Visiting
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh located in the Western
Himalayas, offers to locals and tourists, what they can expect from nature
shall offer to them. There are many
tourist attractions, a tourist may like to visit in Himachal Pradesh, including
destinations for adventure sports like skiing, river rafting, para-gliding,
surfing, trekking and mountaineering, honeymoon spots like Shimla and Manali,
religious places like the Dharamsala known as abode of Dalai Lama, Temples
of Chamba, lush green valley’s all around - and to crown it all, the Queen of
all Hill Stations, Shimla. Himachal borders on Jammu and Kashmir,
Uttrakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana
Shimla
Always fresh and a pleasant climatic city,
Shimla, is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Once a summer capital of British
India, Shimla is situated at an elevation of 2159 meters above sea level, is a
hill station and a hot favorite with tourists, particularly in summer. The
British called Shimla the 'Queen of Hill Stations'. Shimla is well connected by
air, road and rail with all parts of Himachal Pradesh, and the neighboring
states of Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Union territory of Chandigarh
and Delhi.
Shimla's well developed buildings, reminiscent
of the British architectural excellence, easy accessibility and numerous
attractions make it one of India's most popular and hottest hill-stations.
Shimla is surrounded by pine, deodar, oak and rhododendron forests, giving the
city abundant greenery, to make Shimla one of the India’s destinations for
physical rejuvenation and mental tranquility.
The town of Shimla rose in the nineteenth
century when, the Gurkha’s dream to rule
over this part, were ended in the battle of Malaon on 15th May 1815 and the
victorious British decided to retain certain pockets as military outposts and
sanitaria. After the defeat of Gurkhas they were forced to sign the 'Treaty of
Sanjauli'.
In 1864 the Viceroy, John Lawrence anointed
Shimla – then spelt Simla, as the summer capital of British India. And while
the British Empire may have ceased to exist, its echoes linger on in the
architecture and ambience of this hill resort. There are many unforgettable
walks, day-excursions by the dozen, a variety of convenient shopping and
entertainment museums, and ice-skating in winter. Shimla is the base or the
unwinding point for numerous exhilarating routes to the state interior.
Today the town is distinctive for its variety of architecture. It has one of the rare surviving urban forests, made all the more unique, for its species are temperate to alpine ones in what is otherwise a tropical zone. And then Shimla’s famous Mall offers one of the longest stretches of pedestrian shopping in the world.
Within and around Shimla, the public and private
sector offer an enormous range of accommodation that range from modern to
heritage hotels. Like satellites placed around the centre, there are many
resorts in Shimla’s periphery that are full-fledged destinations in their own
right. These are located at Mashobra, Naldehra, Kufri, Shilon Bagh and Chail.
En route by road from Kalka there are Parwanoo, Dharampur and Kasauli.
Manali
Manali is 40 kms away from Kullu to the
north. Is an important hill station in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh,
India, near the northern end of the Kullu Valley, on the national highway going
to Leh. Manali city is located about 250
kms north of state capital Shimla. Manali is extremely popular with tourists
for its breath taking landscape. Manali is set amidst the climbing Himalayan peaks,
breathtaking view of snow capped peaks and landscaped greenery.
Manali and the surrounding area is of great
significance to Indian culture and heritage as it is said to be the home of the
Saptarshi or Sven Sages.
Dharamsala
The dharamshala hill station lies on a spur of
the Dhaola Dhar, 17 kms north-east of
Kāngra, in the midst of wild and picturesque scenery. Dharamsala is famous as
the abode of the Dalai Lama all over the world. It originally formed a
subsidiary cantonment for the troops stationed at Kāngra, and was first
occupied as a station in 1849, when a site was required for a cantonment to
accommodate a Native regiment which was being raised in the District.
In 1905, the Kangra valley suffered a major
earthquake. On April 4 of that year, the earth shook, demolishing much of the
cantonment and the neighbouring city of Kangra as well as the Bhagsunag temple.
The Gurkhas rebuilt the town along with the temple, which today is acknowledged
as the 1st Gurkha Rifles' heritage.
In and around Dharamshala, one can visit the
Kangra Art museum at Kotwali bazar, War memorial, Kunal Pathri temple and tea
gardens on way to Kunal Pathri. There is also a beautiful Cricket stadium in the
city facing mighty Dhauladhala
Dalhousie
Dalhousie is a hill station in Himachal
Pradesh,established in 1854 by the British Empire, India as a summer retreat for its troops and
bureaucrats.
It is built on and around five hills (Kathlog,
Potreys, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun) and is named after the 19th century British
Governer General Lord Dalhousie. Located on the western edge of the Dhauladhar
mountain range of the Himalayas, it is surrounded by snow-capped peaks.
Dalhousie is situated between 6,000 and 9,000 feet (2,700 m) above sea
level. The best time to visit is in the summer, and the peak tourist season is
from May to September. Scottish and Victorian architecture is prevalent in the
bungalows and churches in the town.
Dalhousie is a gateway to the Chamba District of
the Himachal Pradesh of India. This hill region is a repository of ancient
Hindu culture, art, temples, and handicrafts preserved under the
longest-running single dynasty since the mid-6th century. Chamba is the
hub of this culture. Bharmour, the ancient capital of this kingdom, is home to
the Gaddi and Gujjar tribes and has 84 ancient temples
dating from the 7th–10th century AD.
Dalhousie has many places to visit. A favorite
spot for tourists is the area near Alla. It is a potato field and it offers
mesmerizing scenic landscape. Another popular spot is the area of Karelanu. It
is famous for its precious water which healed a great leader, Subhash Chandra
Bose. He was suffering from tuberculosis and he regularly drank the water
from the natural spring in Karelanu and was healed.
Rohtang
Pass
Rohtang Pass is situated at an altitude of 4,111
mts and is 51 kms from Manali on the Highway to Keylong/ Leh. Rohtang
Pass is a site which offers spectacular Mountain View, hanging glaciers
and snowfields. The pass is open from June to October each year although
trekkers can cross it earlier.
It is a gateway to Lahaul Spiti, Pangi and Leh
valley. There are a beautiful sight of glaciers, peaks and Chandra river flows
down in the Lahaul valley. Slightly to the left are the twin peaks of the
Geypan. Rohtang Pass is best visitable between May/June to October/November.
Mandi
The present District of Mandi was formed with
merger of two princely states Mandi and Suket on 15th April 1948,
when the Himachal State came in existence. The entire history of both states Mandi
and Suket is littered with wars among themselves and other adjoining states.
These two states had always been rivals and enemies, but there was no great
result of their warfare. The fertile valley of Balh was the common ground of
desire and dispute.
On 21st February 1846 the chiefs of
Mandi and Suket visited Mr. Erskine, Suprintendent of the Hill States for the
British Government, owing their allegiance to the Britishers and securing their
protection. On 9th march, 1846 a treaty was concluded between the British
Government and the Sikh Durbar whereby the whole of the Doab area between the
Beas and the Sutlej was ceeded to the British Government, and this included the
states of Mandi and Suket also.
On 1st November 1921, both the state of
Mandi and Suket were transferred from the political control of Punjab
Government to that of Government of India till 15th August 1947, India's
Independence Day.
In the central part of Himachal Pradesh, the
historic town of Mandi (800 m) is built along the banks of the river Beas. Mandi was named after its resident saint
Mahdavya Rishi. The climate of Mandi
District is sub-himid tropical and very pleasant. It has long been an important
commercial centre and the sage Mandva is said to have meditated here. This one
time capital of the princely state of Mandi is a fast developing town that
still retains much of its original charm and character. Today, it is a district
headquarters. Mandi is one of the oldest town of the Pradesh having about 81
temples of different deities in its periphery. The town has remains of old
palaces and notable examples of 'colonial' architecture. The Victoria Bridge
presents picturesque view of the old town. The temples of Bhutnath,
Trilokinath, Panchvaktra and Shyamakali are among the more famous ones. The
week long international Shivratri fair in Mandi is the major attraction of the
area every year. In the year 2011 the fair was celebrated from 3rd-9th
March. In the fair the activities like cultural programmes in the evenings,
exhibitions, sports etc. are the major attractions for the tourists as well as
locals. Sikh pilgrims visit the historic Gurudwara Guru Gobind Sahib,
which is also situated on the bank of Beas.
Chamba
Chamba town is the headquarters of the Chamba
district, is situated in the western Himalayas. The town average elevation is
of 1,006 metres (3,301 ft). The town, the district and the valley where the
town is located, share the name of Chamba. The town of Chamba is located at the
right bank of the Ravi river valley and its tributary, the Sal River, built on
successive flat terraces, with the Shah Madar hill forming the backdrop on its
eastern side. This town was founded by Raja Sahil Varman when he conquered the
lower Rani valley from the petty chiefs called Ranas and Thakurs in the
beginning of 10th Century. With a rich history that dates back to the 6th
century, Chamba is one of the fabulous tourist spots in Himachal
Pradesh.
The town has a large number of temples and
palaces, and hosts two popular jatras (fairs), the "Suhi Mata Mela"
and the "Minjar Mela", which last for several days and involve music
and dancing. Still intact a fine group of six ancient shikhara style
stone temples (dating back to 8th Century) are dedicated to lord
Shiva, Vishnu and Other Deities. Among them the richly
carved Lakshmi-Narayan temple is the oldest Structure. Other
Evidence of Chamba’s heritage can be seen in the famous paintings from
the Kangra, Basholi and Chamba schools at
the Bhuri Singh Museum, as well in the murals and the other
artifacts at the Rang Mahal Palace.
Chamba is also well noted for its arts and
crafts, particularly its Pahari paintings, which originated in the Hill
Kingdoms of North India between the 17th and 19th century and its handicrafts
and textiles.
Chamba, despite its hill location, is well
connected by road to the rest of the state and country, including
Shimla, Delhi and Chandigarh along several routes. The nearest
broad gauge railway stations are at Chakki Bank (around 5km from
Pathankot) and Pathankot.
Chamba is 122 kms fromPathankot - (the
nearest railhead), 378 Kms from Shimla and 56 Kms from Dalhousie.
Other
Main Attractions of Himachal Pradesh
Situated amongst the lower reaches of the
ponderous Himalayas, the small town of Kullu is famous for its
temples and apple orchards and attracts hordes of tourists who come to see the
magnificent greater Himalayas and the silver valley bisected by the Beas
River. Spend time in Chail that is a great favorite with
holidaymakers particularly during summer months. Experience “Heaven on
Earth" in Chail - a little village set in the midst of luxuriant forest
greens. People say Chail is a place where time stands still and nature is at
her exuberant best.
If one wish to visit Himachal Pradesh, it would be then advisable to first go to Simla and then from there to visit other places of this Himalyan state and explore the beauty of this state. There is very good railways link from Delhi to Simla.
Trains between Delhi and
Kalka
Train No.
|
Train Name
|
Origin
|
Dep. Time
|
Dstn.
|
Arr. Time
|
Class (Fare Rs)
|
Days of run
|
14095
|
HIMALYAN QUEEN
|
Delhi, Rohilla
|
05:45
|
Kalka
|
11:10
|
CC (317), 2S (90)
|
All days
|
12011
|
KALKA SHTBDI
|
New Delhi
|
07:40
|
Kalka
|
11:45
|
1AC (885), CC (465)
|
All days
|
22925
|
PASCHIM EXPRESS
|
New Delhi
|
11:45
|
Kalka
|
16:45,
|
3AC (434), SL (175)
|
All days
|
12005
|
KALKA SHTBDI
|
New Delhi
|
17:15
|
Kalka
|
21:20,
|
1AC (860),
CC (450)
|
All days
|
12311
|
HWH DLI KLK MAI
|
New Delhi
|
21:15
|
Kalka
|
04:30,
|
1AC (919),
2A (551),
3A (404),
SL (155),
2S (90)
|
All days
|
Train between Kalka and
Simla
Train No.
|
Train Name
|
Origin
|
Dep. Time
|
Dstn.
|
Arr. Time
|
Class (Fare Rs)
|
Days of run
|
52457
|
KLK SML PASS
|
Kalka
|
04:00
|
Simla
|
09:20
|
FC (189)
|
All days
|
72451
|
RAIL MOTOR
|
Kakla
|
05:10
|
Simla
|
09:50
|
FC (247)
|
All days
|
52451
|
SHIVALIK DLX EXP
|
Kalka
|
05:30
|
Simla
|
10:15,
|
CC (280)
|
All days
|
52453
|
KALKA SIMLA EXP
|
Kalka
|
06:00
|
Simla
|
11:05,
|
FC (228), 2S (48)
|
All days
|
52455
|
HIMALYAN QUEEN
|
Kalka
|
12:20
|
Simla
|
17:20,
|
CC (167)
|
All days
|
Train between Simla and Kalka
Train No.
|
Train Name
|
Origin
|
Dep. Time
|
Dstn.
|
Arr. Time
|
Class (Fare Rs)
|
Days of run
|
52458
|
SML KALKA PASS
|
Simla
|
14:25
|
Kalka
|
20:10
|
FC (189), 2S (31)
|
All days
|
72452
|
RAIL MOTOR
|
Simla
|
16:25
|
Kalka
|
21:35
|
FC (247)
|
All days
|
52452
|
SHIVALIK DLX EXP
|
Simla
|
17:40
|
Kalka
|
22:25,
|
CC (280)
|
All days
|
52454
|
SML KLK EXP
|
Simla
|
18:15
|
Kalka
|
23:20,
|
FC (228), 2S (48)
|
All days
|
52456
|
HIMALYAN QUEEN
|
Simla
|
10:30
|
Kalka
|
16:10,
|
CC (167)
|
All days
|
Trains between Kalka and
Delhi
Train No.
|
Train Name
|
Origin
|
Dep. Time
|
Dstn.
|
Arr. Time
|
Class (Fare Rs)
|
Days of run
|
14096
|
HIMALYAN QUEEN
|
Kalka
|
16:50
|
Delhi S Rohilla
|
22:40
|
CC (317), 2S (90)
|
All days
|
12012
|
KALKA SHTBDI
|
Kalka
|
17:45
|
New Delhi
|
21:55
|
1AC (890), CC (535)
|
All days
|
22926
|
PASCHIM EXPRESS
|
Kalka
|
10:20
|
New Delhi
|
16:25,
|
3AC (434), SL (175)
|
All days
|
12006
|
KALKA SHTBDI
|
Kalka
|
06:15
|
New Delhi
|
10:25,
|
1AC (885),
CC (465)
|
All days
|
12312
|
KALKA MAIL
|
Kalka
|
23:55
|
Delhi
|
06:30,
|
1AC (919),
2A (551),
3A (404),
SL (155),
2S (90)
|
All days
|
For more train details or
latest time table, visit Indian Rail official website
