Introduction

    The state of Himachal Pradesh came into being in its present form with the partition of the Punjab into Punjab and Haryana in 1966. Himachal Pradesh is essentially a mountain state — it takes in the transition zone from the plains to the high Himalayas and in the trans-Himalayan regions of Lahaul and Spiti actually crosses that mighty barrier to the Tibetan plateau. It's a delightful state for visitors, particularly during the hot season when people flock to its hill stations to escape the searing heat of the plains. High points for the visitor include Simla, the 'summer capital' of British India and still one of . India's most important hill stations. The Kulu Valley is simply one of the most beautiful areas on earth — a lush, green valley with the sparkling Beas River running through it and the snow-capped Himalayan peaks forming the background. Then there's Dharamsala, home-in-exile for the Dalai Lama; and a host of other hill stations, lakes, walks and mountains. In the far north of the state the winter snow melts to permit visitors for a few brief summer months to explore the Tibetan culture of Key-long in Lahaul and Spiti.

People     The Rajputs are in a majority in Himachal Pradesh. They are the descendants of immigrant Rajputs who came here to establish small princely states or who were driven to the hills by the Muslim invaders. The Brahmins,who were the priests of Rajputs are the second largest group. They have more influence in the lower hills than in the higher regions. The Ghirats are next in number. They are the descendants of Kirats according to some sources. They are farmers. Mahajans and Soods,the business communities are sprinkled all over. Chahang and Saini are other castes where people are professional farmers. The Ahirs own windmills and catch fish. The Darai have settled along the river Beas.

Climate

    There is great diversification in the climatic conditions of Himachal due to variation in elevation (450-6500mtrs). The year is divided into three seasons. Cold (October to February),hot (March to June) and rainy (July to September).

Economy     Himachal Pradesh is a state where agriculture contributes to about 45% to the net state domestic product. Agriculture is the main source of income and employment in Himachal. About 93% of the population in Himachal depend directly upon agriculture which provides direct employment to 71% of its people. The main cereals grown are wheat,maize,rice and barley. Fruit cultivation is another field which has proved to be an economic boon to the farmers. Apples yield the maximum income. Sericulture,handloom and tea are other industries that have lately been given particular attention. Silk industry is providing employment to a lot of people.

Culture

    Dussehra is a festival that is celebrated in Himachal Pradesh with great fanfare at the temple of Raghunathji in the Kulu valley. During the 10 days celebration the traditional rituals,traditional Natti dances and folksongs are performed by the people of this region. Traders set up stalls at the fair held during this period,to sell woollen shawls and blankets and the traditional footwear,pullan,made from plant fibres and goats' hair.

History          The early inhabitants of the Himachal region were nomadic tribes who eventually settled down to form tribal kingdoms ruled by chiefs or 'rajas' as they styled themselves. Later,more kingdoms were set up. All these tiny states were constantly at war with each other never uniting even in the face of external aggression. As a result the various Himachal states were captured by other stronger Indian dynasties the Mauryas,the Kushans,the Guptas and the Mughals . In the 19th century the British established their supremacy there. But when the British left in 1947,on 15 April 1948,31 princely states merged to form Himachal Pradesh.

Temples

    Although Himachal Pradesh does not have any particularly renowned temples, at least so far as being touristically well known goes, it does have many quite interesting and architecturally very diverse ones. In the Kangra and Chamba valleys there are a number of 8th to 10th centuries in the Indo-Aryan shikhara style. Pagoda style temples with multi-tiered roofs are found in the Kulu Valley. There are many temples of purely local design, often with interesting wood carvings, particularly in the Chamba region. In the south of the state there are a number of temples with elements of Moghul and Sikh design while in several locations there are cave temples. Finally the Tibetans, who came to the state following the Chinese invasion of their country, have built colourful gompas (monasteries) and temples. The people of Lahaul and Spiti in the north of the state are also of Tibetan extraction and have many interesting gompas