Popular among tourists who visit Himachal Pardesh, Kangra is known for it’s ancient temples and picturesque beauty. The Kangra valley is one of the most scenic valley lying at the foothills of the majestic Dhauladhar range in lower Himalyas. The history of this green valley dates back to the Vedic times more than 3500 years ago. There is a mention about it in the Puranas of the Mahabharta and in Rajtarangani. Known worldwide for the exquisite crafts, Kangra is particulary known for the Kangra paintings. Situated at the confluence of the Majhi and BAner streams and just at top of the Banganga torrent, Kangra is also famous among the tourists for it’s forts, ancient temples and breathtaking refreshing greenery.
Best For:
Visiting Silversmiths, Weavers
Trekking
Visits to local monuments
Visiting village market
Sightseeing
Cycling
Nature walks
Bird watching
Fishing
Picnics
The town of Kangra was founded by Katoch Kshatriya Rajputs of Chandervanshi Lineage who were rulers in Trigarta Central Asia. The Katoch Rajas had a stronghold here with a fort and rich temples. Mahmud of Ghazni took the fort in 1009 and from one of the temples carried off a vast treasure. In 1360 Kangra was again plundered, by Feroz Shah Tughluq. The temple of Devi Bajreshri was one of the oldest and wealthiest in northern India. It was destroyed together with the fort and the town by an earthquake on the 4th of April 1905 when 1339 lives were lost in this place alone and about 20,000 elsewhere. In 1855 the headquarters of the district was removed to the sanitarium of Dharmsala.
Kangra was also occupied by the Nepalese (previously known as Gurkhas )and made it a part of Greater Nepal. In 1809, Ranjit Singh the ruler of the Sikh state in the Punjab, had intervened and drove the Nepalese army east of the Satluj river. Later it was lost to the British in the mid-19th century.Kangra was merged in India in 1948 by the than titled Raja of Kangra-Lambagraon namely Raja Druv Dev Chand Katoch.Raja Aditya Chand Katoch is the present titled Maharaja of Kangra-Lambagron and Katoch Clan Rajputs.
Notable is the shrine dedicated to goddess Brijeshwari. Kangra is steeped in history and its ruined fort - Nagarkot stands as testimony to its glorious past. The town was attacked by Mohammed Ghaznavi and subjugated by Emperor Feroz Tuglak and Maharaja Rant Singh. Earlier, Kangra was the capital of the great hill state, its renowned ruler being Maharaja Sansar Chand Katoch, a great patron of arts.
While the weather in Kangra is pleasant throughout the year, the best time to visit Kangra is from May to November. The summer begin from April and lasts till June when the temperature ranges between 15°C and 28°C .The winter lasts from November to February and the temperature ranges between 5 °C and 15°C. The Southwestern monsoon rains arrive during the months of July through September. It is best to carry light woolens during the summer and warm woolens during the winter.
The Indian Rupee is the official currency of Kangra. Currency can be converted at the currency exchange counters at the Airport. Credit and debit cards are accepted in only large shops and major hotels.
No permit is required to travel to Kangra other than a visa for India.
By Air
You can directly fly to Kangra from Delhi. The Kangra airport is located 7 kms from the heart of the town. The other airports close to Kangra are Gaggal airport which is at a distance 13 kms while the Jammu Airport is 200 kms Amritsar Airport is 208 kms from Kangra and Chandigarh 255 kms.
By Road
If one prefers to travel by road, there are regular buses plying from Dharamshala which is 18 kms from Kangra. Kangra, like most of the hill stations in Himachal Pradesh Is well connected by road to the other parts of the state.
By Rail
The nearest railhead to reach Kangra is Pathankot which is located 86 kms from Kangra .
Shri Bajreshwari Devi Temple Lot of pilgrims go to Kangra to visit this temple. The Bajreshwari Devi Temple also known as Vagreshwari Devi is the most famous temple in Kangra. Legends have it that this temple was founded by the divinity at a famous Ashwamedh or horsesacrifice on this very spot. At the time when Kangra was invaded by Mehmood of Ghazni this temple was destroyed to build a mosque in the same place followed by an earthquake in 1905 which further destroyed the temple but it was restored to it’s pristine glory.
Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake
A perfect holiday spot, the Maharana Pratap Lake is an ideal get away for families and those who love bird watching. This lake was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1983 and till date more than 220 species of birds belonging to 54 families have been sighted here. There are egrets, terns, black-headed gulls, water-fowl, plovers and many animals like barking deer, nilgai, sambar, claw-less otters, wild boars and leopards. Not forgetting to mention the 27 species and sub-species of fish spotted so far in the Lake waters. Earlier the Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake was known as the Pong Lake, the lake came into being as the formation of a dam on the River Beas.
Chamunda Devi Temple
Located at a distance of 15 km from Kangra, Chamunda Devi Temple is situated on the banks of River Baner. The sight of the temple is indeed scenic due to the lush Dhauladhar hills in the backdrop. The temple is dedicated to goddess Kali in one of her avatars of Chamunda Devi. It is believed that those who visit the temple and worship her are given a boon to fulfill all their desires.
Jwalamukhi Temple
The Jwalamukhi temple is one of the most famous temples in North India. Located just 35 km from Kangra, it is dedicated to the ‘Flaming Goddess’ or ‘Goddess of Light’. The temple does not have any idol to be worshipped but there is a flame which is constantly burning and is the manifestation of the Goddess. This eternal flame is fed by the priests from the offerings made by the devotees. A lot of tourists flock to this place during the Months of early April and October for the fairs held here.
Masroor Rock Temples :
Located only 40 kms from Kangra, The Masroor Rock Temples are famous for it’s architecture. Made in the Indo-Aryan style, the rock-cut temples which are intricately carved and also bear a great resemblance to the temple of Kailash at Elora in Maharastra. This temple is dedicated to Lord Ram , Lakshman and Sita.
Brijeshwari Devi Temple
Located on the outskirts of Kangra is Brijeshwari Devi Temple. This temple was destroyed in 1905 by an earthquake which was rebuilt in 1920. The temple is known for it’s legendary wealth. This temple was subject to successive devastation by a lot of invaders from the North.
Kangra Fort
One of the largest Forts in the Himalayas, the Kangra Fort is also one of the oldest forts in the country and known to date back to 1009 A.D. The Fort is located at the outskirts of Kangra and is situated in the Purana Kangra on a steep rock. The Fort was destroyed in the 1905 earthquake and was later restored to it’s pristine glory. The Fort is under the control of the 'Archaeological Survey of India.
Taragarh Palace
Presently run as a Hotel, the Taragarh Palace is located at the at the foothills of Dhauladhar Mountains. The Palace was used to propagate ideas of Islam. The 'Nawab of Bhavalpur’ built the palace here in 1933 and it was called Alhilal. In 1949 'Maharani Tara' the wife of Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and mother of Raja Karan Singh invaded this palace, hence the palace was called Taragarh Palace.
Chinmaya Tapovana
Located only 10 kms from Kangra, the Chinmaya Tapovan is an ashram at the foothills of the Dhauladhar Mountains. The founder of this ashram was Swami Chinmayananda who was a great exponent of the Gita. For those who seek solace, this is an ideal place to go for peace of mind.
Where to Eat At Kangra one can enjoy a variety of cusines at some fancy restaurants to the small eatery stalls or dhabas. While one can savour the North Indian and Tandoori food at the Dhabas and small eateries, the restaurants also serve Continental, Chinese and South Indian delicacies.
Where to Stay: There is ample accommodation options in Kangra which makes it very feasible to pick a choice depending on your budget. Some of the popular hotels in Kangra are The Judge's Court, Taragarh Palace, Tibet Hotel , Hotel Bhagsu , Grand View Resort and Meghaven Holiday Resort.
To top the shopping list in Kangra would have to be the Kangra Paintings known all around the world for it’s poetic and lyrical style. It is a Mughal technique of painting which takes narrates of Sanskrit poetry and is inspired by Vaishnavism. It captures the beauty of the landscapes of the Punjab Hills and the beauty of the locals in Kangra Valley. While in Kangra, one could also pick wooden handicrafts with intricate carvings. Himachal Pradesh is also known for it’s fine embroidery so the tourist could certainly lay their hands on some embroidered shawls, cholis, coverlets and the traditional caps.
