Dalhousie is a Famous hill station situated in the Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh. It is the gateway to the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. This hill station filled with colonial charisma that holds enduring echoes of the British Rule. The varying altitude shields it with a variety of vegetation that includes majestic grooves of pines, deodars, oaks and flowering rhododendrons. Rich in colonial architecture, the town offers a glimpse of some of the beautiful monuments built during the British reign.
Geography and Climate
The hill station of Dalhousie is built on and around five hills, namely Kathlog, Portreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun, which covers an area of about 13 sq. km. Situated in the western Himalayas, this hill station is at a distance of about 563 km from Delhi, 300 km from Chandigarh, 191 km from Amritsar and 56 km from Chamba. It is situated between 6,000 and 9,000 feet (2,700 m) above sea level.
Dalhousie features temperate climate with day temperatures rising to 26° C in summers. During winters the maximum day temperature is around 10° C and the minimum drops to 1° C at night. The hill town experiences snowfall between December and February and rains between July and August. The best time to visit Dalhousie is between November and February.
History of Dalhousie
Dalhousie was a summer retreat for the army personal as well as the Bureaucrats of the British Empire. The presence of Scottish and Victorian architecture, narrates the tale of this beautiful hill station. This hill region is a repository of ancient Hindu culture, art, temples, and handicrafts preserved under the longest-running single dynasty since the mid-6th century. Chamba is the hub of this culture. Bharmour, the ancient capital of this kingdom, is home to the Gaddi and Gujjar tribes and has 84 ancient temples dating from the 7th–10th century AD.
After the Sikh war, the state of Punjab came under the dominion of the British in the year 1849. In the year 1850 Lt. Col Napier, who was the chief engineer of Punjab was the first person who spotted this striking place in the Chamba Valley. In the year 1854, Sir Donald McLeod of the British Empire suggested that this place be named after the famous Viceroy of India, Lord Dalhousie. In the year 1861 Dalhousie was recognized as a part of the Gurdaspur district and in 1966 it became a division of Himachal Pradesh.
Culture of Dalhousie
The traditions and culture of the hilly people of Dalhousie have mostly remained uninterrupted from the foreign influences. The Hindu community residing in this province of Himachal Pradesh mainly comprise of Brahmins, Rajputs, Rathis, Kannets and Kolis. The tribal population of Dalhousie chiefly includes Gaddhis, Pangwals, Gujjars, Kinnars, Lahaulis, and Bhots etc. Gaddhis are wayfaring shepherds who immigrate to higher places in summer, while shift to lower lands in the winter. The Gaddhi women are heavily loaded with ethnic silver jewelry. The inhabitants of Dalhousie are distinguished for their rich art and culture manifested in their day to day life, their strikingly colorful dresses, peculiar physical features, enchanting folk dances and music and their warm and hospitable nature. The music and folk songs of Dalhousie are chiefly based on the themes of romance, changing seasons, chivalry etc. The traditional musical instruments prominently used in this part are Ektara, Flute, Jhanjh, Ghunghru, Karna, Ranasingha, Chimta, Turhi, Manjara, Kindari, Ghariyal, etc.
The most remarkable festivals of Himachal Pradesh are; Chait Festival, Phagli, Navratras, Baisakhi, Haryali, Rakhi, Chrewal, Jagra, Phulech, Sair, Sui Fair, Dhoogri Fair, Jidjed, Dushehra, Diwali, Lohri, Gochi, Lossar, Shivratri, Halda, Nawala, Christmas and many others. However, Dalhousie is most noted for its Minjar Fair and Dalhousie Summer Festival. The Summer Festival of Dalhousie is organized at the GPO of Dalhousie wherein innumerable artists from different parts of the state and country participate in various programs and showcase the rich artistic and cultural tradition of Chamba Valley.
Tourist Destinations in Dalhousie
Spread out on the crest of the five hills of Kathlog, Portreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun on the western edge of the Dhauladhar Range is the sleepy hill resort of Dalhousie. Dalhousie has an appealing charm and serenity that makes it a popular hill station among the nature lovers. Pink, red and white rhododendron blooms on its hill sides and alpine paddocks twinkle with wild flowers and the aroma of pine and wood smoke enrich the air. The exquisite tree clad slopes around Dalhousie are speckled with colonial bungalows, cottages that offer splendid views of the Himalayan ranges. These together lures the tourists from various parts of the World making it a famous hill station of India. Besides natural beauty, there are various places of tourist interest. Famous travel destinations in Dalhousie are:
Transportation
There is no direct flight to Dalhousie and the nearest airports to Dalhousie are Amritsar Airport, which is 192 km from Dalhousie, Jammu Airport, which is 190 km from Dalhousie and Gaggal Airport in Kangra, which is 135 km from Dalhousie. Pathankot in Punjab is the nearest railway station, which takes about 2-3 hours by car and around 5 hours by locally run bus to reach Dalhousie.
Geography and Climate
The hill station of Dalhousie is built on and around five hills, namely Kathlog, Portreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun, which covers an area of about 13 sq. km. Situated in the western Himalayas, this hill station is at a distance of about 563 km from Delhi, 300 km from Chandigarh, 191 km from Amritsar and 56 km from Chamba. It is situated between 6,000 and 9,000 feet (2,700 m) above sea level.
Dalhousie features temperate climate with day temperatures rising to 26° C in summers. During winters the maximum day temperature is around 10° C and the minimum drops to 1° C at night. The hill town experiences snowfall between December and February and rains between July and August. The best time to visit Dalhousie is between November and February.
History of Dalhousie
Dalhousie was a summer retreat for the army personal as well as the Bureaucrats of the British Empire. The presence of Scottish and Victorian architecture, narrates the tale of this beautiful hill station. This hill region is a repository of ancient Hindu culture, art, temples, and handicrafts preserved under the longest-running single dynasty since the mid-6th century. Chamba is the hub of this culture. Bharmour, the ancient capital of this kingdom, is home to the Gaddi and Gujjar tribes and has 84 ancient temples dating from the 7th–10th century AD.
After the Sikh war, the state of Punjab came under the dominion of the British in the year 1849. In the year 1850 Lt. Col Napier, who was the chief engineer of Punjab was the first person who spotted this striking place in the Chamba Valley. In the year 1854, Sir Donald McLeod of the British Empire suggested that this place be named after the famous Viceroy of India, Lord Dalhousie. In the year 1861 Dalhousie was recognized as a part of the Gurdaspur district and in 1966 it became a division of Himachal Pradesh.
Culture of Dalhousie
The traditions and culture of the hilly people of Dalhousie have mostly remained uninterrupted from the foreign influences. The Hindu community residing in this province of Himachal Pradesh mainly comprise of Brahmins, Rajputs, Rathis, Kannets and Kolis. The tribal population of Dalhousie chiefly includes Gaddhis, Pangwals, Gujjars, Kinnars, Lahaulis, and Bhots etc. Gaddhis are wayfaring shepherds who immigrate to higher places in summer, while shift to lower lands in the winter. The Gaddhi women are heavily loaded with ethnic silver jewelry. The inhabitants of Dalhousie are distinguished for their rich art and culture manifested in their day to day life, their strikingly colorful dresses, peculiar physical features, enchanting folk dances and music and their warm and hospitable nature. The music and folk songs of Dalhousie are chiefly based on the themes of romance, changing seasons, chivalry etc. The traditional musical instruments prominently used in this part are Ektara, Flute, Jhanjh, Ghunghru, Karna, Ranasingha, Chimta, Turhi, Manjara, Kindari, Ghariyal, etc.
The most remarkable festivals of Himachal Pradesh are; Chait Festival, Phagli, Navratras, Baisakhi, Haryali, Rakhi, Chrewal, Jagra, Phulech, Sair, Sui Fair, Dhoogri Fair, Jidjed, Dushehra, Diwali, Lohri, Gochi, Lossar, Shivratri, Halda, Nawala, Christmas and many others. However, Dalhousie is most noted for its Minjar Fair and Dalhousie Summer Festival. The Summer Festival of Dalhousie is organized at the GPO of Dalhousie wherein innumerable artists from different parts of the state and country participate in various programs and showcase the rich artistic and cultural tradition of Chamba Valley.
Tourist Destinations in Dalhousie
Spread out on the crest of the five hills of Kathlog, Portreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and Balun on the western edge of the Dhauladhar Range is the sleepy hill resort of Dalhousie. Dalhousie has an appealing charm and serenity that makes it a popular hill station among the nature lovers. Pink, red and white rhododendron blooms on its hill sides and alpine paddocks twinkle with wild flowers and the aroma of pine and wood smoke enrich the air. The exquisite tree clad slopes around Dalhousie are speckled with colonial bungalows, cottages that offer splendid views of the Himalayan ranges. These together lures the tourists from various parts of the World making it a famous hill station of India. Besides natural beauty, there are various places of tourist interest. Famous travel destinations in Dalhousie are:
- Chattradi
- Bharmour
- Khajjiar
- Kalatop
- Laxmi Narayan temple
- St. John's church
- St. Francis Church
- St. Andrew's Church
- Kynance
- Panchpula
- Manimahesh
- Dainkund Peak
- Bakrota Hills
- Village Lohali
- Gandhi Chowk
- Dalhousie Cantonment
- Sadar Bazar
- Tibetan Market
Transportation
There is no direct flight to Dalhousie and the nearest airports to Dalhousie are Amritsar Airport, which is 192 km from Dalhousie, Jammu Airport, which is 190 km from Dalhousie and Gaggal Airport in Kangra, which is 135 km from Dalhousie. Pathankot in Punjab is the nearest railway station, which takes about 2-3 hours by car and around 5 hours by locally run bus to reach Dalhousie.
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