Kangra is the
most famous and populous district of Himachal Pradesh. Kangra is known for its
attractive tourist destinations, famous temples, Kangra painting, Kangri dham
etc. The most popular tourist attraction of Kangra is the renovated Brajeshwari
Devi temple, featuring two big statues of lions at the entrance.
Baijnath Temple
The Kangra
valley is a picturesque valley of lower Himalayas sheltered by the Dhauladhar
range in eastern Himachal Pradesh. With an average elevation of 733 metres or
2404 feet, Kangra extends from the Jalandhar Doab to the southern ranges of the
Himalaya. It firms up its presence at the confluence of the Bener River and
Majhi River where Beas is also an important river. In terms of area, Kangra
extends over 55,673 square kms.
HISTORY
Kangra shines
in history as the capital of erstwhile Chand dynasty. The place was also known
as Nagarkot in ancient times. Under the Chand dynasty the glory of Kangra MataTemple
spread all over the world as a treasure house of fabulous wealth. It attracted
the evil eyed many invaders who plundered its wealth. Despite these setbacks
and political upheavals the region continued to march towards more prosperity.
BEST TIME
TO VISIT:
The ideal time
to visit Kangra is between March and October when the weather is very pleasant.
Kangra has a mild climate throughout the year. The summer is pleasant and mild
while winters are too cold.
GETTING
THERE
By Air: Nearest Airport is Gaggal which has
flights from New Delhi and Chandigarh. Once you reach at Kangra airport (also
known as Dharamshala airport and Gaggal airport) you can book taxi from Kangra airport to Mcleodganj, Dharamshala, Palampur or any region
in Kangra district.
By Rail: The nearest broad gauge railway
station is Pathankot. There is also a narrow gauge toy train station at Kangra
Mandir. The Kangra toy train links Pathankot and Joginder Nagar and meanders
through a maze of hills and valleys.
By Road: Kangra has good connectivity with
cities such as Chandigarh, Delhi, Dalhousie, Nainital, Jammu and other places.
There are regular buses plying to and from these places.
ACCOMMODATION:
Tourists have
a great choice in accommodation mainly in hotels. There are first class hotels,
middle range hotels as well as economy hotels.
PLACES TO
VISIT IN KANGRA
There are many
beautiful places to visit in the Kangra Valley and these include:
Kangra Art
Museum: The Kangra art
museum is located at Kotwali Bazar in Dharamshala. If you like art and history,
you must visit this place. The museum was was inaugurated in 1990. The attractions of Kangra Art Museum are
jewelry, rare coin memorabilia, paintings, sculptures and pottery.
Kangra
Fort: Kangra fort is
one of the main attractions of Kangra. The Fort was built by the royal Katoch
dynasty of Kangra State. The fort is spread
over an area of around 4 km and is guarded by high walls and ramparts.
Nurpur
Fort: the Nurpur Fort
is built by Raja Basu in 16th century. Nurpur obtained its name by
Jahangir, Mughal ruler, who named it after his wife in the year 1672,
Nurjahan. The fort is very royal and magnificient.
Naam Art
Gallery: It is popular
tourist spot near Dharamshala. Elsbeth Buschmann and AW Hallett paintings can
be seen here.
St John
Church: The St. John
Church is an Anglican church dedicated to John the
Baptist. It is located about 8 kilometers from Dharamshala.
Triund: Triund is a trekking destination. Triund
is situated in Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh. The trek offer panoramic views Bhagsu village, Mcleodganj, Dharamsala
valley and distant views of Shivalik hills and plains of Kangra valley.
Kareri
Lake: Kareri Lake Trek is
located at the height of about 2,950 meters in Kangra district of Himachal
Pradesh. It is a perfect spot if you want to get relaxation from your
monotonous routine and get close to nature. The Kareri lake is surrounded by
beautiful alpine trees and mountains.
Dal Lake: Dal Lake is near the village of Tota
Rani in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Its name is taken from Kashmir's
Dal Lake. The Dal lake is considered to be a sacred spot as there is small
Shiva mandir on its bank. The lake is surrounded by beautiful deodar trees.
Mannuni
Lake: Mannuni is
another lake which is in district Kangra. It is a beautiful lake situated 13 km from Dharamsala.
Bir
Billing: Bir Billing
is a paragliding hub in India. Billing is one of the best spots in the world
for paragliding and it hosts the World Paragliding Championship every year.
Bhagsu
Waterfall: The Bhagsu waterfall is in Bhagsu village and
among the most beautiful attraction of Mcleodganj. The waterfall is 2165 meters
in height.
Palampur: Palmpur is one of the prettiest hill
stations of Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. It is a tea capital of North India. It is
surround by beautiful pine trees, deodar trees, tea gardens Dhauladhar ranges. The
world famous Baijnath temple is in Palampur. You must read Palampur – ‘The hidden paradise of Himachal’ to know about the beauty of this place.
Pong Dam: It is also known as Beas dam as it is on
the Beas River in the state of Himachal Pradesh. You can do various activities such as canoeing, rowing, sailing,
and water skiing and swimming here.
Masroor
Temple: Masrur Rock
temple is 32 km from Kangra on Nagrota Surian link road. It is among
the magnificent rock cut temples of India. It is situated at a height of 2535
ft above sea-level. There are 15 rock-cut temples richly carved and built in
the Indo-Aryan style. According to the
local myths, the Pandavas spent a long period of time here in this temple premise
during their exile.
Gopalpur
Zoo: Gopalpur is also
known as Dhauladhar National Park. It is situated in Gopalpur village of Kangra
district. It is surround by the beautiful Dhauladhar ranges.
LIST OF IMPORTANT
TEMPLES TO VISIT
•
Bhagshunath
Temple
•
Baglamukhi
Temple
•
Bajreshwari
Devi Temple
•
Baijnath
Temple
•
Kaleshwar
Mahadev Temple
•
Chamunda
Devi Temple
•
Jwalamukhi
Temple
•
Indrunag
Temple
•
Jakhni
Mata Temple
A visit to
Kangra can be a great experience by reveling in scenic beauty that is immersed
in idyllic surroundings with sprawling vegetation covering trees such as Pine,
Eucalyptus, Sal and Rhododendron.
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