“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.”
India is a country with innumerable landforms, climatic conditions, and biodiversity. India, being a South Asian country is a mesmerizing spot of several places to visit. People all over the world feel thrilled to explore India. In Northern India, there is Himachal Pradesh which means ‘abode of snow. It includes the world’s highest mountain peak, Mount Everest. One can embrace the beauty of different districts of Himachal Pradesh through mountaineering or sightseeing. The state consists of 12 districts- Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti, Mandi, Sirmaur, Shimla, Solan, and Una. Other destinations include Rewalsar, Masroor Rock-cut Temples, and Shrikhand.
SIGHTSEEING
- Dalhousie: It is a world-famous hill station towards the western part of Himachal Pradesh. Dalhousie is built on five different hills- Balun, Tehra, Katalog, Patreon, and Bakrota. It has been named after the name of a British Governor-General, Lord Dalhousie. One can visit beautiful churches and charming architecture.
- Kullu Valley: It is popularly known as the ‘Valley of Gods’ and is situated on the Beas Riverbank. It has been known for its ancient temples, festivals, and apple orchards.
- Spiti Valley: It is known as the ‘Little Tibet’ because of its vegetation, terrain, and climate.
- Lahul Valley: It is covered with snow most times of the year. It has many attractions- Patten Valley, Sri Trilokinath Temple, and numerous monasteries.
TREKKING OPPORTUNITIES
Himachal Pradesh puts forth numerous trekking opportunities. Here are a few of them:
- Baralacha-Chandratal Trek: It starts from Manali and ends at Chandratal Lake (also known as moon lake).
- Bhabha Pass Trek: People do this trek for lush green flower meadows, picturesque and dense forests.
- Bara Bhangal Trek: Trekkers who have the experience of solid trekking and camping can only complete this trek. Therefore, it is one of the challenging treks.
- DarchaLamayuru Trek
- DarchaPadum Trek
- Deo Tibba Expedition
- Friendship Peak Expedition
- Hampta Pass
- Indrahar Pass
- Kunzum La to Chandratal Lake
WHAT TO EAT?
The food offered in Himachal Pradesh is simple yet nutritious. It includes dal, rice, chapati, vegetables, paneer, curd, and pickles in the Pahari regions. Tibetan culture is extremely popular here and hence barley is the significant staple grain. Some of the specialties of Himachal Pradesh include Madira, Paneer, Chuck, Bhagjery, and chutney of til. One of the popular local dishes among tourists of Kullu is SIDDU. Within Tibetan-influenced regions, chhang (fermented rice wine) is common. Different regions of Himachal Pradesh have different cuisines and food processing techniques depending upon agro-climatic conditions and socio-culture ethics.
A TAKE AWAY MESSAGE
Himachal Pradesh is a mesmerizing state to spend holidays. One can enjoy the trip through trekking as well as visiting unique districts. People of Himachal Pradesh communicate in western Pahari, Hindi, Punjabi, and English. And every district has its regional language. For example, Kangri, Kahluri (Bilaspur), Mandyali, Kullvi, Mahasui, Sirmauri, and so on. One can reach here by either train or bus or plane and to get around the state, one can use bus or motorcycle. While enjoying the environment of Himachal Pradesh, one can also learn about Buddhism and yoga in Dharamshala and Bir.
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