Devbhoomi--The Land of Gods
Himachal Pradesh is a beautiful hill state in north India. The state is landlocked with the Tibetan plateau to the east, Jammu and Kashmir to the north, and the Punjab to the west. Himachal Pradesh stands apart from its neighbours in terms of its sheer topographic diversity and breathtaking pristine natural beauty. From vast tracts of high-altitude Trans-Himalayan cold desert to dense green deodar forests, from apple orchards to cultivated terraces, from snowcapped high Himalayan mountain ranges to snow-fed lakes and gushing rivers Himachal is an unique example of divine natural beauty. Himachal has been a source of spiritual inspiration for the gurus, sages and meditators. The region is full of mystic vibrations and it has been mythologically painted as the land of divine spirits. In Himachal Pradesh, there are more than 27,000 places of worship as per 2001 census. Among several interesting social practices prevalent in the hill society, especially in places of higher altitude, the institution of village gods is the most remarkable. The gods and goddesses here are not sitting spectators but are expected to behave like common human beings with sentiments and pride. There has been a history behind each one of them, rooted in the mist of the hoary past.
History
The first race to enter Himachal Pradesh was Proto-Australoid followed by Mongoloid and the Aryan. The Rig Veda mentions about Dasyus and Nishads living in this region and their powerful king Shambra who had 99 forts. From the early period of its history, tribes like the Kolis, Halis, Dagis, Dhaugris, Dasa, Khasas, Kinnars and Kirats inhabited it. The Aryan influence over this area dates back to the period before the Rig Veda. The Aryans with their superior war tactics defeated the local tribes and settled here permanently. The period also saw the establishment of small Janapadas or Republics in Himachal Pradesh. They maintained a good relationship with the Mauryans so that they can remain independent for a long time. They lost their independence with the rise of the Guptas in the North Gangetic plains. After the decline of the Guptas, several small kingdoms ruled this hilly state and established their power in its different regions. Sankar Varma, the king of Kashmir exercised his influence over the regions of Himachal Pradesh in about 883 AD. This region witnessed the invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni in 1009 AD. In about 1043 AD, the Rajputs ruled over this territory. The Mughal rulers erected several works of art as an admiration of this land. The Rajputs, under the leadership of Sansar Chand owned this region in 1773 AD, till the attack by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab in 1804 AD, which crushed the Rajput power here. The Gurkhas conquered this area and ravaged it. In about the early 19th century AD, the British exercised their influence and annexed the areas of Shimla after the Gurkha War of 1815–16. The British established many hill stations in this region to protect themselves from the extreme heat and dust of the northern plains in the summer. Shimla became the summer capital of India and even today, many old houses and buildings tell the story of British grandeur. Himachal Pradesh was made a centrally administered territory in 1948 with the integration of 31 hill states and obtained additional regions in 1966. It had the status of a union territory after independence till it was granted statehood in 1971.
Geography
The altitude of Himachal Pradesh varies from 350 m to 7000 m above sea level. The physiography of Himachal Pradesh can be divided into three zones. They are the outer Himalayas or the Shivaliks, the inner or the middle Himalayas and the greater Himalayas or the Alpines. The Shivaliks include the districts of Hamirpur, Kangra, Una, Bilaspur, and the lower parts of Solan, Sirmaur and Mandi. The altitude of lower Himalayas ranges between 350 m to 1500 m and the rainfall in this zone ranges between 150 cm and 175 cm. The middle region includes the parts of Sirmaur, Mandi and parts of Kangra, Shimla and Chamba and experiences rainfall between 75 cm and 100 cm. This zone remains under snow for almost six months. The Alpine zone is at an altitude of 4,500 m and beyond and comprises the Kinnnaur and Pangi tehsils of Chamba and some parts of Lahaul and Spiti. The climate varies from semi-tropical to semi-arctic from place to place depending on the altitude of the region. The months from April to June are pleasant and comfortable at higher altitude and humid in the lower hills. The months of July to September are the month of rainfall. Himachal Pradesh experiences average annual rainfalls of about 160 cm. The entire state becomes lush green and all the springs and streams are filled again. The winter season begins from October to February and is very severe. Heavy snowfall occurs during this season. The 66.52% of the total area is legally defined forest area and total area under tree cover is 25.78%. The vegetation is a blend of the Ban Oak Forest, Moist Deodar Forest, Western Mixed Coniferous Forest, Moist Temperate Deciduous Forest, Himalayan Alpine Pastures, and Rhododendron Scrub Forest. The lower ranges have the growth of blue pine while the higher altitudes have firs. The flora includes pine, cedar, deodar, spur, oak etc. There are around 1200 species of bird and 359 species of animals in Himachal Pradesh. The major species of wildlife in the state are Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Blue Sheep, Ibex, Wolf, Leopard, Rhesus macaque, Common Langur, Himalayan Black Bear, Goral, Muntjac and Serow. The government has created 32 Sanctuaries, two National Parks and three Game Reserves.