Himachal pradesh

HISTORICAL Gondla Fort Just 18 km from Keylong on the right bank of Chandra river, the sub divisional command center, an magnificent 8 storeyed composition, the fort of Gondla seems to guard the road. Kumru Fort At a distance of 2-km from the Sangla valley, lies this wonderful place, the tower-like fort of Kamru. The Sangla valley is a breathtaking beauty in itself, with a blaze of saffron trees and cold snowmelt. Here, the river Bapsa flows to meet the churning torrent of the Sutlej River at Karcham. BEACHES AND LAKES Brighu Lake At an altitude of 4235 metres in district Kullu, this lies east of the Rohtang Pass and is about 6 Kms. from the village of Gulaba. Chandertal Lake At a height of 4300 metres and 6 k.m. from the Kunzum Pass in Lahaul & Spiti district that connects Spiti and Lahaul areas. Bounded by snows and acres of scree, this deep blue-water lake has a circumference of 2.5 Kms. Dal Lake At an height of 1775 metres in district Kangra 11 k.m. from Dharamshala, bounded by deodar trees, this is on the motor road to Talnu. Govind Sagar This vast reservoir lies in the district of Bilaspur and Una.The town of Bilaspur is 83 k.m. from the railway station at Anandpur Sahib.   Khajjiar Lake At an height of 1900 metres in district Chamba, 16 k.m. from Dalhousue and 25 k.m. from Chamba. Fed by tiny streams, this little lake lies at in the centre of large Khajjiar glade. Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake Maharana Pratap Sagar is at 450 meters above sea level, 32 degrees North and 76 degrees east. In district Kangra, 170 Km from Chandigarh, 110 Km from the district headquarters Dharamshala. Manimahesh Lake (Chamba) At an altitude of 4080 metres in district Chamba, 32 k.m. from Bharmaur. Held sacred to Lord Shiva this lake has in the Bundhil valley at the foot of Manimahesh ranges. Nako Lake At an altitude of 3662 metres in the pooh sub-division of district Kinnaur. The lake is surrounded by willow and poplar trees - the village seems to be half buried by the lake's borders. Parashar Lake At an altitude of 2730 metres in district Mandi, 40 k.m. from Mandi town. The deep blue water at this beautiful lake is held sacred to the sage Prashar. Renuka Lake Renuka lake is connected by road and lies in Sirmaur district. With a circumference of 3214 m, Renukaji is the largest natural lake in Himachal. Rewalsar Lake Rewalsar lake is in Mandi district, 24 kms from Mandi town. Shaped quite like a square and with a shoreline of 735 m, this dark jewel rests on a mountain spur and is protected by a variety of dense vegetation. Suraj Tal Below the summit of the Baralacha Pass in the Lahaul splitting up of district Lahaul and Spiti. The Baralachala connects Manali and Lahaul to Ladakh and the lake which draws a considerable number of visitors - especially in summer - lies by its head. This is the source of the river Bhaga. SPIRITUAL Ardhnari Temple (Mandi) The Ardhnari temple at Mandi is, compara- tively, a modern temple. The right half of the stone image in the temple represents the Siva and the left half his consort Paivati. Baba Balak Nath A cave temple of Baba Balak Nath is located in Deothsidh , in the Dhaulagiri Hills of Hamirpur, is a noted place of pilgrimage. Pepole come here to seek the blessings of Baba Balak Nath all the year round. It is situated on the border of Bilaspur (70 Kms), Baijnath Temple (Kangra) It is a Holy pilgrimage center of the Hindus who keep coming to pay their respect to almost 1200 years old Mahadev temple. This temple is among oldest Shiva temples in the country, believed to have been built by the Pandavas. Vajreshwari Devi Temple (KANGRA) The Kangra town known to the ancients as Nagarkot, is the seat of Shri Bajreshwari Devi. Though the main temple was ravaged by foreighn invaders and flattened by the 1905 earthquake, it has since been restored to its pristine glory. Bhimakali Temple (Kinnaur) A marvelous example of hill architecture, the temple complex at Sarahanis set against the incredibly beautiful backdrop of high ranges and forested slopes. Built in a mixture of the Hindu and Budhists styles, it was the temple of Bushair rulers of Rampur (Shimla). Bijli Mahadev Temple Located at an altitude of 2460 m, this fascinating temple rests on a spur, that offers some splendid views. The remarkable feature of the shrine, is a high pole or staff that periodically draws lightning, which shatters the `Shivlinga' and scorches the building. Butter is, then, used as an adhesive by the priest to put the `linga' together again Buddha Temple (GOMPA) The Buddha temple (Gompa) is assumed to have come into existence for the duration of the eighth century when Padmasambhava Buddha the second and the originator of Lamaism or the Tantrik cult of Buddhism (Vajrayan) emanated. Chamunda Devi Temple (Chamba) Another 20 km. from Kangra is the famous Chamund Nandikeshwar Dham. This place also has a beautiful bathing ghat and a small temple across the bridge joining the ghat. Chintpurni Devi Temple (Kangra) Along with hundreds of mythical legends about the origin of a temple in different parts of India, the very popular temple of Chintpurni temple is of the same type. Katasan Devi Temple (Around Chamba) A well-liked place of pilgrimage, the temple has a beautiful view of the Chamba Valley. (30 km) This is about 30 km from Chamba and offers a grand opportunity to picnic lovers. From the premises of this temple, a full vision of the Chamba valley is visible. Lakshminarayanan Temple (Chamba) There are six ancient Temple the major group of three temples committed to Lord Vishnu and other three to Lord Shiva. The temples were built around 8th century AD. The six temples carved in stone with tall vimanas. Maa Jwala Ji At a distance of 10 km. from Nadaun is Jwalamukhi, the town of temple is dedicated to Bhagwati Jwalamukhi, where eternal flames represent the deity Jwalamukhiji. Besides, there is the Gorakh Dibbi, Chaturbhuji Temple and a host of other smaller shrines. Naina Devi Temple Shri Naina Devi Temple is at a distance of just 65km from Bilaspur. It is one of the 51 SHAKTI PEETHS. According to a belief once Shiva's consort Sati, died to avenge an insult. The distranged Shiva picked up her corpse and gyrated in his horrific dance of destruction. Parashurama Tal and renuka Temple Situated at the base of the Renuka Lake is the Parashurama Tal, a huge pool embodying, Renuka Temple Renuka temple, dedicated to the immortal Renuka, stands near the picturesque Renuka Lake (Sirmour). Jakhu Temple It is built in the Nagari style with a tiled roof. The temple at the centre of a group of sculpted stones shrines, overlooks the river and offers good views. Inside the temple, Lord Shiva has been depicted as the lord of the three worlds, at the Panchvakhra he has five faces, expressing his five aspects. ADVENTURES AND WILDLIFE Chail Sanctuary Himalayan birds, Goral, Sambhar and other enamoring wildlife are a common sight at the Chail Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh, India. Simbalbara-Sancturary See a captivating wild world that bustles in the midst of thick Sal forests on the Paonta Valley, Himachal Pradesh India. Animals such as Chital, Goral and Sambhar are regularly sighted in the Simbalbara forests. Daranghati Sanctuary (SHIMLA) This sanctuary situated in the upper area of Shimla District has intact forest area with plenty of wildlife. Monal, Tragopan, Koklas and Kalij are the pheasants found here. The area also has Musk deer, Goral and Thar. Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary (CHAMBA) This sanctuary area with its well laid out trekking jungle trails both at Kalatop and Khajjiar is a tourist paradise. Dense Deodar and Fir forests are places of loneliness very close to Dalhousie town. Kanwar Sanctuary (KULLU) This sanctuary is located in Parbati valley of Kullu district. There is a Rest House at Kasol. R.O. wildlife Kasol provides information and help to visitors. Uphill walk along Garahan Nala from Kasol through dense majestic Deodar and Fir forests is enjoyable. Majathal Sanctuary This sanctuary has a very steep and rugged terrain away from habitation. This can be visited by travelling about 10 kms. on a kacha road Kararaghat (Shimla-Bilaspur- Highway) to Kashlog and then walking on foot from Kashlog. Manali Sanctuary This sanctuary starts about 2 km from Manali town. It forms the catchment of Manalsu khad. A prickle path from Manali log huts/ Dhungri temple passes through dense Deodar, Kail, Horse chestnut, Walnut and Maple forests. Natture Parks Kufri is a well known tourist resort near Shimla. A bulky number of tourists visiting Shimla also visit Kufri where a nature park has been established. Pin Valley National Park (Lahaul and Spiti) This is a wild forest that lies high up in the Himalayan mountains. Home to wild animals like the snow leopard and Bharal, Pin Valley National Park is a great place to sight large Ibex herds. Renuka Sanctuary This is a small sanctuary connected by motorable road. Renuka lake and the temples attract a large number of people from hills and plains. Forests and the catchment of the lake add to its beauty and attraction. TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS Weather conditions: First and foremost thing to keep in mind is the weather conditions. If you want to enjoy the pleasant weather, then the time between April to October will be the best time. If you want to explore the snow, especially powdery snow, then the time between December to February will be best for you. Select the right Vehicle: Hiring a taxi or preferring buses from Himachal Pradesh State Transport Corporation or private operators will be the best option. If you are going by your own vehicle, then you must ensure whether the driver is expert in driving in hilly areas. Apart from this, you should also prefer sturdy vehicle like gypsy, Jeep or sport utility vehicle. Collect information about the locality where you are going to explore: It is also a vital point to follow because you should collect information of the surrounding areas of the attractions. You should also carry the map of Himachal Pradesh along with you.  Do shopping carefully: Entire state is full of attractions. Moreover, most of the part of the state is hilly therefore carrying goods is somewhat difficult there. Therefore, thing could be a bit costlier there. On the other hand, you should also avoid shopping from hawkers because they sell duplicate products at at very high prices. Things to carry; while camping or going on adventure tour: It is also vital to keep the first aid box always with you. Apart from this, carrying woollen clothings, sturdy shoes, sun-screen lotions, etc is also vital. Avoid local foods and water: You should prefer boiled water or mineral water and always take food in a fine restaurant after ensuring the cleanness of the restaurant. Advance booking of hotel: You should also make an advance booking of hotel because most of the time, the entire state is full of tourists; thus you may feel some problems in getting hotel quickly. If you are going to any shrine, you should follow the traditions strictly. Getting help of local guide will be beneficial in a number of ways. If you are going to any wildlife sanctuary or national park, you should avoid plastic goods and avoid smoking there as it is strictly prohibited there. If you are camping, you should avoid huge bonfires. These Himachal travel tips are vital in a number of ways to make your tour to Himachal Pradesh memorable one.