Area : 55,673 sq. km.Density: 109 per sq. km.
Population: 6,077,248 (based on 2001 census)
Capital: Simla
Languages: Hindi and Pahari
Ideal Season: All year round except monsoon
Roads: Total length 20,276km. Most of the villages have been connected with roads.
Location: The state has Tibet and U.P. to its east, Punjab to its west, Haryana to its south and Jammu and Kashmirr to its north.
Airports: Bhuntar in Kullu Valley, Gaggal in Kangra and Jubbarhatti in Simla. A number of helipad are also there.
Main Resorts
(i) Chail [Height - 2150 mtrs. & Nearest Railhead - Shimla 45 km]
(ii) Chamba [Height - 996 mtrs. & Nearest Railhead - Pathankot 118 km]
(iii) Dalhousie [Height - 2039 mtrs. & Nearest Railhead - Pathankot 80 km]
(iv) Dharmshala [Height - 1250 to 1980 mtrs. & Nearest Railhead - Pathankot 90km]
(v) Kasauli [Height - 1927 mtrs. & Nearest Railhead - Kalka 34km]
(vi) Kulu [Height - 1219 mtrs. & Nearest Railhead - Pathankot 285km]
(vii) Mandi [Height - 1982 mtrs.]
(viii) Shimla [Height - 2202 mtrs. & Nearest Railhead - Shimla ]
Pilgrima Centres:
HimanchalPradesh was once known as God's own abode and Lord Shiva, Goddess Kali and Lord Buddha were held in high esteem and worshiped. The state has some 6000 temples and people live through a cycle of rituals and ceremonies. The arrival of His Holiness The Dalai Lama in Dharamsala has made the state a second home for Buddhist from Tibet. Tribes like Gaddis, Gujars, Kinnaurs, Lahaulis, Pangwalas live in the state.
Baba Balak Nath: This is a cave shrine which can be reached by air from Chandigarh Which is 220 Km away. One can take train from Nangal which is 100 km away.
Baijnath:By air it is 150km from Kulu and by train 5 Km from Paprola. It has an old Lord Shiva temple which was supposed to have been built by the Pandavas. The temple has a Jyotirlinga.
Chamba: It has Katasan Devi temple and Laxmi Narayan temple. The place is 240 km from Jammu by air and 130km by rail from Pathankot.
Chamunda Devi Dadh: It has Goddess Chamunda Devi temple. It is 200 km away from Jammu by air and 12km from Nagrota by train.
Jwalamukhi: A shining flame greets visitors. It is 225km away from Chandigarh by air and 24km from Ranital if one travels by train.
Kulu: It has Raghunath temple which is visited by thousands of people, including foreigners. One can reach there by air and rail also.
Naina Devi: Temple displaying the eyes of Goddess. It is 100km away from Chandigarh by air and 30 km from Kiratpur.
Tarna Temple, Mandi: Temple of kali. The place is 70km from Bhuntar by air and 60km from Joginder Nagar by rail.
Poantha Sahib: The place is associated with Guru Gobind Singh. It can be reached by rail from Dehradun - a distance of 45km.
Triloknath: Has a marble figure of Bodhistava Avalokiteshwara in Pattan Valley. One can reach there form keylong.
SHIMLA
The best way to get to know Shimla is to walk on some of its quiet roads. In spite of a lot of construction in recent years, some of these roads still retain a certain charm. They bring out the stark contrast between Simla, the erstwhile summer capital of British Indian and Shimla, the present-day capital of Himanchal Pradesh. Delicious hot food like rice, rajma, karhi, chapatis and stuffed parathas, besides a variety of other cuisines are available at dhabas and restaurants, all over Shimla and its suburbs like summer hill, Boileauganj, Chhota Shimla, Sanjauli, Dhali and Mashobra.
Hatu Peak: For the rulers of the erstwhile hill state, Hatu Peak was of great strategic importance because of its commanding position. It was accepted as a boundary between the states. The Gorkhas captured it early in the 19th century and established a fort at the top of Hatu Peak. Later, the British ousted them from the Hatu heights. Narkanda [2708 km] at the base of Hatu, offers a spectacular view of the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. It streches from the Srikhand Range in the east to the Kinner Kailash Range of Kinnaur in the north-west, and all the way across to the peaks of the Tons and Yamuna catchment in Uttarakhand.
Hatu is famous for its ski slopes. A sub-centre of the Mountaineering and Allied Sports Institute at Manali runs adventure activities here, and ski equipment is available in winter.
Jahkoo Hills: It is at the height of 2,458 meters, the highest point of Simla. One can have a spellbinding view of the Himalayan peaks and valleys from here. At the top is an old Hanuman Mandir, it is a tourist spot.
Janjheli - Shikari Devi: It is a picturesque valley with forested mountainsides sloping down from ridgelines. It's dotted with pretty flower bedecked meadows. The British wanted to develop the area as a hill retreat but the Raja of Mandi did not approve of their plan.
SHIKHAR DHAMMA (DHARAMSHALA) - The meaning of 'Shikhar' means 'at the top' and 'Dhamma' is derived from a sanskrit word 'Dharma' which means religion, duty, law and teachings of life's reality etc.,
It's an ideal place for those who are in search of ultimate peace. A place that provides you to meditate and self exploration at a serene location of hills and mountains.
Himachal Vipassana Centre -- Dhamma Sikhara
McLeodganj; Dharamsala 176 219
Dist. Kangra; Himachal Pradesh
India
