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A well-laid out picturesque town of Nahan is situated on an
isolated ridge in the Shiwalik hills, overlooking greenfields. Known for
its cleanliness and dust free streets, saints and princes are linked with
the origin of Nahan. The city was founded as a capital by Raja Karan
Prakash in 1621. Another version recalls a saint who lived with a
companionable Nahar on the site where the Nahan palace now stands. "Nahar"
means a lion and probably the town takes its name from this saint.
At
an altitude of 9,32m, Nahan is a good base for visits to the surrounding
pilgrim areas viz. Renuka,
Paonta Sahib,
Trilokpur temple and the
Suketi Fossil
Park. It has a pleasant climate throughout the year and is watered
by man made lake and decorated with temples and gardens. It is also the
headquarter of Sirmaur district.
CITIES
Nahan Town: The gentle level walks of Villa Round, Military Round
and Hospital Round are evocative of the city's past. The hub of Nahan's
activities is Chaugan, Bikram Bagh and Khadar-Ka-Bagh. Gift shops, Rosin &
Turpine factory and local temples are among the other major attractions.
In the heart of Nahan town is Rani Tal, where a large temple and a tank
from the days of ex-rulers of Sirmaur state can be seen. Ducks and cranes
are seen playing in the Ranital Tank, and Ranital Garden further adds to
the charm.
Giri Nagar: Situated at a distance of 7-kms from Dhaula Kuan, this
town has a power house of 60 M.W. capacity, constructed after diverting
the Giri river through a 6-kms long tunnel.
TEMPLES
Trilokpur Temple: Raja Dip Prakash built it in 1573 and is
situated at a distance of 23-kms from Nahan and 6-kms from Kalka-Ambala
highway, the gateway to Nahan from Haryana .
Trilokpur is a place of great religious importance. The temple of the
goddess Mahamaya Bala Sundri is very famous and attracts lakhs of pilgrims
from all over northern India, especially from Haryana
and Himachal. A fair is held twice an year
during the Navratras in April and October when a large number of devotees
visit this temple and pay their respects to the goddess.
OTHERS
Suketi Fossil
Park: Suketi Fossil Park displays life size fiberglass models of
pre-historic animals whose fossil, skeletons were unearthed here. The park
is first of its kind in Asia to be developed at the actual site where
fossils were discovered. At a distance of 21-kms from Nahan, the Suketi
Fossil Park is located on the bank of Markanda river and is approachable
by a link road 4-kms from Kalka-Ambala highway from Haryana. Located on
upper and middle Shiwaliks, consisting mainly of soft sandstone and clay
rocks, the park at present has six sets of life-size models of
Stegodonganesa Sivatherium, Hexaprotodon-Sivalensis, Colosschelys Atlas,
Paramachaerdus and Crocodilia, the animals which once thrived in the
region. more...
Dhaula Kuan: On the road to
Paonta Sahib 20-kms
from Nahan, it is worth while to stop and see a sprawling orchard
consisting of citrus plants and mangoes and a fruit canning factory of
various kinds of juices, jams, pickles and canned fruits. A little away
from Dhaula Kuan is Kastasan Devi temple where Raja Jagat Singh defeated
the advancing army of Rulam Quadir Rohilla in a great battle. Their
victory is commemorated in the Devi Temple, built in gratitude by the
Raja. Dhaula Kuan also has a research station of H.P., KVV where useful
research on tropical fruits is carried out.
Air: Nearest airport is Chandigarh
, with Delhi as an alternative.
Rail: The nearest railway stations are Ambala,
Chandigarh and Kalka, which are connected by a
regular bus service.
Road: Nahan is approachable from many directions by road: via
Dehra Dun through
Paonta Sahib; via
Kalka-Ambala from Haryana and via Solan from
Shimla . There are regular bus services linking it
to the other towns like Manali ,
Delhi and Haridwar
.
A major pilgrimage center of district Sirmaur, Nahan is flushed with resonable guesthouse and hotel accommodations.
Nahan celebrates Bawan Dwadshi towards the end of the
monsoon, when fifty-two idols of local gods are carried in procession to
Jagannath temple, where they are floated ceremoniously in a pool and are
restored at midnight to their niches.
BALA SUNDARI FAIR
The Bala Sundari fair is held at Trilokpur near Nahan, this coincides
with the sacred days of the Navratras.
SHRAVAN SANKRANTI
Shravan Sankranti is celebrated at Nahan, in the month of July, at Arki.
Buffalo fights mark the Sair Fair that is cunducted in the honour of Banar
devta of Shari. The Rampur Jatar is held near Jubbal in district
Shimla .
Paonta
Sahib: 42-km
Suketi 21-km
Trilokpur: 23-km
Dhaula Kuan: 20-km
Giri Nagar: 27-km
Renuka: 45-km
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