Sarahan - Beautiful Place to Visit

Unseen Beauty of Himachal Pradesh - Sarahan

In the foothills of Himalayas, situated in the Sutlej valley, Sarahan was the old capital of Rampur Bushair ,one of the biggest princely states in Shimla Hills. Sarahan is located on the Kinnaur-Shimla border in Himachal Pradesh. It offers natural eye soothing beauty of and is comprehensive place of sacredness. It is a heaven enriched with awe-inspiring qualities. The scenic beauty of Sarahan compiles of breathe-taking greenary, waving mountains, snow covered regions. Sarahan's Apple orchards make the dusty environment pleasent with its fragrance. Sarahan is filled with flowering pine trees, huge forests, stream and it's worth remarkable valleys. God would have been very bighearted while creating such a fabulous beauty.

History of Sarhan

There are several tales that are woven around Sarahan, Centuries ago, the Raja of kullu declared war on neighbouring Kingdon Bushair. Post the huge intense and bloddy war, the king of Bushair won victory over the opponent. The serparated head of the ruler of Kullu was brought to Sarahan and placed on teh stone platform. The family members of Raja of Kullu and the people of is kingdon pleaded to return his head so that trhey could perform the last funeral rites. The ruler of Bushair laid three conditions before them before he would return the head - the land that was seized across the Sutlej would be retained, Kullu must promise to never again challenge its neighbout and the captured image of Lord Raghunath(The Patter devta of Kullu) would not be returned. The defeated Kingdon accepted all these terms and in return only asked the ruler of Bushair to celebrte the festival of Dussehra. This request was accepted and Dussehra has now become a major local festival. The Image of Lord Raghunath was ceremoniously installed alogside that of Bhimkali temple.

Places to Explore in Surroundings of Sarahan

                                              1. Bhimkaali Temple

                                            2. Saangla Valley

                                           3. Kamru Fort

So, Pull Up Your Socks and Just Explore the Beauty of Himachal Pradesh.. !!

History of Himachal Pradesh (हिमाचल प्रदेश का इतिहास)

A close eye on Dev Bhumi Himachal Pradesh

The word Himachal is made up of two words 'Him(हिम) and 'Achal(अचल)', Which means ICEBERG. Himachal Pradesh is a state in the north-west of India. Himachal Pradesh is also known as “Deva Bhoomi” (the land of the gods). Himachal Pradesh has been inhabited by human beings since the dawn of civilization.

Himachal Pradesh was established in 1948 as a Chief Commissioner's Province within the Union of India. The province comprised the hill districts around Shimla and southern hill areas of the former Punjab region. Himachal became a part C state on 26 January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India. Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory on 1 November 1956. On 18 December 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Thus Himachal emerged as the eighteenth state of the Indian Union.

In earlier times, the area was variously divided among smaller kingdoms, such as those of Chamba, Bilaspur, Bhagal and Dhami. After the Gurkha War of 1815–1816, Himachal Pradesh became part of the British India.

There are evidences of the existence of the pre-historic humans in this region. It is generally believed that large inhabitants of this region had actually migrated from Central Asia and the Indian plains from time to time. The first race to enter Himachal Pradesh was Proto-Australoid followed by Mongoloid and the Aryan. The Rig Veda mentions about Dasyus and Nishads living in this region and their powerful king Shambra who had 99 forts. From the early period of its history, tribes like the Koilis, Halis, Dagis, Dhaugris, Dasa, Khasas, Kinnars and Kirats inhabited it.

                                            Khajjiyar in Chamba distt

The Aryan influence over this area dates back to the period before the Rig Veda. The Aryans with their superior war tactics defeated the local tribes and settled here permanently. The period also saw the establishment of small Janapadas or Republics in Himachal Pradesh. They maintained a good relationship with the Mauryans so that they can remain independent for a long time. They lost their independence with the rise of the Guptas in the North Gangetic plains. After the decline of the Guptas, several small kingdoms ruled this hilly state and established their power in its different regions. Sankar Varma, the king of Kashmir exercised his influence over the regions of Himachal Pradesh in about 883 AD.

                                 Trithan Valley in Kullu District

This region witnessed the invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni in 1009 AD. In about 1043 AD, the Rajputs ruled over this territory. The Mughal rulers erected several works of art as an admiration of this land. The Rajputs, under the leadership of Sansar Chand owned this region in 1773 AD, till the attack by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1804 AD, which crushed the Rajput power here. The Gurkhas conquered this area and ravaged it.

                                          Shimla

In about the early 19th century AD, the British exercised their influence and annexed the areas of Shimla after the Gurkha War of 1815-16. The British established many hill stations in this region to protect themselves from the extreme heat and dust of the northern plains in the summer. Shimla became the summer capital of India and even today, many old houses and buildings tell the story of English grandeur.

                               Kye Monestry in Spiti

Himachal Pradesh was made a centrally administered territory in 1948 with the integration of 31 hill states and obtained additional regions in 1966. It had the status of a union territory after independence till it was granted statehood in 1971.

Unseen Beauty of Himchal Pradesh

Road Cutting Mountain.. Incredible..!!

In Kinnaur Valley the roads are built by cutting the hills in such a manner that at some places, these overhangs are left. Not only do they look stunning, they keep the road under them cooler than the outside temperature.

Have a Look at this...

Thats the Beauty of Himachal Pradesh..!!

Incredible Dev Bhumi Himachal.. :)

Famous 3 Ramsar Sites in Himachal Pradesh (Lakes)

Famous 3 Ramsar Site/Lakes of Himachal Pradesh

Those lakes / wetlands which have fragile ecosystem, unique plant and animal diversities and migratory birds visitation have chances to get this status of known as Ramsar Site...

1. Chandratal Lake (also known as Moon Lake)

Chandra Tal Lake is situated at a height of 4300 m and 6 kms away from the Kunzum Pass in Spiti and Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh India. Boasting of a circumference of about 2.5 kms, the deep blue-water of Chandra Tal Lake is the source of the Chandra river.

2. Pong Lake(also known as Maharana Pratap Lake)

Maharana Pratap Sagar, also known as Pong Dam Reservoir or Pong Dam Lake was created in 1975 building the highest earth fill dam in India on the Beas River in the wetland zone of the Shivalik Hills of the Kangra district of the state of Himachal Pradesh, in India.

3. Renuka Lake

Renuka lake is situated in the Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh in India and it is 672 m above the sea level. Renuka Lake is located at a distance of 37 km from Nahan and 60 km from Paonta Sahib covering an area of 2.5 km.

Unseen Beauty of Himachal Pradesh

                                               My Hometown - BATAL

Shimla

Founder of Himachal Pradesh - Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar

Lutru Mahadev - Arki, distt Solan

Raavi River in Chamba

                      High Altitude Lake (3600m asl approx) in Distt Kinnaur

Advance Study Center - Shimla

 Pagoda Style temple Shimla, Distt Sarhan

 Dhaam - A traditional way of eating food at marriages 

Fairs/Festivals in Himachal Pradesh (हिमाचल के मेले)

Saairo Festival (सायरो मेला)

The Sair Fair is celebrated at Arki, Distt Solan in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is an extremely popular fair of the area and brings lots of liveliness and fun along with it. The Shimla Sair festival of Himachal Pradesh is celebrated with extreme enthusiasm in the month of September. Himachal Pradesh is already very famous in terms of its culture, fairs and festivals. Throughout the year there are number of fairs dedicated to different seasons that are observed in Himachal Pradesh. Sair fair is one such fair that makes Himachal proud.

One of the main attractions at the Sair fair is the traditional bull fight. The bull fight done here reflects too strongly on the Bull Fight in Athens. This event is organized at Arki in Solan. Although both the bull fights in Himachal Pradesh and in Athens are quite similar, one biggest distinguishing feature is the viewership. In Athens, common men are not allowed to view the event at all, while it is just the opposite in Himachal Pradesh.

The bull fight in Sair Fair is easily affordable for any common man as the entry fee is minimal. The credit for this largely goes to the administrative authorities of Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Apart form the famous bull fight, there are a number of interesting and entertaining events held during the Sair fair. Dance programs, Music performances, and many other forms of art are displayed by artists coming form far and wide to participate. A number of stalls and temporary shops are arranged for display and sale of handicrafts, pottery, utensils, garments, accessories etc.

Localites of Shimla celebrate the festival with immense joy and fervor. Women and children can be seen dressed in beautiful jewellary, garments adding a spectrum of colors to the celebrations. 

Fairs and festivals are the perfect opportunity for people to come closer, buy gifts for loved ones, enjoy with friends and relatives, participate in activities, and witness cultural and traditional art forms and much more. The festivals and fairs of Himachal Pradesh are especially famous for their uniqueness and tradition specialties. Sair fair is one such fair that brings the festive spirit of Himachal Pradesh to upfront.

Fairs/Festivals in Himachal Pradesh (हिमाचल के मेले)

Minjar Fair (मिंजर मेला)

Minjar Mela is celebrated in the Chamba valley of Himachal Pradesh in India, as a memorialization of the victory of the King of Chamba over the ruler of Kangra, in 935 AD. The history about this fair is that when The King return, people greeted him with sherfs of paddy and maize, as gift to stand for prosperity and happiness. Minjar Mela is organized in August every year to thank God and ask for his blessings for a good yield. The fair run for a week and its main highlights are folk singing and dancing which show the culture heritage. The offerings include a rupee, a seasonal fruit, a coconut, and a 'Minjar', made up of sherfs of paddy and golden silk wrapped in red fabric.

Earlier, a buffalo was also sacrificed at the time of the Minjar Fair, but not know. It was said that the sacrifice of the buffalo to river Raavi could predict the fortune of the area in the coming year. If the flow of river carried away the buffalo or if it was drowned, then it was considered to be a good sign as the sacrifice have been accepted by the deity. If it struggled away to safety at the other shore of the river, it also show a good sign as it was considered that the bad luck has now been transferred to the other portion of the river.

However, if the buffalo swam its way back to the place from where it was thrown into the river, it was considered to be very bad omen. The fair is main organized when the paddy and maize shoots emerge from the soil. Everyone who visits the Manjar Mela wears the clothes normally made of silk. On the first day of the fair, the idol of Lord Raghuvira is brought to the venue. In this procession, the Lord is accompanied by more than 200 local deities of the surrounding areas. There fair of Minjar go on for a week and dance and music performances of, such as 'Kunjari Malhar.

During this fair, the entire valley of Chamba get to there here. On the final day, a big procession from the Akhand Chandi Palace to River Raavi, where the offerings are made to the river. The Minjar Fair goes that once River Raavi used to flow near the Hari Rai temple. Raja Sahil Verman requested a sage, who used to cross the river everyday, to pray to the Lord to make the temple which is accessible to everyone. After a week of Yajna and weaving of a long cord made up of original 'Minjar', the sage finally managed to change the course of the River Raavi.

Fairs/Festivals in Himachal Pradesh (हिमाचल के मेले)

Baadi Fair (बाड़ी का मेला)

'बाड़ी का मेला' हिमाचल प्रदेश के जिला सोलन के अर्की तहसील (Tehsil ARKI of Distt SOLAN) में मनाया जाता हैl यह मेला पांडवों की यादगार में मनाया जाता है. ' बाड़ी का मेला' बाड़ी नमक स्थान पर आयोजित होता है. यह मेला आषाढ़ मॉस की संक्रांति को इस स्थान पर आयोजित किया जाता है. इस मेले की परंपरा कई वर्षों से चली आ रही है. बाड़ी अर्की से लगभग 26 की.मी दूरी पर स्थित है. इस स्थान पर पहुँचने क लिए अर्की-भराड़ी घाट पर चलकर बीच रस्ते में पिप्लुघाट नामक स्थान  से 10 की.मी की दूरी पर है. पिप्लुघाट से यह मार्ग अगर आप अर्की से आ रहे हैं तो बायीं ओर मुड़ जाता है और यदि आप भराड़ी घाट की ओर से जा रहे हैं तो यह रास्ता दायीं ओर मुड़ जाता है. बाड़ी धार का स्थान एक सुन्दर मनमोहक स्थान है. इसके चारों ओर हरियाली हे हरियाली दिखाई पड़ती है.

कहा जाता है की बाड़ा देव से मांगी मुराद पूरी हो जाती है जिस कारण श्रद्धालु दूर-२ से इस मेले को देखने के लिए यहाँ पहुँचते हैं.

इस मेले की पूर्व संध्या पर इस स्थान पर जागरण का आयोजन होता है. इस मेले में भारी भीड़ होती है. माना जाता है की जितनी भीड़ यहाँ मेले के दिन होती है उससे दो-तीन गुना भीड़ इसकी पूर्व संध्या पर जागरण वाली रात को होती है. मेले की पूर्व संध्या पर यहाँ कीर्तन भजन होता है. मेले की पूर्व संध्या पर ढोल-नगाड़ों के साथ दो पूज(पूजा) बाड़ी की शिव मंदी के लिए रावण होती है. हालांकि मेले वाले दिन यहाँ तीन पूजा देखने को मिलती है. पूजा से अभिप्राय यह है की जब पाद्न्वों की मूर्तियाँ बाड़ी क लिए भगवान् शंकर से मिलन करवाने के लिए बाड़ी की ओर से जाती है तो उसके पीछे श्रद्धालु एकाएक जथ धुल नगाड़ों की साथ बाड़ी के लिए प्रश्थान करती हैं. जिसे 'पूज अथवा पूजा' के नाम से पुकारा जाता है. यह नाम प्राचीन काल से दिया जा चूका है. रात को केवल दो हे पूजा बाड़ी क लिए प्रश्तन करती है जिसमे पहली बुइला(सरयांज) और दूसरी देवस्थल(चौंरटु) से जाती है. तीसरी पूजा रात के समय यहाँ पर शामिल नही होती है. कारण यह है की कोइला सनोग से आने वाली पूज लगभग 10 घंटे का पैदल रास्ता तय करना पड़ता है जो रात में संभव नही है. इसलिए कोइला सनोग की श्रद्धालु अपना पूर्व संध्या का काम भी मेले वाले दिन हे करते हैं. मेले के दें मूर्तियाँ पालकियों द्वारा बाड़ी तक पहुंचाई जाती है. इस मेले में पांड्वो का सम्मान देने के लिए सात धुनें बजायी जाती है. जिसे 'बेल' कहतें हैं. देवथल और बुइला की पूज वाले लोग रात को भी इस बेल को बजाते हैं. क्योंकि कोइला सनोग वाली पूज रात को नही आ पति, इसलिए वहां की पूज वाले लोग दिन को दो-२ (बाजे) बजाकर रात का कार्य पूरा कर देते हैं. 

मेले वाले दिन लगभग 4 - 5 बजे पांडवों का मेल भगवान् शंकर और माता पार्वती से होता है. मेले वाले दिन पूजा पहुँचने के बाद एक फेरी मंदिर क चारो और लगायी जाती है. जिसमे उन भेड़ों को घुमाया जाता है जो लोगों द्वारा मन्नत के रूप में लाये जाते हैं. बाद में इन भेड़ों की बलि दी जाती है. हर साल 10 - 15 भेड़ों की बलि इस मेले में दी जाती है. इसके साथ ही मानो मेले का समापन हो जाता है. लोगों की धारणा है की इस मेले में जो भी व्यक्ति सच्चे मनन से पुकार करता है उसकी मुराद ज़रूर पूरी होती है.

प्रस्तुति - कर्मचंद   

What could be better than writing my first post on my home town - BATAL (बातल)

बातल व् बातल के लोग

कॉलेज क साथ एक बड़ा सा गाँव

पीपल की है वहां छाओं

शिव मंदिर है बड़ा प्यारा

देखने को लगे सबसे न्यारा

जब होने लगती शाम तो

दीये को लेकार श्रद्धालु चले

अति मंदिर के पास

यहाँ पर सब दीप जलाते

जग में फैला अंधकार मिटते

यहाँ की तो है येही रीत

चलते लोग गाते गीत

बैठे रहते मंदिर के पास

बच्चे बूढ़े और जवान

हर एक लड़की पर रखते नज़र

सारे गाँव की रखते खबर

लड़का दिखता लड़की जैसा

हीरो जैसी उसकी चाल

आती जाती औरतें और लडकियां बड़ी शर्माती

गर्दन नीचे करके आती जाती

गले में चुनरी लटकाए रखती

सर से न सरकने देती

आते जाते लोगों को करती प्रणाम

चाहे सुबह हो या शाम

नमस्ते से नही चलता काम

क्योंकि बातल है गाँव का नाम

किसी गाँव की भूमि पर नज़र

नही गढ़ते हैं तभी तो

दुनिया भर क लोग भी

बातल में रहने को जाते हैं

यहाँ के लोग है बड़े ज्ञानी

जब आता शनिवार का दिन

चले जाते लोग चने लेकर पीपल के पास

मन में लिए कुछ आस

चढाते पीपल को पानी

ऐसी है बातल के मनुष्य की जिंदगानी

इन्ही विचारों को रखते हुए

तुक्बन्धी मैंने कर डाली

टूटे फूटे शब्दों में बातल गाँव की

सारी कथा लिख डाली

(इसे "छोटी काशी" के नाम से भी पुकारा जाता है)

अंत में मै तरुण शर्मा येही कामना करता हूँ

जब तक सूरज चाँद रहे 

बातल तेरा नाम रहे

प्रस्तुति - रेखा शर्मा