HIMACHAL PRADESH

Nestling in the northern lap of Himalayan ranges, Himachal Pradesh, literally translated, means the land of snows. It abounds in exotic valleys, green hill slopes, snow-capped peaks and gushing rivers and streams. Sparsely populated and essentially a rural country, Himachal Pradesh id for those seeking a quiet and cool holiday.

The state straddles the Himalayas from the foothills over Lahaul and Spiti and beyond. Its capital, Shimla, was once the summer capital of the British Empire in India. The state is accessible by road from Pathankot (Punjab) in the west, Chandigarh in the south and Dehradun (UP) in the east. It is connected by rail from Kalaka to Shimla. There is another rail link between Pathankot and Joginder nagar. Besides, a regular air service operates between Delhi - Shimla and Delhi - Kullu.

Most people of Himachal Pradesh are Hindus and there are some small pockets with Buddhist influence. The arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala has made Himachal Pradesh a second home for the Tibetan Buddhists. The state can boast of some 6,000 temples. People of Himachal live through a cycle of rituals and ceremonies all their life. They are happy and have colourful folk-dances. Every occasion is an occasion for dance. The traditional house of the Himachali people in the rural areas in an interesting structure of three storeys - the lowest for the household cattle, the middle for storage of grains and the top floor for living.