HIMACHAL PRADESH, Haven on the earth

Himachal Pradesh, spread over 55,673 sq.km. Is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir on north, Punjab on west and south-west, Haryana on south Uttaranchal on south -east and by Tibet on the east. It is a mountainous region, known for the natural beauty of its forests, rivers, valleys, hills and dales and is rich in natural resources. The Kangra valley is a longitudinal trough at the foot of the Dhauladhar range. Dhauladhar which means the 'White Peak' has a mean elevation of about 4550 meters. It has an abrupt rise of 3600mtrs above the Kangra valley. The largest of the lesser Himalayan ranges, the Pir Panjal, branches off from the greater Himalayan range near the bank of the river Sutlej. Numerous glaciers exist and several passes lie across Pir Panjal. The Rohtang Pass (4800mtrs) is one of them.
Himachal has 49 cities and towns. The smallest town is Naina Devi and the largest is Shimla with a population of about 6, 17,404. Urban population is only 7.5% of the total population. Most of the people live in rural habitations varying in size from isolated hamlets to conglomerated settlements.Himachal Pradesh, the land of eternal snow peaks abounds in exotic valleys, glorious green hill-slopes, snowcapped mountains, gushing streams and the hills of Himalaya welcome the tourists from all over the world. In this mountain wonderland, the pace of life is measured and tranquil. Himachal Pradesh is full of hill resorts, pilgrimages, adventure sports destinations, and wildlife that attract a wide range of tourist traffic. Today, Himachal Pradesh is one of the most important tourist destinations in India. It also has excellent trekking. Main tourist complexes are Shimla, Palampur, Dharamsala, Kulu-Manali, and Chamba-Dalhousie. Temple at Bhima Kali, Sarahan, Hatkoti, Jwalajee, Chamunda Devi, Chintpurni, Renuka and Rewalsar, Deoth Siddh and Naina Devi are major attractions for pilgrims. Tourist complexes are also being set up at Keylong, Kaza, Sangla, Shoja, Kalpa, Khadrala, Kharapathar, Chindi, Bharmour, Chansal and Naggar castle. Hang-gliding competitions are held in Kangra valley. Solang Nallah slopes are getting popular for winter sports. There is an art gallery in Naggar and museums in Chamba, Shimla and Dharamasala. The beautiful tourist resort of Khajjair in Chamba district has been christened as the Switzerland of Himachal Pradesh.
DANCES
Himachal is a land of dances. Its dance forms are varied and some are quite complicated. These dances are an inseparable part of tribal life which reflects the great perseverance and good humour of the human beings in the face of poverty and death. No festivity here is completed without dancing. The dance forms like Dulshol, Dharveshi, Drodi, Dev Naritya, Rakshas Nritya, Dangi, Lasa, Nati and Nagas are danced all over the state and provide a welcome break in the monotony of life. The Kayang Mala dance is very popular in Himachal. 'Chhambha' is similar to the Punjabi dance Bhangra. Dressed in their demon costumes and masks, the dancers look quite awesome. The Nagas Kayang is a dance which copies the movement of a snake. The Herki Kayang is faster in tempo and is danced to a romantic song. This dance is performed by young men and women. The Shuna Kayang dance is danced in most villages in the area and it combines both slow and fast movements. This is a popular dance at festivals. These are two popular dances of the Lahaul valley people and are danced at the Buddhist Gompas in the memory of the Buddha. Shan means a song of prayer for the Buddha. It is a tribal dance which is performed at the completion of the harvesting of crops.
ART AND CRAFTS
Stone and metal sculpture, drawing, carpentry, jewellery making, dyeing and printing of fabrics, spinning and weaving, making toys, shoes or dolls and tattooing are the folk crafts of Himachal Pradesh. Studios in Chatarahadi, Bharmaur and Bojora have produced several beautiful bronze sculptures in the past. The statues of Ardha Vishnu are beautiful examples of the art of metal casting. Some statue forms found in the state are those of Shiva and his wife Parvati, Ganesh, Vishnu in Baikunth, Uma-Maheshwar, Mahishasur Mardini (Durga), Kartikeya and Durga as Shakti. Their shapes and postures follow the strict classical patterns. The Shimla and Nirmand areas produced good artists.The traditional metal pots produced locally have a beautiful finish. The Mangath region in Kangra district is well-known for brass utensils.The temples and Madhis in the Himachal area are full of stone statues of deities. The tribal areas have their own kind of statues which reflect the religious beliefs of the tribals.In the Googa Madhis in the villages, the Googa and his Googadi, his horse and soldiers are carved out in great details. Many walls display beautiful relief work. The Shiva temple at Baijnath and the Krishna temples at Masroor are carved out of a single rock. The temples at Chamba, Mandi, Kulu and Bilaspur areas display feats of architectural skill by local artisans much before the advancement of science. Stone masons can be found in each area and locality in Himachal.Wall paintings are an essential part of the art of the hilly regions. The wall paintings in the Sheesh Mahal show the influence of the Kangra School. These are usually made in houses of the rich by women from poorer families. The wall paintings done by women on the occasion of fasts and festivals describe the stories connected with the occasion.