Palampur is a fascinating green hill station and a
municipal council in the
Kangra Valley in the
Indian state of
Himachal Pradesh, surrounded on all sides by tea gardens and pine forests before they merge with the
Dhauladhar ranges. Palampur is the tea capital of northwest India but tea is just one aspect that makes Palampur a special interest place. Abundance of water and proximity to the mountains has endowed it with mild climate.
The town has derived its name from the local word "pulum', meaning lots of water. There are numerous streams flowing from the mountains to the plains from Palampur. The combination of greenery and water gives Palampur a distinctive look. Palampur is at the confluence of the plains and the hills and so the scenery shows the contrast the plains on one side and the majestic snow covered hills on the other side. Behind this town stands high ranges of Dhauladhar mountains, whose tops remain snow covered for most part of the year.
[edit] History
Palampur was a part of the local Sikh Kingdom before it came under the
British raj. The Kangra valley was the Trigarta of old, where the Palampur town is situated. It was one of the leading hill states and was once a part of the Jalandhar kingdom. The Palampur gets its name from 'Pulum' which means the abundant water. Countless streams and brooks criss-cross the landscape and in their intricate mesh, hold tea gardens and rice paddies. The town of Palampur came into being when Dr. Jameson, Superintendent of Botanical Gardens, introduced the tea bush from Almora in 1849. The bush thrived and so did the town which became a focus of the European tea estate owners. Since then the Kangra tea of Palampur has been known internationally.
Palampur also known as the 'Tea Capital of North India,' is a popular hill station because it is not only known for its scenic beauty but also for the beautiful temples and buildings built in the Colonial period. Here a nature lover can enjoy a quiet stroll while feasting his eyes on the natural beauty and an outdoor lover with a taste for adventure can enjoy hand gliding and trekking during the holiday. It has something for all tastes, which makes it an ideal holiday resort for many. Hill Resort in India offers online booking for accommodation and tour/travel packages to this beautiful hill resort.
Earlier Palampur was a part of the local Sikh Kingdom but later it came under the British. The Hill station gets its name from 'Pulum' meaning abundant water.
[edit] Education
Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSKHPKV) or Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) accredited and ISO 9001:2000 certified university, has been operating since 1978. It is University Grant Commission (UGC) approved and National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accredited leading hill agricultural university of India, known for innovations in transforming farming in Himachal Pradesh.
Educational Streams CSKHPKV Palanpur offers Bachelors/Masters and Doctoral degree programs in the field of agriculture, veterinary and animal sciences, home science and basic sciences. Extension Education programs are set for planning, implementation and coordination of various extension education programmes of all the departments of four constituent colleges and research centers in close collaboration with the State Departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and other concerned departments and institutions.
Facilities Hostels are available for outstation students. Internet facility is also provided to hostellers. On-line library service and journal browsing is one of the key facilities of this university. Indoor sports facilities, university level entrepreneurship development programs, and education extension programs are remarkable services by the university. Placement cell serves the successful candidates throughout the year.
History Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) accredited and ISO 9001:2000 certified institution, was established in 1978 as Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University. The university is the developed shape of College of Agriculture which was established in 1966. A number of improved varieties of different crops are credited to the university.
- Faculties/Departments:
Agriculture
Veterinary & Animal Sciences
Home Science
Basic Sciences
website www.hillagric.ernet.in/
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India
census,
[1] Palampur had a population of 4006. Number of Households are 868. Palampur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%
[edit] Geography
Palampur is located at
32.12°N 76.53°E,
[2] at a height of 1,220 meters above sea level. It is close to the Dhauladhar Range. It is in the northwestern region of Himachal Pradesh, in north India and is only 30 km from the popular hill station of
Dharamshala. Palampur, at a height of 1219 mts., is a main spot in the beautiful valley surrounded by tea gardens and pine trees.
Behind the town stands high ranges of
Dhauladhar mountains (white hill of snow), whose tops remain covered for most part of the year. This place is being developed as large tourist centre. A ropeway and an amusement park is also on the way to be established here. An Agricultural University is already functioning near by one Ayurvedic hospital is situated, also one
Ayurvedic medical college is there in Paprola is about 10 km away from here some tea factories are also in operation Kangra valley is also known as tea capital of India this tea was quite famous among Britishers.
There are also some walks around the town. A short walk from here takes one to the Neugal park here you take some hot sips of coffee with the awesome cold winds and have a pleasant view nearby, few kilometres ahead is Bundla chasm which falls over a hundred metres to the Bundla stream. The stream is a thin streak running over stony ground far below the cliff. During the monsoon seasons, it swells and rages - madly over the entire width of the chasm taking stones and boulders along with it and makes loud roaring noise like thunder.
Several trek routes lead out of Palampur, particularly over the Dhauladhar Mountains towards the town of
Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. Some important treks are over the Sanghar pass to Bharmaur via Holi, the forest trek from
Mcleodganj to Treund and from
Baijnath over the Jalsu pass to Bharmaur. A four-day trek will lead the traveler to Holi, via Waru La. Twenty-eight kilometers from Palampur is Billing, near
Bir, an important centre for the adventure sport of
paragliding. Paraglider pilots often land near Palampur after cross-country flights starting from Billing. Palampur also has numerous Buddhist monuments and is famous for its
Tibetan handicrafts.
[edit] Connectivity
[edit] By Air
Kingfisher Red is running daily flights from
New Delhi to Kangra Airport (
Gaggal Airport) which is just 40 km from Palampur. Flights are prone to climatic conditions and can be cancelled due to low visibility in the winters- plan your trip accordingly.
[edit] By Rail
Palampur is connected by
narrow gauge railway from
Pathankot. Approximate distance from Pathankot to Palampur is 112 km. The journey takes about 7 hours covering two tunnels, one of which is only 250 feet and the other 1,000 feet in length.
[edit] By Road
Palampur is well connected by road to all major cities and towns in and around the state. Himachal Road Transport Corporation(HRTC) is the best way to travel plying Air conditioned, Deluxe and Semi Deluxe buses from major cities like
Delhi and
Chandigarh. Distances to the major cities are Delhi(530KM), Chandigarh(240KM),
Shimla(259KM),
Manali(205KM),
Dharamshala(35KM) etc. Tickets can be booked online from HRTC website.
[1]
[edit] Attractions
Visitor attractions in Palampur include:
- Nugal Cafe is most visited place in the palampur. it is one of the great attraction in the palampur from where you can view the dhauladhar hills and also can get the view of nugal khad.
- Sourabh Van Vihar is also one of the nice place to visit, here you can find a green park.
- The village of Andretta, spread below the thickly wooden hill known for the art gallery. The village was once the home for the painter Sardar Sobha Singh and playwright Norah Richard.[citation needed]
[edit] Palampur-Shopping
At Palampur you can buy souvenirs and local handicrafts for your friends back home. You can buy fresh tealeaves, local handiwork, Tibetan carpets and winter clothing.
Palampur-Adventure Sports
Palampur is the ideal hill resort for you if you enjoy trekking and Paragliding. There are several trek routes that one can trek on, one important one being over Sanghar Pass to Bharmaur via Holi.
If you really love adventure sports, then 28 km from Palampur is a center for the adventure sports of hand/paragliding. There you can have the adventurous time that you adrenaline junkies really wish for in a holiday. The town of billing which is 42 km from Palampur is also famous for hand-gliding.
[edit] Tourism
Famous Places Around Palampur :
Bir and Beelling : ( 35 km. from town.) This village is famous for its Buddhist monasteries. Hang gliding pilots use it as their landing site. Bir, surrounded by tea gardens and an amphitheater of low hills, is an ideal landing around for para-gliders. Bir has Buddhist Monasteries that are worth visiting. Fine Tibetan handi craft are also produced here. Billing, up in the hills 14 km. from Bir with an arena of 200 km. for high altitude and cross country flying, is one of the best aerosports sites in the country.
Baijnath : ( 16 km. from town.) The Shiva temple at Baijnath is one of the most remarkable monuments of the Kangra valley. Ancient name of this town was 'Kirgrama'. Baijnath got its name from Shiva Vaidyanatha. The temple consists of an 'Adytum' surrounded by a spire of the usual conical shape with a 'Mandap' covered with a low pyramid shaped roof. The 'Adytum' contains the Lingam. There is fine sculpture work to be associated with Ravana, who worshipped Shiva at this spot and gained immortality. Baijnath is one of the 'Twelve Jyotirlingams'. Shivratri of Baijnath is a well attended fair.
Neugal Khad : ( 2 km. from town.) Neugal Khad provides a fine view of the Dhauladhar range. It is roaring in the rainy season and gurgling all the year round. Himachal Tourism cafe provides food and a fine view from its restaurant. It is a famous picnic spot and ideal for a day escape from busy life.
Bundla Stream : ( 2 km. from town) Bundla stream with wide chasm of more than 100 metres, swells up and rises madly in monsoons taking stones and boulders along with it making a loud noise like that of continuous thunder. This is a lovely walk from Palampur to Budla.
Andreta : ( 13 km. from town ) It is the home of the famous artist, late Sardar Shobha Singh and late playwright Norah Richards. This presents an excellent view of the Dhauladhar Range.
Shobha Singh's Art Gallery : It is situated in Andhretta which is 13 km. from town.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
