On the Banks of The River Bipasha

The path from Kulu to Manali in the Kangra Valley of the Himalayas is accompanied all along by the tumultuous waters of the river Bipasha. The snowcapped majestic mountain peaks ahead lean on the blue backdrop of the sky. On one side of the road the sparkling yellow flowers of mustard fields dazzle the eyes. Apple and orange orchards crowd the mountain slopes. This road is the busy National Highway. On the other side of the river another desolate road winds lazily upwards. This path, lined with the regal Pines and Deodar trees, leads to town Jagatsukh, 10 kilometers from Manali, and to Naggar.

Jagatsukh was the capital of this hilly terrain for over 1500 years, prior to colonization by the British. The remnants of that past glory are evident in the temples and buildings of the bygone era, which still are standing. A few minutes walk takes the tourist to the Gayatri Temple, adorned with fascinating intricate sculptures. Two other temples captivate the attention, the Gourishankar Temple and the Sandhyadevi Temple – edifices of wood and stone with inimitable architecture.

Sidh Sing, the King of Kulu built the Naggar Castle in the 16th century. The capital was shifted to Sultanpur in 1857. During the British Raj the castle was used as a summer residence of officials of higher ranks. At present, it has been converted to a heritage hotel. The castle, made of wood, was not very large, containing only 64 rooms of which 18 were used by the queens. The polished walls of Deoadar reflect the sunlight. The roof was constructed of slate. The colorful vista of Katrain can be seen from the balconies adjoining the rooms.

About one kilometer uphill is the Roerikh Art Gallery. Enthralled by the charms of nature of this land, the Russian painter Nicholas Roerikh spent his life in Naggar. Several rare and priceless paintings of this nature lover and worshipper of Indian philosophy are displayed along with the paintings of his son Soetsav Roerikh in their erstwhile abode.

Kulu and the Kangra valley are renowned for the aboriginal arts and crafts. These tribal creations are exhibited in the famous Urusuati Art Museum situated nearby.
Other tourist attractions include the Pashmina shawls, sweaters and Kulu caps sold locally.
Reference:

Bengali article in local magazine “Sananda.”

 Japanese Actresses
Best Age to Get Married See our research on the ages of the average man and woman on Shaadi.com.