Himachal Pradesh-often termed as the “Land of Gods” or Devbhumi-is a state in Northern India. It is famous for its panoramic landscapes, tranquil valleys, and also rich cultural heritage. The following is an overall summary with general knowledge regarding Himachal Pradesh:
1. Basic Information
Statehood Day: January 25, 1971.
Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter).
Official Language: Hindi.
Other Languages: Pahari, Punjabi, Kangri, Kinnauri.
State Area: 55,673 sq km.
Population: About 7 million as per the Census of 2011.
Literacy Rate: 82.80%.
Borders: Jammu and Kashmir in north, Punjab in west, Haryana in south, Uttarakhand in southeast, Tibet in east.
2. Geography
Himachal Pradesh forms part of the western Himalayas and has all kinds of mountains, valleys, rivers, and forests.
Major Rivers: Sutlej, Beas, Chenab, Ravi, Yamuna.
Mountain Ranges: Dhauladhar Range, Pir Panjal Range, Zanskar Range.
Highest Peak: Reo Purgyil (6,816 meters).
Famous Valleys: Kullu, Kangra, Spiti, and Lahaul.
3. Administrative Divisions
Districts: 12
- Bilaspur
- Chamba
- Hamirpur
- Kangra
- Kinnaur
- Kullu
- Lahaul & Spiti
- Mandi
- Shimla
- Sirmaur
- Solan
- Una
Largest District (Area): Lahaul & Spiti.
Most Populous District: Kangra.
4. Historical Background
Ancient History: Himachal Pradesh’s history dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The region has been influenced by Aryans, Mauryas, Guptas and later by local chieftains.
British Era: Most of the princely states in the region came under the British rule of India. Shimla served very crucially during those times of colonial rule and was considered the summer capital of British India.
Post-Independence: Himachal Pradesh was earlier a part of Punjab Province but emerged as a complete state in 1971.
5. Cultural Heritage
The cultural heritage of Himachal Pradesh represents its geographical, religious as well as historical attributes.
Folk Dances: Nati is a traditional dance form and most popular, Chham is a monastic dance, Kayang.
Music: Jhoori, Laman, Dholru, etc. are the folk songs.
Festivals: Kullu Dussehra, Lahaul Festival, Shivratri in Mandi, Minjar in Chamba, Losar, also known as Tibetan New Year.
Temples: Hidimba Devi Temple in Manali, Jwalamukhi Temple in Kangra, Naina Devi Temple in Bilaspur, Bajreshwari Devi in Kangra.
6. Economy
Himachal Pradesh has a mixed economy, depending a great deal on agriculture, horticulture, hydropower, and tourism.
Agriculture: The main crops are wheat, maize, rice and barley.
Horticulture: Its major supporter for apples, Himachal is now also amongst the major producers of apples in the country. Other fruits such as peaches, plums, pears and cherries are also produced.
Hydropower: Rich in rivers, the state generates a good deal of hydroelectric power that feeds both the state and national grid.
Tourism: The scenic beauty, accompanied by the adventurous activities happening in Himachal Pradesh, attracts millions of tourists towards this place every year. Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Kasauli, and Spiti Valley hold a position in the tourist destinations.
7. Major Tourist Hot Spots
Shimla: Being the capital, it has colonial architecture as its fame, Mall Road, Jakhoo Temple, and the Ridge.
Manali: It is famous for snow peaks, Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass, and Hidimba Temple.
Dharamshala: For the residence of Dalai Lama and Tibetan culture center in India.
Kullu Valley: For lush greenery, apple orchards, and the Kullu Dussehra festival.
Spiti Valley: For being a cold mountain desert valley famous in monasteries, ancient culture, and unique landscape.
Chamba: This is known for its old-time Lakshmi Narayan Temple and Chamba Rumal (handicraft).
Kinnaur: Famous for its peaceful landscapes and orchids of apples with the inborn culture of Kinnauri. It is a colonial-era hill station having all the characteristic views of nature along with trekking trails.
8. Flora and Fauna
Himachal Pradesh is the richest state in bio-diversity due to its extensive forests, which also have a wide range of fauna.
Flora: The State is covered with thick forests of oak, deodar, pine, and rhododendron.
Fauna: The fauna of the district includes some very main animals like the snow leopard, ibex, musk deer, Himalayan tahr, and Western Tragopan are declared as the state bird of Himachal.
National Parks: Great Himalayan National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, Pin Valley National Park, and Simbalbara National Park.
9. Education
Himachal Pradesh boasts of one of the highest literacy rates in India. Development here gets a tremendous fillip with quite a few learning institutions within the state. Among the premier universities are the following:
- Himachal Pradesh University-Shimla
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi
- National Institute of Technology (NIT) Hamirpur
- Central University of Himachal Pradesh-Dharamshala
10. State Symbols
State Animal: Snow Leopard.
State Bird: Western Tragopan.
State Flower: Pink Rhododendron.
State Tree: Deodar Cedar.
11. Sports
Cricket: Cricket is the most favorite game and one of the most picturesquely laid out cricket grounds in the world happens to be the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.
Winter Sports: Skiing and ice skating are popular in places like Solang Valley and Kufri.
Adventure Sports: Himachal is a hub for adventure sports like trekking, paragliding, river rafting, and camping .
12. Political Structure
Governor: The nominal head of the state is the Governor.
Chief Minister: Chief head of the state government.
Legislative Assembly: Himachal Pradesh has a unicameral legislature comprising 68 seats.
Major Political Parties: INC, BJP, Himachal Pradesh Loktantrik Morcha (HPLM).
13. Famous Personalities
Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar: First Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh-the founder of the state.
Anupam Kher: Renowned Bollywood actor.
Kangna Ranaut: Famous Bollywood actress born in Mandi district.
Prem Kumar Dhumal: The former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.
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