Shimla: As Himachal Pradesh celebrates its 54th Statehood Day on Jan 25, the hill state has earned a unique identity among the states in the country with its breathtaking landscapes and talented professionals, who have earned a name in their respective fields. Be it the level of education or per capita income, Himachal is counted among the leading states in the country.
Here is a look at Himachal Pradesh and the specialty it offers:
Apple Bowl of India: It won't be an exaggeration to call Himachal Pradesh the fruit basket of the country. Especially in apple production, Himachal stands 2nd in the list after Jammu and Kashmir earning it the sobriquet of 'Apple Bowl of India'. On an average, every year about 3 crore boxes of apples reach the market from Himachal. That means, if you are eating an apple, it may be from an orchard in Shimla or Kullu. Apart from this, orange, pear, plum, peach, guava and stone fruit are also grown in the state.
A cup of Kangra tea: Whenever there is talk of tea, Assam or Darjeeling usually come to out mind. But the tea of Kangra district of Himachal is also very famous. There are tea gardens present in Palampur, whose aroma and taste are said to be among the best in the world. The Kangra tea has also earned the GI tag of the European Union.
Highest post office and polling booth: Tashigang village located at an altitude of about 15,256 feet (4650 meters) in Lahaul Spiti district is the world's highest polling booth. There were 52 voters here in the assembly elections held in the year 2022. Similarly, the world's highest post office and gym is present in Hikkim village of Lahaul Spiti. Situated at an altitude of 14,567 feet, this village was earlier the world's highest polling booth. Next time you visit this highest post office, do not miss sending postcards to your friends from there for memories.
Country's first voter: India's first voter was also from Himachal. Master Shyam Saran Singh Negi of Kinnaur district was the first to cast his vote in the country's first Lok Sabha elections. The first elections in the country were held in the beginning of 1952, but in view of the snowfall alert, voting was conducted in the tribal areas of Himachal in October 1951. Then Shyam Saran Negi was the first to cast his vote, although this was revealed after about 56 years in 2007. Shyam Saran Negi died on 5 November 2022 at the age of 105, three days after he had cast his vote from home for the assembly elections.
Rashtrapati Bhavan: Most people know about Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, but do you know that apart from this, there are also Rashtrapati Bhavans in two more states in the country? 'Rashtrapati Nilayam' located in Hyderabad, Telangana and 'Retreat' located in Shimla, Himachal are the additional presidential residences of the country. The President keeps coming to both these places for a stay of a few days. The retreat located in Himachal has now been opened for the common people as well.
Bhakra Dam: Today, big dams have been built across the country but in 1963, Bhakra Dam was the largest dam built in the country. This dam built on Gobind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur was among the tallest dams in the world at that time. Six to seven decades ago, this was no less than an achievement for a country like India. Even today, it is the third largest dam in the country in terms of carrying capacity. Whereas in terms of height, after Tehri Dam, Bhakra Dam comes next.
Atal Tunnel: The Atal Tunnel connecting Kullu and Lahaul districts is also a wonder in itself. The 9.02 km long tunnel built at an altitude of more than 10,000 feet, is the world's highest single tube highway tunnel. This tunnel has been constructed by BRO and with its help access to Lahaul Spiti has become easier. This has made it easier for tourists to visit the beautiful areas of Lahaul. The tunnel also serves a strategic purpose providing all weather connectivity to Leh in Ladakh for the Indian Army.
Dev tradition and temples: Himachal Pradesh is also called Devbhoomi. The divine traditions and culture here make it different from other states. It is believed that gods reside on the mountains and the process of following the orders of the gods and organizing fairs or celebrating festivals has been going on here for years. Apart from Shaktipeeths like Naina Devi, Jwala Ji as well as Shiva temples like Baijnath, Bhootnath, there are also many religious pilgrimages like Kinnar Kailash Yatra, Manimahesh Yatra.
Kullu Dussehra: The most perfect example of Dev traditions in Himachal Pradesh is the Kullu Dussehra. The world famous Kullu Dussehra lasts for about a week and it starts on the culmination of Dussehra across the country. All the gods and goddesses of Kullu district also participate in the festival. Here the deities arrive riding on the shoulders of Haryans and the administration makes arrangements for the deities' stay till the conclusion of the fair.
Four Paramvir Chakra winners: The small hill state with a population of only 70 lakhs is not only known for its divine tradition and natural views. Bravery is also the identity of Himachal and this is the reason why most of the youth joining the country's army are from Himachal. Four bravehearts of Himachal, Martyr Major Somnath Sharma, Martyr Captain Vikram Batra, Lieutenant Colonel Dhan Singh Thapa and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar have been awarded the highest honor Param Vir Chakra for their indomitable courage and bravery.
Till now only 21 brave men have been awarded Paramvir Chakra. Major Somnath Sharma was the country's first and Captain Vikram Batra was the last Paramveer.
Dalai Lama's house: Tibetan religious leader Dalai Lama's house is also in Himachal. There are many Tibetan monasteries in Dharamshala and McLeodganj in Kangra district. Both these places are very beautiful and lakhs of tourists come here every year. After China's invasion of Tibet in around 1960, the Dalai Lama left his country and took refuge in India.
It is said that Tibet's government-in-exile runs from Dharamshala in Himachal. In a way, the headquarters of Tibetans can be said to be based in Dharamshala.
The Great Khali: There will be very few children in the country and the world who are not fans of WWE. Till now, a few selected Indians have also entered the WWE ring. The biggest name among them is Dalip Singh Rana, who is known as The Great Khali in the ring. Khali, who was more than 7 feet tall, has now left wrestling, but Dalip Singh, born in Sirmaur, Himachal, has defeated many wrestlers like Undertaker, Kane, Batista in the WWE ring for almost 2 decades.
Olympic Medalists: A country's status in sports is determined by the Olympic medals won by its players. India's performance in the Olympics has been excellent for the last few years. However, in the 128-year history of the Olympics, India has won only 35 medals, out of which 23 medals have been won in single sports. These include Vijay Kumar, born in Hamirpur, Himachal who won the silver medal in the 25 meter rapid fire pistol event in the 2012 London Olympics.
Apart from Padma Shri, Khel Ratna Award, Arjun Award, Vijay Kumar, who has served in the army, has also been awarded Sena Medal, Ati Vishisht Sena Medal.
Beautiful HPCA stadium: There are many stadiums across the world which are praised for their beautiful locations but all of them pale in comparison to the HPCA Cricket Stadium in Dharamshala. The pictures of this cricket stadium built in the lap of Dhauladhar hills can make anyone crazy. Apart from tourists from all over the world, many players also consider seeing this stadium as one of the most beautiful moments of their life.
Tourist Destinations: Your travel diary will be incomplete without the mention of Shimla and Manali. The tourist places from Himachal are trending on the Internet as well as among local friend circles. There are many tourist destinations in Himachal like Chamba, Dharamshala, Kasaul, Kufri, Narkanda, Solanganala, Kinnaur, Kaza, Dalhousie, McLeodganj. However, the names of Kullu, Manali and Shimla come to the mind of most of the people.
'Desert' of snow: Besides familiar tourtist places, there are some areas in Himachal where snow can be seen at all times of the year to the delight of visitors from plains during hot summer days. Lahaul Spiti district remains almost cut off from the rest of the world for six months of the year due to snowfall. Similarly, Rohtang Pass is also the first choice of many people.
These areas of Himachal are omnipresent in Bollywood films and social media reels.
Paragliding and River Rafting: People who are fond of traveling are looking for adventure wherever they go. These days, paragliding and river rafting are the first choice of tourists, who are attracted to Himachal given its recent push to adventure tourism. While you can do river rafting at many places including Kullu Manali, you will get a wonderful experience of paragliding in Beed Billing, Kangra.
Kalka-Shimla Railway Track: If you have gone to Himachal and do not board this train, then your trip to Himachal will remain incomplete. Kalka-Shimla railway track is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The toy train passing through narrow gauge tracks passes through the mountains and forests offering a unique and refreshing experience to the visitors.
Watching the natural views while sitting in this train passing through about 100 tunnels between Kalka and Shimla is worth enjoying. This type of toy train is present only in selected tourist places like Darjeeling and Ooty.
Beauty of Himachal on the silver screen: These days even the film screen is incomplete without the beautiful actresses of Himachal. Many actresses like Kangana Ranaut, Yami Gautam, Rubina Dilaik, Preity Zinta, Tisca Chopra are from Himachal. Actors like Anupam Kher and singer Mohit Chauhan are among many other names who are shining on the silver screen.
Himachali Dham: The story of a state is incomplete without its food. Himachal's food is also its identity. Siddu, Babru, Khatta, Dudkiya Bhaat are some such dishes the taste of which you will remember throughout your life. Similarly, Himachali Dham, the food served at weddings in Himachal is also famous. Every district has its own Dham, which has different dishes.
Like Kangri Dham of Kangra district, Mandyali Dham of Mandi district and Bilaspuri Dham of Bilaspur district. These days, in cities like Delhi, Himachali Dham or Himachali dishes are also served in hotels and restaurants.
