Why visit Himachal Pradesh
- Dharamshala home of the Dalai Lama
- History of Kangra valley dates back to 3500 yrs
- Spectacular scenery and glorious hiking trails
Built in the mid-eighteenth century, the state capital - Shimla, was highly popular among the British royalty. Though now covered with concrete buildings, Shimla still retains some of its colonial charm. Located in the western part of Himachal Pradesh and spread between the Shivalik foothills and the Dhauladhar range, the Kangra valley is a land of gentle beauty. The valley derives it name from the ancient town of Kangra whose history goes back 3500 years and the country side dotted with ancient Hindu temples like Brajeshwari, Baijnath, Jawalamukhi and Chamunda Devi. Dharamshala, in the Kangra Valley, is also known as Little Tibet. The current home to the Dalai Lama, the town preserves the religious and cultural heritage of Tibet. Thangkas or scroll paintings framed in silk depicting Buddhist divinities, are among the traditional arts kept alive by the Tibetan refugees. About 250 kms north-east of Shimla, and located in the dizzying heights of the Himalayas and with passes that remain closed for six months is the beautiful district of Kinnaur. From the riotous green of the Sangla Valley filled with orchards of apricots, peaches, and apples to the magnificent desolation of the Hangrang Valley, Mother Nature's portrait is an ever changing one in Kinnaur. Strange, exciting, primitive, Lahaul and Spiti are two Himalayan valleys unsurpassed in mountain scape, in the rugged beauty of their rocky escapements and the splendor of their snow covered peaks. The monasteries of Lahaul-Spiti are rich repositories of ancient murals, thangkas, wood carving and golden images of Padmasambhava.
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