Historical places in Himachal Pradesh

Hidimba Devi Temple

This temple is also known as Dhungri Temple, situated in Manāli, one of the most
beautiful historical place in Himāchal Pradesh It is an ancient cave temple devoted
to Hidimba Devi, spouse of Bhima, a character of Indian epic Mahābhārata. The temple
is covered by a cedar forest called Dhungri Van Vihar at the foot of the Himālayas. The

sanctuary is built over a big rock jutting out of the ground which was worshiped as an

image of the deity. The architecture was built in 1553.

The Hadimba devi temple was constructed in 1553 AD by Maharaja Bahadur Singh.The

temple is built around a cave where Devi Hadimba observed meditation. Hidimbi was

supposed to have lived there with her real brother Hidimb, and not enough is known

about their parents. Born into a Rakshasa family, Hidimba affirm to marry one who

would defeat her brother Hidimb, who was supposed to be very brave, strong and

fearless. During the Pandavas displacement, when they visited to Manali , Bhima

(one of the five Pandavas) killed Hidimb. Thereafter, Hidimba married Bhima and they

had a son, named Ghatotkacha.

People in Manali worship Hidimba devi as a idol. During Navratri all Hindus crosswise

the nation worship goddess Durga, but people in Manali worship their own goddess

Hidimba devi. No. of people can be seen outside the temple, but the crowd increases

too much during Navratri.The Indian epic Mahabharata described that the Pāndavas

stayed in Himachal during their exile. In Manali, the powerful person there, brother of

Hidimba, attacked them and in the ensuing attack Bhima,most strongest amongst the

Pandavas, killed him. Bhima and Hidimba, then got married and had a son named

Ghatotkacha, (who later proved to be a great fighter in the war against Kauravas). When

Bhima and his siblings returned from exile, Hidimbi did not followed him, but stood back

and did tapasyā (a combination of . penance ,meditation,and prayer ) so as to ultimately
attain the status of a goddess.

Hidimba Devi temple

KEY MONASTERY, SPITI

Key monastery  is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery situated on top of a hill at an elevation

of 4,166 metres (13,668 ft) above sea level, and very close to the Spiti River, in the Spiti

Valley of Himachal Pradesh,district Lahaul and Spiti, India.It is the oldest and biggest

monastery of Spiti Valley and a religious training centre for Llamas. It reportedly had

100 monks in 1850. It is one of the best historical places.

Key monastery said to have been organized by Dromtön , a learner of the most famous

teacher, Atisha in the 11th century. This may however mention to a now destroyed

Kadampa monastery at the nearby town of Rangrik, which was apparently destroyed

in the 14th century when the Sakya sect rose to power with Mongol assistance.

Key monastery was assaulted again by the Mongols during the 17th century, during the

rule of the Fifth Dalai Lama, and became a Gelugpa organization. In 1830, it was

terminated again during the wars amidst Ladakh and Kullu. In 1841, it was badly damaged

by the Dogra army under Rahim Khan and Ghulam Khan. Later in that same year, it

experience more damage from a Sikh army. In the 1840s, it was destroy by fire and, in

1975, a extreme earthquake caused further damage which was repaired with the help of

the Archaeological Survey of India and the State Public Works Department.

The surrounding walls of the monastery are covered with murals and paintings, an model

of the 14th century monastic architecture, which developed as the result of Chinese force.

Key monastery has a collection of ancient books and murals , including Buddha pictures.

There are 3 floors, the first floor is underground and used for storing. One room, called the

Tangyur is sumptuously painted with murals. The ground floor has the amazing decorated

Assembly Hall and cells for many monks.

Key monastery now belongs to the Gelugpa sect, along with Dhankar monastery and

Tabo Monastery one of the 3 monasteries in Spiti."The monastery of Key, for occurrence,

shelter nearly 300 monks, who lives within the sacred walls in winter, and stays in the time

of summer with their parents or brothers employing in the fields or in carrying travellers

goods. These monasteries have their common heads, or rector, and the higher clerical

titles can only be obtained by the candidates proceeding in person to either Lhasa or

Shigatzee (Shigatse).A celebration of its prosperity was conducted in 2000 in the

presence of the Dalai Lama. A new worship Hall was inaugurated on 3 August 2000 by the

14th Dalai Lama. It was bestowed through a tableau in the 69th Republic Day celebration

held at Delhi.

Key Monastery, Spiti

BHIMAKALI TEMPLE

Shri Bhima Kali Temple is a temple situated in Sarahan , Himachal Pradesh .This temple

is dedicated to the mother goddess Bhimakali, presiding divinity of the rulers of former

Bushahr State. The temple is placed about 180 km from Shimla, The capital city and is

one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. The town Sarahan is known as the gateway or entrance

of Kinnaur. Downward below at a distance of 7 km from Sarahan is the Satluj River.

Sarahan is identified with name Sonitpur mentioned in Puranas.

According to a legend, the indication of the goddess is reported to the Daksha-Yajna

incident when the ear of the Goddess Sati fell at this place and became a place of

worship as a Pithasthan.Currently in the form of a virgin the icon of this abiding goddess

is consecrated at the top storey of the new building. Below that floor the goddess as

Parvati, the daughter of Himalaya is hold as sacred as a divine consort of Lord Siva.
Lord Shri Raghunathji, Narsinghji and Patal Bhairva Ji , the guardian deity.

Sarahan was the capital of emperor of former Bushahr State. Bushahr dynasty earlier

used to mastery the state from Kamroo. Later the capital of state  was shifted to

Sonitpur.Raja Ram Singh made Rampur as the capital. It is true that the country of

Kinnaur was the Kailash mentioned in Puranas, the place of Shiva. With its capital at

Sonitpur this former royal state was extended up to entire area of Kinnaur where for

sometimes Lord Shiva unrecognized himself as Kirata.Sonitpur is known as Sarahan

now. Banasur the enthusiastic devotee of Lord Siva, eldest among the one hundred

sons of great erode demon King Bali and the great grandson of Vishnu votary Prahlad,

during the Puranic age was the ruler of this royal state.

Bhimakali Temple, Sarahan.

NALAGARH

Nalagarh is a municipal committee and beautiful city in Solan district in the Indian state

of Himachal Pradesh. It was the seat of the eponymous Rajput royal state, established

in medieval period as the state of Hindur.Currently Nalagarh is an emerging town for

industries as it hosts production units for leather, steel, chemicals, thread mills and

breweries ,thus air pollution is entirely a concern here. It is located a distance of 65 km

rom nearby main city Chandigarh. It has further been diminished to about 40 km after

the opening of new Chandigarh Siswan road.

Nalagarh is a gateway to beautiful state Himachal Pradesh . From Chandigarh it is 60 km

and from Delhi it is 300 km.It was established by the Chandela Rajputs in 1100 AD under

the name Hindur. The Fort of Nalagarh was built in 1421 during the reign of Raja Bikram

Chand on a small hill at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, affording a bird's eye view

of the Shivalik hills beyond the Sirsa river, hence gave its name to the state, which further

enjoyed indirect rule all along the British Raj as a non-salute state.

In the early 20th century, Nalagarh State was one of the Simla hill states under Punjab

government. The country was invaded by the Gurkhas for some years before 1815, when

they were compelled out by the British, and the king was confirmed in ownership of the

territory. In the past main agricultural products were Grain and opium.

Nalagarh was administered by the Chandel Rajputs, who created from Chanderi in the

Bundelkhand region of central India. So many other Rajputs then inhabited this place

including Rathore, Parmar, Pawar, Panwar, Chauhan,Thakurs, Tomara,Bais. Many of

now stayed back as farmers in the Chikni Sirsa Valley. Nalagarh Fort encircled by endless

acres of greenery, with all modern amenities is an ideal retreat away from the frantic crowd

of metropolitan cities.Nalagarh is a Semi-Hilly Area, Where the summers are hot and

Winters are Dry and wet. Summers temperature does reach 45-46 degrees Celsius also

it could be Humid, Which Make "Feel Temperature" at 48-50 degrees Celsius. During rainy

season strong breezes are experienced.Nalagarh tangibly belongs to Himachal Pradesh

but Look and feel of it is mostly like Punjab. More than 85% people are Punjabi here. It is

a town Which is nearest to Pinjore in Haryana, and to Ropar in Punjab. The normal annua

l rainfall is 600mm. During the year 2007 it has increases to 1250 mm.

Nalagarh Fort.

CHAMUNDA DEVI TEMPLE

Chamunda also calls Chamundi, Chamundeshwari, Charchika and Rakta Kali is alarming

aspect of Devi, the Hindu holy Mother and one of the seven Matrikas the mother goddesses.

It is one of the best historical place in Himachal Pradesh, it has its own beautiful story pg

goddess Chamunda Devi. She is also one of the most important Yoginis, a group of eighty

one Tantric goddesses, who are aide of the warrior goddess Durga. The name is a combo

of Chanda and Munda, these two monsters were killed.She is closely colleague with Kali,

another violent aspect of Devi. She is labelled with goddesses Parvati, Chandi or Durga as

well.The goddess is often imitate as haunting cremation grounds or fig trees. The goddess

is worshipped by ceremony animal sacrifices along with offerings of wine and in the ancient

times, human sacrifices were present too. Originally a racial goddess, Chamunda was

absorb mentally in Hinduism and later entered the Jain pantheon too. Though in Jainism

the ceremony of her worship include only vegetarian offerings excluding meat and liquor

offerings.Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar says that Chamunda was initially a tribal goddess,

honor by the tribals of the Vindhya Mountains in central India. These tribes were known to

offer goddesses animal as well as human sacrifices including ritual offerings of liquor. These

methods of worship were kept in Tantric worship of Chamunda, after absorption in Hinduism.

He proposes the violent nature of this goddess is due of her association with Vedic Rudra

identified with fire god Agni At times.It is best historical place to visit in Himachal.

The red or black coloured Chamunda is described as wearing a wreath of severed heads or

skulls (Mundamala). She is define as having 4,8,10 or 12 arms, holding a drum in hands, sword,
thunderbolt,trishula,a snake,skull-mace, a severed head and skull cup filled with blood

or panapatra (drinking vessel wine cup).Standing on a dead body of a man or seated on a

defeated demon or corpse. Chamunda is describe adorned by ornaments of skulls,bones

and serpents. She also use a Yajnopavita (a sacred thread worn by mostly Hindu priests)

of skulls. She wears a jata mukuta that is hat formed of piled,tangled hair tied with snakes

or skull ornaments. Sometimes a sickle-shaped moon is seen on her head.Her eye sockets

are defined as burning the world with flames. She is escort by evil spirits.She is also shown

to be covered by skeletons or ghosts and beasts like jackals, who are shown eating the beef

of the corpse which the goddess sits or stands on.

Chamunda devi temple.

KAMRU FORT

Kamru is a beautiful village located in the Sangla Valley district Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh

India. It is 2,700 m above the sea level. The village Kamru is an ancient capital of the

Bushahr principate. It is especially known for the tower-like fort at its highest point, which

was made by 5 Pandavas thousands of year ago during their reign.Inside the fort it is says

, there are about 36 crore (360,000,000) gods and goddess. There is also altar to Kamakhya

Devi inside the campus of fort which was brought there so many years ago from Assam. It

is about 2 km from the beautiful hilly town of Sangla it is situated on the foot of Kinner-

Kailash (House of Lord Shiva).According to a tradition, fort there is around 36 crore

(360,000,000) gods and goddess residing in the fort.

The Kamru Fort is located at an altitude of 2600 m above the sea level at 229 km from the

Capital city Shimla and 2 km from the tourist town Sangla Valley. It is located in the charming

location of the Sangla Valley and is entered through a series of gates. At the main entrance

gate of this fort is a huge image of Lord Buddha that welcomes you. There is also a beautiful

wooden balcony at the top of this fort along with an deity of Kamakhya Devi installed in its

third floor.It is one of the best historical places in Kinnaur, Himachal.

This deity of Kamakhya Devi is said to have been brought from Guwahati. There is also a
Badrinath Temple situated within the campus of this Kamru Fort that dates back to the 15th
century. There is also famous fair held in the place to honour the main deity of the temple.
During this fair the deity of the temple is taken to Gangotri which is the origin of River Ganges.

Kamru Fort

Best tourism places in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal is one of the most beautiful state in India, It is famous for its beauty and scenery.
It comes under one of the best tourism places in India, people likes to visit Himachal in
both seasons summers and winter. In summers people like to enjoy cool and fresh air in
Himachal and in winters they visit Himachal especially for skiing and trekking.

Kinnaur

"The land of god"

Kinnaur,is a most beautiful state and best for tourism in Himachal Pradesh, this place is

 also known as "Land of god" . It is about 235 Km from Capital city Shimla and is

known for its peaceful and beauty of the lush green and rocky mountainscape

having Satluj, Spiti and Baspa river snaking through it.

A brotherly amalgam of Hinduism and Buddhism at one place reflects the existence

of a culture of a different sort which is well preserved by its people in this era of

modernization. Peoples visit Kinnaur to see the famous Kinner Kailash, believed

to be the home of Lord Shiva and the rock shivalinga , the stories of Pandavas and

their link with Kinnaur is a great attractiveness.

There are also old Buddhist monasteries and temples in the vicinity which hold special

importance and are admire by Buddhists. Apart from religion, Kinnaur also has a wide

scope in adventure sports like trekking and skiing. There are about 10 known routes

for trekking and some which are five days or six-day trips. Kinnaur is well known for its

delicious apples, Chilgoza, dry fruits,handicrafts and handlooms materials. Slight

indication of modernization can be seen in the town, its cultures and people but the

area continue to be pure , simple , clean and magnificently beautiful.

Places to visit in Kinnaur:

Sangla valley                    Chitkul Valley

Kalpa                                Reckong peo

Kamru Fort.

Kinnaur

SPITI VALLEY

If you wanna go for a tour in Himachal Pradesh, Spiti is one of the fantastic place to visit.

Long winding roads and picturesque valleys presenting brief look of cold deserts and snow

-crowned mountains, with sporadic greenery and picture-perfect villages welcome you when

you set foot into Spiti Valley.Surrounded by the Himalaya Spiti Valley, located in Himachal

Pradesh, has an elevation of 12,500 feet above sea level, and gets around 250 days of glow

in the year, making it one of the coolest places in the country. With the heavy Himalayan snow
cutting Spiti off from the rest of the country for around 6 months a year, the summer months

are the only time Spiti is directly approachable via motorway.

The word Spiti means 'The Middle Land', and the place is very suitably named, as Spiti Valley

split India from Tibet. Barely populated, Spiti is an adventures paradise, with the famed Spiti

trek fascinates  thousands of adventure enthusiasts every year. There are many trekking

path in Spiti that tourists can choose from. All of these treks begins from Kaza (Spiti’s capital,

where you can make your base camp), to various peaks from where you can get scenic

views of the Himalayan mountains. An easy 1.5-kilometre path along the Spiti River from

Dhankar Monastery to Dhankar Lake promises beautiful views of the villages below, and the Dhankar Lake itself is a wonderful place where you can sit back and relax between the cool mountain air.The mountain ropeway from Chichum to Kibber is a prominent  tourist attraction.

Built completely by the locals to avoid walking the long uphill path between the two villages,

this ropeway is conducted manually, and offers amazing views of the gorge below, as well a

bird’s eye view of the encircling peaks.

Key Monastery, Spiti

DHARAMSHALA

Dharamsala is famous as the holy residence of the Dalai Lama and houses the Tibetan

monk in exile. Dharamsala is situated in Kangra district at a distance of 18 km from Kangra

City. The city is independently separated as upper and lower divisions with different altitudes.

The lower division is the Dharamsala town itself whereas the upper division is ordinarily

known as Mcleodganj.

This is placed on the upper hilly stretch of land of Kangra Valley which is situated  just against

the picturesque scene of Dhauladhar ranges. Being a Tibetan hub Dharamsala is considered

to be one of the most excellent place to learn and explore Buddhism and Tibetan Culture.

Dharamshala

MANALI

"Mini Switzerland of India"

Manali is one of the best tourism place in Himachal Pradesh.Nestled in amidst the

snow-capped slopes of the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar ranges, Manali is one of the

most excellent hill stations in the country. With extremely surprising views, delightful green

forests, sprawling grasslands carpeted with flowers, flowing blue streams, a perpetual fairy-

tale like mist chronic in the air, and a endless fragrance of pines and freshness -  Manali has

been blessed with extraordinary panoramic beauty. From temples to museums, from strange

little hippie villages to bustling luxurious streets, river adventures to trekking paths, Manali

has ever a reason to be the tourist lure it is, all year round.Uncluttered roads, bend eucalyptus

trees, endearing mini eateries, small garish local market places, and cafes which supplies

delicious local food at unbelievable prices, Old Manali is a peaceful, quiet place, whose

lingering silence is broken only by the giggling of the birds and the sound of the roaring

waters of the Kullu river.

Solang and Parvati Valley is the of the most visited places in Manali, with the drive

up to Solang being as scenic as the valley itself. Not only does Solang Valley offer

some stunning views of the surrounding landscape, but its slopes are also a very

amazing skiing destination, specially during the winters. In summers, this place turns

into a paragliding haven. If you are an adventure lover, Solang Valley has anxiety

-pumping activities such as zorbing and horse-riding available. With more than 25 lakh

visitors visits here every year, Rohtang Pass easily stands out as one of the most popular

picturesque spots to visit in Manali. Joining the Lahaul and Kullu valleys, the Rohtang

Pass is very popular among nature lovers photographers and adventure applicant alike

. Mountain skiing or biking whilst

surrounded by the awe-inspiring glaciers and snow-capped peaks on all sides is an

cheering experience.Manali is also home to a very small slice of history, in the pattern of

the Naggar castle. Situated among the breathtaking forests in Naggar town, the Naggar

Castle is a amazing historical edifice. Once used as the mansion of Raja Sidh Singh of

Kullu, the castle is a fine composite of traditional Himalayan and European architecture.

With impressive fireplaces, wonderfully built staircases, and detailed wood and stone works

, the Naggar Castle is a must-visit when you're in beautiful town Manali.

Manali

Khajjiar 

It is a beautiful place in Himachal Pradesh also called 'mini-Switzerland of India',

Khajjiar is a small town near Dalhousie which provides tourists a unique combination

of green forests, pastures and lakes.

The fascinating beauty of this place has greatly influenced and inspired many kingdoms

throughout the years, including the Mughals and Rajputs.. Located at an elevation of 6,500

feet, the natural mesmerizing beauty and picturesque landscape of this place are bound to

leave an everlasting impression on a tourist. Khajjiar is known for its nine-hole golf-course

which is nestled in the midst of delightful greenery and a breathtaking landscape. Khajjiar

is a small plateau which also has a small beautiful lake which is one of the most favored

tourist spots in this town. Khajjiar is surrounded by green meadows and thick forests and

it is also known for its beautiful temples. This region also draw attention to adventure

seekers and has a lot of options in adventure sports like paragliding, zorbing, trekking,

horse riding etc. Khajjiar is a must visit place for visitors coming to Dalhousie and its

nearby regions. However, the way to Khajjiar can be blocked sometimes during winters

because of heavy snowfall.

Dalhousie

Shimla

Hill station and The Rich Colonial History

Shimla is a Capital city of Himachal Pradesh, Probably the most attractive hill station

in northern India.It is very popular for its Mall road,Kufri, the Ridge,colonial architecture

and toy train, Shimla is popular among families and honeymooners aslo

It is situated at the height of 2200 meter, Shimla is one of the most prominent tourist

destinations in the country. Set between beautiful hills and mystical woods, Shimla is

one of most beautifully planned cities in India. The former summer capital of British India,

this town's attractive natural beauty, and the atmosphere are destined to leave any tourist
overwhelmed. The well-made roads, flawless cleanliness, and adequate administration

make for a perfect combination for any tourist destination in the world. This town has

colonial-style buildings near side of the historic temples, and the combination of the

worlds leaves everyone visiting this region spellbound. Within this city  one must visit the

The Ridge,Mall Road, Institute of Advanced Studies and Jakhu Temple. Shimla is also used

as a base to cover other nearby places like Kufri, Chail, Naldehra, Mashobra, Tattapani

and Narkanda. The toy train to Shimla from Kalka passes through wonderful hills and valleys

and is one of the most dazzling train routes in the world.

Places to visit in Himachal:

The Ridge                          The Mall

Chail                                   Jakhu temple.

Mall Road, Shimla