KANGRA VALLY

KANGRA VELLY

 

Kangra Valley is situated in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a popular tourist destination, with the peak season around March and April. Dharamsala, the headquarters of Kangra district, lies on the southern spur of Dhauladhar in the valley Geography

The valley is filled with numerous perennial streams, which irrigates the valley, which has a general height of 2000 ft. The highest peak on the Dhauladhar range (White Mountain) which marks the boundary between the valley and Chamba, lies at 15, 956 ft, the range lies 13,000 ft above the valley as it rises sharply from its low base, without having any low hills in between

1905 Earthquake

The valley witnessed a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake at 6:19 am April 4, 1905, as a result close to 19,800 people were killed and thousands were injured in the Kangra area. Most buildings in towns of Kangra, Mcleodganj and Dharamshala were destroyed

The Kangra Valley Attractions
As a holiday resort, the valley has irresistible attractions. A congenial climate with alluring chances of spotting wildlife; peaks to tempt mountaineers or just rock faces to scamper over. If one is not the athletic type, there are wonderful walks among the pines at Palampur and elsewhere too. March and April are the best months to visit the valley when it is covered with wild Rambler Roses, Oleanders, Rhododendron and fruit blossoms.

The Vajreshwari Devi Temple in Kangra town, achieved a reputation for wealth in gold, pearls and diamonds and tempted many invaders over centuries. Muhammad Ghazni sacked it in 1009, Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the early 15th century and the temple was sacked yet again by Khawas Khan in 1540.

In the intervening years the temple was rebuilt and refurbished several ties but in the great earthquake of 1905 both the temple and the fort were badly damaged. The present temple was built in 1920 and stands behind the crowded, colourful bazaar. The state govt. maintains the temple and the deity sits under a silver dome with silver umbrellas.

Never-Before Holiday
A trip on the Kangra Toy Train is a thrilling experience. It is an unmatched way to savour the beauty of the Kangra Valley. At Joginder Nagar, Himachal Tourism offers a unique herbal package track in Himalayas, which unfolds the ecstasy of Himalayan medicinal plants and creates awareness about depleting bio-resources.

Come any time! The Kangra Valley Railway awaits you!

MAA CHINTPURANI

Chintpurni (Hindi: चिन्तपुर्णी) is a place of pilgrimage in India. Chintpurni is located in Una district Himachal Pradesh state, surrounded by the western Himalaya in the north and east in the smaller Shiwalik (or Shivalik) range bordering the state of Punjab. Chintpurni is dedicated to the temple of Chinnamastika Devi or Chinnamasta Devi. Chhinnamasta or Chinnamastika temple is one of the 7 major and 51 total Shakti Peeth

The temple dedicated to Mata Chintpurni Devi is located in District Una of Himachal Pradesh. Mata Chintpurni Devi is also known as Mata Shri Chhinnamastika Devi.

Devotees have been visiting this Shaktipeeth for centuries to pray at the lotus feet of Mata Shri Chhinnamastika Devi.They bring with them their worldly concerns and seek blessings from the Devi.

It is believed that if you ask something from the Devi with a true heart, your wish will be granted.Apart from the holy shrine, according to Manav Bhardwaj, the place is full of picturesque surroundings. Some very nice places for sight seeing, indoor and out door activities are situated in and around Chintpurni. Chintpurni is very well connected through roads and with good number of hotels and dharamsalas erceted in and around chintpurni, accommodation is not a problem at all. You can come here for religious visit, on a holiday or for both, you would enjoy your time there and should return with everlasting memories.

  
History

Devotees usually get their photos clicked in the temple complex, after the holy Darshan of the Devi Pandit Mai Das, a Saraswat Brahman, is generally believed to have established this shrine of Mata Chintpurni Devi in Chhaproh village in the ancient times. Over the time this place became known as Chintpurni after the eponymous deity. His descendants still live in Chintpurni and perform prayers and puja at the Chintpurni temple. These descendants are the official priests at the Temple.

Masroor Temple

Masrur is 32 km from Kangra on Nagrota Surian link road and is famous for remarkable group of rock cut temples. They form a group of 15 monolithic rock cut temples in the Indo Aryan style and are richly carved. These richly ornamented cave temples are the only rock shrines in the northern part of India.The main shrine contains three stone images of Ram laxman and Sita but the presence of the figure of Shiva in the centre of the lintel affords a strong presumption that the temple was originally dedicated to Mahadeva. Before dealing with the questions of its builders and the time of its construction, it is important to discuss the rock-cut technique and the place this temple-complex occupies among the rockhewn monuments in India. The rock-cut style started in the reign of the Pallava king Narsingha varman I Mahamalla (630-668 A.D.) during the first half of the seventh century .   It reached its climax in the Kailasha temples at Ellora which were taken in hand during the reign of the Rashtrakuta King Dantidurga (753- 756 A.D.) and finished during that of Krishna I (758-773 A.D.). Though rock-cut caves are common in South India, yet temples cut out of freestanding rocks, known to archaeologists and art critics, are only four in number-'Rathas of Mammalapuram', 'Kailashas at Ellora', 'temple-complex at Masrur in Kangra' and the 'Dharmnatha temple at Dhamnar', 65 miles to the South-East of Jhalra Patan in Rajasthan.

Baijanath Temple

The history of the temple itself is given in the two long inscriptions fixed in the walls of the mandapa of the temple. Accordingly we are told that Kiragrama (modern Baijnath) situated on the bank of the river Binduka was a part of Trigarta (the territory lying between the rivers Ravi and Satluj, roughly represented by districts of Kangra and Jalandhar) under the suzerainty of king Jayachandra, the overlord of Jalandhara. Under him a Rajanaka (local chief) Lakshmanachandra, who was matrimonially related to Jayachandra from his mother’s side, was ruling over Kiragrama. Genealogy of Lakshmanachandra (see box) is given in these inscriptions.At Kiragrama resided two brothers, Manyuka and Ahuka, sons of a merchant named Siddha. Their genealogy up to fourth generation is also mentioned in the inscriptions (see box). They out of their devotion to Siva Vaidyanatha constructed the temple under discussion in Saka 1126 (CE 1204). They also donated a machine for extracting oil, a shop and some land in the village called Navagrama (modern Nauri near Baijnath) to the temple. 

The Rajanaka Lakshmanachandra and his mother also made some donations to the temple in the form of money and land respectively.The inscriptions tell us that a Sivalinga known as Vaidyanatha already existed on the spot but was without a proper house so the present temple and a porch in its front was constructed. It clearly indicates that a shrine already in existed on the spot before the construction of the present temple. What happened to the shrine in the centuries that followed is not exactly known but it appears to have continued under worship, as there is clear evidence of repairs and renovations from time to time. In the 18 th century Sansara Chandra II, the Katoch king of Kangra, carried out extensive repairs and renovations of the temple. Alexander Cunningham noticed an inscription of 1786 in the temple referring to its renovations by Sansara Chandra. An inscription on the wooden doors of the sanctum of the temple provides the date as samvat 1840 (AD 1783) that is very near to Cunningham’s date. The devastating earthquake that shook the entire region of Kangra on 4 th April 1905 also caused damage to the shrine, which has been reported by J. Ph. Vogel and has since been repaired. At present the temple is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India but the performance of worship and rituals are under a local board at Baijnath with SDM as its chairman. The hereditary priests continue to get a share of the offerings.

MATA NAINA DEVI

History of Naina Devi Temple:

Near the Shivalik mountain- According to legend, Lord Shiva’s consort Sati once burnt herself alive in Yagna to avenge an insult to Lord Shiva. The distraught Shiva picked her corpse and gyrated his horrified dance. Then Lord Vishnu unleashedHis Chakra and cut the Sati’s body into fifty one pieces to save the earth from Shiva’s wrath. All the fifty one places - where parts of Sati's body fell,became known as Shakti Peeths.It is believed that Sati’s eyes fell at the place where this temple is situated. Therefore, this temple is called Naina Devi. The word Naina is synonymous with Sati’s eyes.Since then, devotees started visiting this temple.. It's surrounded by Govind Sagar lake and Bharka Dam.Naina Devi TempleNaina Devi Temple is a holy shrine that is dedicated to Shri Naina Devi, one of the forms of Goddess Shakti. Located on the top of a hill in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, Naina Devi Mandir is one amongst the fifty one Shakti Peeths. The Temple of Naina Devi is a famous temple,connected to the National Highway No. 21 for the facility of pilgrims. The hill can be reached through a road by vehicles and to reach the summit, one can opt for concrete steps or cable car.Naina Devi Temple is a sacred place especially for the Hindus. Pilgrims come to visit this temple to pay their homage to the Goddess.According to the legends, the different body parts of Sati fell on the earth during the time of self-sacrificeIt is believed that Sati's eyes fell at this point and subsequently, a temple was built here to commemorate the goddess. The term 'Naina' suggests 'eyes', so the goddess came to be known as Naina Devi.

The distraught Shiva picked her corpse and gyrated his horrified dance. Then Lord Vishnu unleashed His Chakra and cut the Sati’s body into fifty one pieces to save the earth from Shiva’s wrath. All the fifty one places - where parts of Sati's body fell, became known as Shakti Peeths.It is believed that Sati’s eyes fell at the place where this temple is situated. Therefore, this temple is called Naina Devi. The word Naina is synonymous with Sati’s eyes. Since then, devotees started visiting this temple. It’s surrounded by Govind Sagar lake and Bharka Dam.Naina Devi TempleNaina Devi Temple is a holy shrine that is dedicated to Shri Naina Devi, one of the forms of Goddess Shakti. Located on the top of a hill in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, Naina Devi Mandir is one amongst the fifty one Shakti Peeths. The Temple of Naina Devi is a famous temple   connected to the National Highway No. 21 for the facility of pilgrims. The hill can be reached through a road by vehicles and to reach the summit, one can opt for concrete steps or cable car.Naina Devi Temple is a sacred place especially for the Hindus. Pilgrims come to visit this temple to pay their homage to the Goddess. According to the legends, the different body parts of Sati fell on the earth during the time of self-sacrifice.It is believed that Sati's eyes fell at this point and subsequently, a temple was built here to commemorate the goddess. The term 'Naina' suggests 'eyes', so the goddess came to be known as Naina Devi.In the temple complex, there is huge Peepal tree that is acclaimed to be present from past many centuries.On the right side of the entrance to the main shrine, idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha are placed.After crossing the main gate of the shrine, two striking statues of Lions are visible. The main shrine reveals the images of three deities. Goddess Kali can be traced on the extreme left. In the centre, image of Naina Devi is visible, while Lord Ganesha is on the right side.The Temple is perched over a small yet scenic hill. From the suburbs of the temple, one can spot the picturesque Govind Sagar Lake. Close to the main shrine, there is a small cave, which is known as Shri Naina Devi Cave. In the earlier days, people used to trek the steep path of 1.25 kms to reach the temple at the hill-top. Now, the facility of cable car has been launched to make to journey easy and enjoyable. On Shravan Ashtami, a big fair is held annually at this temple. During the time of Navratras, the temple is visited by large number of people.

Jawala Ji

Jwala Ji (Pahari: जवाला जी, Punjabi: ਜਵਾਲਾ ਜੀ, Hindi: ज्वाला जी, Urdu: جوالا جی) is a Hindu Goddess. Alternative spelling and names for Jwala Ji include Jvala Ji, Jwala Devi and Jwalamukhi Ji. The physical manifestation of Jwala Ji is always a set of flames burning off natural gas,[2] and the term Jwala means flame in Sanskrit (cognates: proto-Indo-European guelh, English: glow, Lithuanian: zvilti)[3] and Ji is an honorific used in the Indian subcontinent.

Historically, shrines dedicated to Jwala Ji were based on fissures from which natural gas seeped by itself. The number of flames is usually either seven (for the seven divine sisters) or nine (for the nine Durgas).[4] Several schools of Buddhism also share the symbolism of a seven-forked sacred flame.[5]
Jai Jwala Maa The best known Jwala Ji shrine is located in the lower Himalayas in Jawalamukhi town of the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh state of India, about 55 kilometers from the larger town of Dharamsala.[6] The temple style is typical of Jwala Ji shrines, four cornered, with a small dome on the top and a square central pit of hollowed stone inside where the main flame burns endlessly. [7] An annual fair is held in the environs of the temple every April.[6]

The temple had an associated library of ancient Hindu texts, many of which were translated from Sanskrit into Persian at the orders of Firuz Shah Tughlaq when the Delhi Sultanate overran the Kangra area.[8] [9] According to legend, when Sati's body was divided into 51 parts, her tongue fell here. This is represented by the flames.

McLeod Ganj

In March 1849, the area was annexed by the British after the Second Anglo-Sikh War, and soon a subsidiary cantonment for the troops stationed at Kangra was established, on the slopes of Dhauladhar, in an empty land, with a Hindu resthouse or dharamshala, hence the name for the new cantonment, Dharamshala. During the British rule in India, the town was a hill station, where the British people spent hot summers, and around late 1840s when the district headquarters in Kangra became over crowded, the British moved two regiments to Dharamshala, and a cantonment was establish in 1849, and in 1852 Dharamshala became the administrative capital of Kangra district. By 1855 it had two important places of civilian settlement, McLeod Ganj, and Forsyth Ganj, named after a Divisional Commissioner.[5] In 1860, the 66th Gurkha Light Infantry, later renamed the historic 1st Gurkha Rifles, was moved to Dharamshala. Soon 14 Gurkha paltan villages were established nearby and the Gurkhas patronised the ancient Shiva temple of Bhagsunag.

Lord Elgin, the British Viceroy of India (1862–63), liked the area so much that he even suggested at one point, that it be made the summer capital of India. He died at Dharamshala while on a tour there, on 20 November 1863, and lies buried at the St. John in the Wilderness at Forsyth Ganj, just below McLeod Ganj [5]. His summer residence called Mortimer House became part of the private estate of Lala Basheshar Nath of Lahore and was acquired by the Government of India to house the official residence of HH Dalai Lama. The original Tea House built by Lord Elgin and catered to by a local grocery store called Nowrosjee & Son continue to prosper to this date. Nowrosjee & Son is a popular hangout for visitors to Mcleodganj and has been at its present location since 1860. The Tea House set up by Lord Elgin became homeless when the Government acquired Mortimer House and shifted to a new base in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. It continues to this date under the name and style of Mcleodganj Tea House and sells fine teas under the Mcleodganj Tea House brand by invitation to some of the classiest hotels and exclusive residences on the ground, in the air and on sea. The official tea service in residences ranging from the Buckingham Palace to Rashtrapati Bhavan to Air Force One to the Tea Buffet at the Claridges in London is almost always a proprietary blend created by Mcleodganj Tea House exclusively for that customer.

Himalayan View, McLeod Ganj.

The twin towns of Forsyth Ganj and McLeod Ganj, continued to grow steadily in the coming years, and by 1904 had become important centres of trade, commerce and official work of Kangra District. But much of the town was destroyed by the devastating 7.8 magnitude 1905 Kangra earthquake at 6:19 am April 4, 1905 which occurred in the Kangra valley, as a result close to 19,800 people were killed and thousands were injured in the Kangra area. The earthquake destroyed most buildings in Kangra, Dharamshala, and McLeodGanj — even the Bhagsunag Temple was destroyed.[6] Thereafter district headquarter offices were shifted to a lower part, and the town waited for another half a century before anything significant transpired in its history.[7][8]

In March 1959, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, fled to India after the failed uprising in 1959 in Tibet against the Communist Party of China. The Indian Government offered him refuge in Dharamshala, where he set up the Government of Tibet in exile in 1960, while McLeod Ganj became his official residence, and also home to several Buddhist monasteries and thousands of Tibetan refugees.[9] Over the years, McLeod Ganj evolved into an important tourist and pilgrimage destination, and has since grown much in population.