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Himachal Pradesh is wrapped in snow most of the
time. Many parts of the Himachal state have a distinctly Austrian look
with conifer-clad mountains, chalet-like huts with overhanging balconies
and serene blue valleys watered by snow-fed streams. Shimla,
the capital of Himachal Pradesh, is still very much a Raj township
in appearance and atmosphere.
Himachal Pradesh stores numerous wonderful hill stations, which
are particularly cool in summers. Shimla,
Dalhousie, Kullu
, Kasauli, Manali,
Chail and Kufri
are a few of the hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh which offer
breathtaking scenery. Dharmasala,
where the Dalai Lama 
lives,
is another important centre on the tourist map. The foremost shrine in
Kangra town is the
Brajeshwari
Devi temple. 30-km from Kangra is
Jwalamukhi, one of the most revered temples in northern India. The
Kangra Museum has
an impressive art collection.
Capital of Himachal Pradesh: Built in the mid-eighteenth century,
Shimla was highly popular among the British
royalty after it was named the 'Summer Capital of India'. The Parliament
used to move up to the hills to get a break from the hot Indian summers.
The town is a picturesque place dotted with charming bungalows and shops
made of stone. A perfect setting for romance or to go on a idle holiday.
The best way to see Shimla is to pick up a tour book, which tells a small
history of the buildings and churches.
History of Himachal Pradesh: Aryan groups filtered into the more
productive valleys during the Vedic Period. Later, the Mauryans, Guptas
and the Mughals sought to exercise varying degrees of control over trade
and pilgrimage routes into this area and between India and Tibet. Lahul
and Spiti was controlled by Ladakh from the decline of the Mughal Empire
(about the mid-18th century) until the early 1840s, when it briefly came
under Sikh rule. British domination followed the Anglo-Sikh Wars and
continued, directly or indirectly, for the next 100 years. In 1948, it was
constituted as an administrative unit comprising 30 princely states.
The People: Himachalis lead a simple and quiet life, tending their
orchards, fields and flocks. The population is composed of a variety of
distinctive hill tribes: Gadis, Gujaris, Kinnauris, Lahulis, Pangwalis,
and Rajputs. Hindi (the official state language) and Pahari are the
principal languages. Himachal Pradesh is the least urbanized state
in India; the urban population accounts for less than 10 per cent of the
total. The simple people of Himachal Pradesh still hold their gods
in awe.
Culture in Himachal: Keeping alive their rich highland identity,
they remain immersed in the annual rounds of fairs and festivals full of
music, song and dance. The Shimla hills, the
Kullu valley (including the town of
Manali), and
Dalhousie are tourist attractions.
Skiing, golfing,
fishing,
trekking, and
mountaineering
are activities for which Himachal Pradesh is ideally suited. 
Occupation in Himachal: Most people in Himachal Pradesh
earn their keep by agriculture, pastoralism, horticulture, and forestry.
The state's main industrial products are agricultural implements,
turpentine, and resin at Nahan,
television sets, fertilizer, beer, and liquor at
Solan, cement at Rajban, processed fruit
at Parwanoo, and electronics near Shimla.
Thousands of artisan-based, small-scale industrial units are also in
operation.
Handicrafts from Himachal:
Exquisitely designed shawls of Kinnaur, the distinctive woollen caps of
Kullu , and the embroidered handkerchiefs
of Chamba are some of the very attractive examples of local weaving. Himachal
Pradesh is also known for its Kangra Valley School of
Paintings.
CLIMATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH: The State can be divided into two
regions: the Southern part, which is almost as hot as the plains and the
northern region having a temperate summer and a winter with extreme cold
and heavy snowfall. The rainfall is around 180 cms. Best time to visit
Himachal is during the months Mid-May to Mid-October.
Population in Himachal Pradesh: 6 million
Festivals of Himachal Pradesh: Shivratri festival in
Mandi in Feb/March; Sul Mata festival in
Chamba in March;
Kangra Valley Tea Festival in April;
Shimla Summer Festival in
May; Kulu Dussehra,
which begins when festivities in the rest of the country have ended in
October; Renuka Fair, held on the banks of
Renuka lake in November.
Himachal Pradesh Tourism Offices:
Himachal Pradesh Tourist Information Counter - The
Mall, Shimla- 171001, Himachal Pradesh.
Himachal Pradesh Tourist Information Counter - The Mall,
Manali - 175131, Himachal Pradesh.
Department of Tourism & Civil Aviation - Daizy Bank Estate,
Shimla- 171001 Himachal Pradesh.
Himachal Tourism Office - Chandralok Building, 36, Janpath, New
Delhi - 110 001
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