HILL STATIONS IN HIMACHAL
15.05.2006
SHIMLA
Shimla was once part of the Nepalese kingdom and called Shyamala. In 1864 Shimla became the summer capital of India. Following independence, Shimla was initially the capital of the Punjab, then became the capital of Himachal Pradesh in 1966. Today, Shimla is a pleasant, sprawling town, set among cool pine-clad hills with plenty of crumbling colonial charm. High season is mid-April to mid-July, mid-September to late October and mid-December to mid-January. The best time to visit is mid-September to late November.
KULLU
The Kullu valley and, to a lesser extent, the Parbati valley, have always been a popular place to hang out and take in some mountain scenery. Recent tourist spillover from the political violence in Kashmir, however, has had a profound effect on the valley and Manali, in particular, has developed rapidly, threatening the valley's peaceful and unhurried atmosphere.
The Kullu valley, about 80 kms long and often less then 2 kms wide, rises northward from Mandi at 760m to the Rohtang La at 3980m, the gateway to Lahaul and Spiti.
MANALI
At the northern end of the Kullu valley sits the ancient site, but modern town, of Manali. It is a pleasant, if overdeveloped, town with lovely forests and orchards nearby for hiking, and good facilities for visitors. In the 1970s and 1980s, Manali was very much a 'scene'. In summer, the town would attract numerous western hippies and travellers drawn by the high quality marijuana that grows in the area. High season is mid-April to late June, mid-September to early November, mid-September to early November, Christmas and new year.
CHAMBA VALLEY
Separated from the Kangra valley to the south by the high Dhaula Dhar Range and the remote Pattan valley to the north by the Pir Panjal Range is the beautiful Chamba valley, through which flows the Ravi river. For over 1000 years this region formed the princely state of Chamba, the most ancient state in northern India. The valley is renowned for its fine shikara temples, with excellent examples in the beautiful town of Chamba, 56 kms from Dalhousie, and at the ancient capital of Brahmaur, 65 kms further down the valley to the southeast. Brahmaur is also the starting point for some fine treks, including that to the sacred lake of Manimahesh, 28 kms away.
MCLEOD GANJ
Mcleod Ganj was established in the mid-1850s as a british garrison, it was the home of the seminomadic Gaddi tribe. There is still a sizeable number of Gaddi families in the villages around Mcleod Ganj. Today Mcleod Ganj is best known as the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile, and is the home of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso.
LAHAUL AND SPITI
Lahaul and Spiti, the largest district in Himachal Pradesh, is a vast area of high mountains and narrow valleys bounded by Ladakh to the north, Tibet to the east, Kinnaur to the southeast and the Kullu valley to the south. Lahaul is often regarded as a midway point en route to Leh and the Indus valley, but has more to offer travellers. Spiti has only recently been opened to foreign tourists attracted to its isolated Buddhist gompas and villages. The best time to visit Lahaul is mid-June to late October and Spiti is August to October.
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