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Kullu, Kangra & Chamba - Beautiful Hill Resort
KULLU,
KANGRA AND CHAMBA Kullu valley has often been called the most beautiful
on earth and is celebrated as the 'Valley of the Gods'. About a km wide and 80
km long, it lies between the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges and cradles the
river Beas. As you travel north from Mandi to Kullu the river roars in a
torrent through the deep gorge near Aut; and soon the barren, rocky terrain
gives way to the lush green valley and its breathtaking landscapes. There are
pine forests and alpine meadows, gurgling rivulets and fruit-laden orchards.
And the colours change with the seasons as orchards of apple, apricot, peach
and cherry or wild giant, red rhododendrons and blue iris burst into
bloom.
Situated at the northern end of the Kullu valley, Manali (1915
m), is famous as the 'queen of the hill stations'. It offers spectacular
views of snowcapped peaks and wooded slopes, and lies by the Beas river whose
tumbling, sparkling waters add to its special magic. Manali is an ideal base
for excursions to the hot sulphur springs of Vashisht and Manikaran, high
altitude lakes Chandratal (Lake of the Moon) and Surajtal (Lake of the
Sun)(both 4800 m), the Solang valley and its splendid ski slopes, Beas Kund
(the source of the River Beas) and the Rohtang Pass (3980 m) which is the
gateway to the remote Lahaul & Spiti valleys. Manali is also the start
point for exciting treks and mountaineering expeditions to several nearby
peaks.
Some 15 km south of Manali lies Naggar which commands spectacular
views of the valley. This is where Devika Rani, the celebrated Indian actress
from the days of silent movies, lived with her Russian husband, the renowned
painter Sveteslav Roerich. Their house is now a gallery where some of his
paintings, as well as those of his father Nicholas Roerich, are
exhibited.
Further south, near the beautiful Chandrakhani Pass (3660 m)
which provides striking views of Deo Tibba peak (6001 m), lies the mysterious
village of Malana (2650 m). Its 1000-odd inhabitants speak a distinctly
different language, have their own quaint customs and traditions, remain
isolated and aloof, have their own laws and do not accept the authority of the
district administration. It is widely believed that the original settlers in
the village were of Greek origin - soldiers from Alexander's army who stayed
back, married local women and gave rise to this unique society.
The town
of Kullu is famous for the grand style in which the Dussehra Festival is
celebrated in October. The idols of the gods and goddesses from all the village
temples in the valley, are carried in processions in gaily decorated palanquins
to the Maidan to pay homage to the presiding deity, Raghunath ji (Lord Ram),
whose idol is installed there. A fair springs up and the festival is celebrated
with a great deal of singing, dancing and merriment. After a week of
festivities the deities are returned to their respective temples.
The
festival is also a good occasion to see the people in their colourful dresses
and to buy their handicrafts - especially the famous shawls, blankets and
carpets of Kullu which are traded at the fair. The soft, fine woollen shawls
are made from the wool of domesticated 'pashmina' goats or wild goats.
The wool is collected through the summer from the high mountains where the wild
goats shed their soft fleece against thorny shrubs and sharp rocks. Then the
whole winter long, when they are snow bound, the locals weave their lovely
shawls.
Dharamsala is the main town in the Kangra Valley which lies
between the Shivalik hills and the foothills of the Dhauladhar range. Uphill
from Dharamsala is McLeodganj, which was chosen by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
as his home and as the headquarters of his Government in exile when he fled
from Tibet in 1959. He chose it from all the places that India offered to him
because it was a 'dharma chakra', an area blessed with a positive energy field.
More than 3000 Tibetans now live here and it has come to be known as 'Little
Lhasa'. The Namgyal Monastery surrounded by a row of prayer wheels, was built
after His Holiness came to Dharamsala. It is a replica of the Tibetan
monasteries left behind. Visitors come there from all over the world and many
report that after their visit they feel revitalised and rejuvenated in a
special way.
The little town of Masroor, 15 km south of Kangra, is the
site of one of Himachal's little known treasures. Fifteen richly carved,
monolithic, rock temples, built in the 8th century, stand on a hillock framed
by the snow-capped peaks of the Dhauladhar range. Similar to the rock-cut
shrines at Mahabalipuram in
TamilNadu and
Ellora in Maharashtra, these are the only monuments of this style in
northern India.
Rich in wildlife including the rare snow leopard, ibex
and musk deer, the beautiful Chamba Valley lies in the northwest adjoining
Jammu &
Kashmir. It has a splendid artistic heritage - fine temple architecture,
attractive embroidered 'rumals' and beautiful miniature paintings.
A
favourite destination for tourists here is Dalhousie (2039m) - a quaint, quiet
and charming hill station with stately groves of oak and deodar and forest
trails which overlook wooded hills, waterfalls and rivulets. It was established
in 1854 by the British Governor General, Lord Dalhousie, and is easily
accessible by road from Pathankot (90 km).
The Bhuri Singh Museum in
Chamba has examples of the exquisite miniature paintings typical of this
region. Bharmaur is a fascinating little town renowned for its cluster of 84
temples which are noted for their fine workmanship.
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