CHAMUNDA DEVI
The famous shrine of Chamunda Devi-the Slayer of Chand and Mund.The Goddess is said to grant boons requested of her. At the back of Temple is a cave like scoop where a stone “Lingam” under a boulder.
GOPALPUR ZOO
Lying on Dharamshala-Palampur road, wildlife department of H.P Goverment has established a zoo at Gopalpur spread over 12.5 hectares of thick forest. Animals which can be seen here include Asiatic Lion, Himalayan black bear,(a major attraction with the tourists), Leopard, Sambar, hog deer, barking deer, red fox, angora rabbits and so on.
CHINMAYA TAPOVAN TRUST
it is a tranquil Ashram Complex founded in 1978 by the great exponent of Gita-Swami Chinmaya Nanda the complex includes a 9 meter high image of lord hanuman,a magnificent Rama Temple, a meditation hall, a school and a health and recreational center.
PALAMPUR
Palampur, at a height of 1219 mts., is a main spot in the beautiful valley surrounded by tea gardens and pine trees. The place enjoys a healthy climate and the pine scented air is said to have curative properties. The scenery presents a sublime and beautiful contrast- the plain presents a picture of rural loveliness and repose, while the hills are majestic. Behind this town stands high ranges of Dhauladhar mountains, 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 to be established here. An Agricultural University is already functioning and some tea factories are also coming up. There are also some pleasant walks around the town. A short walk from here takes one to the awe inspiring Bundla chasm which falls over a 100mts. to the Bundla stream.
ST.JOHN’S CHURCH
2.5 km from Mcleodganj, between forsythganj and Mcleodganj is the charming dressed –stone church of ST.John in the wilderness. under the shade of deodar branches, a memorial has been erected over the body of the British viceroy, Lord Elgin who died at Dharamshala in 1863. there is a well tended old graveyard on these grassy slopes.
TALNOO (Naddi)
A high point beyond the Dal Lake, Naddi village affords a magnificent view of Dhauladhar mountain range to the north and the vast expanse of lush Kangra valley to the south. Naddi is situated far away from the hustle and bustle of the Macleodganj market and provides complete peace of mind. It is surely the best place to spend some quality time amidst the heart of Dhauladhar mountains.
DAL LAKE
4.5 km from Mcleodganj, A scenic picnic sport surrounded by forests of deodar. It is a starting point for excursion and trekking and is located next to Tibetan children’s village. You can have a memorable walk around the lake. Held sacred, this has a small Shiva temple on its banks. The banks of the lake are enlivened every September by a fair attended – amongst others- by a large number of migrant Gaddi folk.
KUNAL PATHARI
A 3 km drive from kotwali bazaar dharamshala leads up to this rock temple dedicated to local Goddess. The road passes through picturesque forest and Tea Gardens.
TEA GARDENS
Tea in Kangra valley was introduced in 1854. When “Holta” tea estate was set i[ (4200 ft above the MSL). After the devastating earthquake of 1905 annihilating both man and plantation, the tea prodoction lost its paramount position, however, the scene has changed with the setting up of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Palampur Complex where scientists are striving to produce tea Production of the one popular Kangra Tea through the scientific methods, using tissue culture techniques, producing numerous”Somatic embryo’s encapulated into a gelatine like substance,sodium alginate to form a bead like structure called an artifical or synthetic seed. And hence the production has shown a tremendous increase. From 84 kg of green tea leaves per hectare to 200 kgs of green leaves per hectaare. A new concept, the “orgnic tea farming”. green tea without using any chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers has come into operation to explore the much needed export potentiality.
WAR MEMORIAL
On Dharamshala – Kangra Road, land scaped lawn and a web of narrow paths fill a pine grove where a monument has raised to commemorate the post Independence War Heroes of Himachal.
AGHANJAR MAHADEV TEMPLE
This temple is located at a distance of 8.5 km from Dharamshala and just a few meters from the Khaniyara village, famous for its scenic beauties. Once when Arjun, of Mahabarat, was on his way to the Kailash Mountains. Lord Shiva appeared in front of Arjun and blessed him with the Boon of Victory over the Kauravas. At this place Baba Ganga Bharati has fired “Akhand Dhuni” (Sacred Fire).
KANGRA FORT
The Kangra valley is one of the most picturesque valley of lower Himalyas. The valley, sheltered by the sublime Dhauladhar range, is green and luxuriant. It provides a tremendous contrast in nature of places to be visited. Dharamshala is full of Buddhist air whereas ancient Hindu Temples like Brajeshwari, Baijnath, Jawalamukhi and Chamunda Devi dot the country side. The history of Kangra valley dates back to the Vedic times more than 3500 yrs. ago. The area was exposed to successive invasions, the last being the British domination over the princes of the hill states. Despite the onslaughts and political upheavels, the arts and crafts of the region continued to develop and found lyrical expressions. Crafts like the exquisitely designed shawls and miniature paintings of this region are internationally appreciated.
Dharamshala To Mcleodganj Ropeway
Dharamshala is now just 5 minutes away from Mcleodganj via the new ropeway route inaugurated by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. The ropeway, known as Dharamshala Skyway has a length of around 1.8 kilometres and was built at an estimated cost of over ₹200 crores. The ropeway can take travellers from Dharamshala to Mcleodganj while offering mesmerising aerial views of the scenic towns. By Khara Danda Road, a drive to Dharamshala from Mcleodganj takes around 21 minutes.
NORBULINKA
In Tibetan, “Norbu Linka” means beautiful gardens. This garden covers an area of 36 hectares and it is the annual vacation home for the 7th to the 14th Dalai Lama, who would move here from the Potala Palace to this summer palace and spend most of their summer here. This elegant garden (“Norbu Linka Palace “) has other palaces such as “Wuyaopozhang” and “Gold Pozhang”; they are all worth visiting. Although the Norbu Linka Palace is like a temporary villa for the Tibetan Dalai Lama, it accumulates the Dalai’s culture, spirits in Buddhism and regal miens because the former Dalai Lamas once lived here. Only after you travel those palaces yourself, you can then understand it better.
CHINTPURNI
The temple dedicated to Mata Chintpurni Devi. The village of Chintpurni (altitude 940 metres) is part of Amb tehsil, Una district, Himachal Pradesh. The temple is situated on one of the highest peaks of the Sola Singhi range. It is about 3 km west of Bharwain village which is located on the Hoshiarpur – Dharmashala road. Devotees have been visiting this Shaktipeeth for centuries to pray at the lotus feet of Mata Shri Chhinnamastika Devi and Mata Shri Chintpurni Devi. They bring with them their worldly concerns and seek blessings from the Devi. It is believed that if you ask something from the Devi with a true heart, your wish will be granted.
JWALAJI TEMPLE
The famous temple of Jwalaji is 54 km. from Hotel. Dedicated to the “GODDESS OF LIGHT”, the temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples in northern India. There is no idol of any kind the flame is considered as a manifestation of the goddess. An eternally burning and shining blue flame emanates from the rock sanctum and is fed by the priests with the offerings of devotees. The golden tower (dome) of the temple was a gift from the Emperor Akbar. Two important fairs are held here during the Navratras in earlier April and mid October. Hotel accommodation, Dharamshala, rest houses and HPTDC hotels with modern facilities are available for visitors to the shrine. (Please also visit the exclusive web site for the temple namely.
BAIJNATH TEMPLE
Baijnath is a pilgrimage centres of the Hindus in Kangra Distt. Here one finds the oldest existing Shiva temple in the country, believed to have been originally built by the Pandavas close to the Binwa Khad.
