 22 starts from Ambala and goes upto Kinnaur via Solan,

Shimla, Narkanda and Rampur .

By Rail :

In fact, there are no railway tracks in the entire state because of the loft hills. But,

Kalka (90km away) is the nearest railway station to reach to Himachal Pradesh to

explore major tourist spots in Himachal Pradesh. There are regular trains from

Ambala to Kalka and Pathankot - Joginder Nagar through a Narrow-gauge line.

By Air :

For those tourists who come outside India the best airport is Indira Gandhi

International Airport. However, Kullu also houses an airport that is only 23km

away. There are regular flights from Delhi to Kullu.

There are three main airports in Himachal at Jabbarhatti near Shimla, Gaggal

near Kangra and Bhuntar near Kullu.