HillStations

Dalhousie is the first step to the ancient Chamba Hill State. The capital of this region in the ancient times was called Bharmour. This mountainous hill station abounds with old temples, which showcase ancient Hindu culture and art. There are 84 temples ranging from the 7^th Century AD to the 10^th Century AD. Surprisingly, these temples are in a pretty good condition. The natives here are followers of Lord Shiva, Nag Devta and Devi. Nevertheless the townies and the sovereigns here are followers of Lord Vishnu. These temples were spared the wrath of the Muslim invaders due to their far-flung location. Master craftsmen from the other parts of northern India sought shelter here as the invaders plundered and destroyed the temples there. This was haven to them as the sovereign families were patrons of art and sculpture. You will find many bronze idols made by them in these temples.

The best of these temples are the Chatrari, the Lakshminarayan Temple in Chamba and the Shakti Devi temple. There are temples that resemble the temples in Kedarnath and Badrinath. These are devoted to Lord Vishnu. They are distinctive because of the Sikhara style. The earliest and primary temples are those that are dedicated to Nag or Devi. Here you will find the basic Pahari style temples. These are found everywhere.

The customs and ethnicity of these natives were completely isolated from any external influence. The Rajput Hindu family ruled over the area from the 7^th Century AD till as recently as the year 1947. Neither the Muslims nor the British had much authority here. The conformist attitude of the locals remains alive even today.

The natives of this land were a tribe of nomadic shepherds. They were called the Gaddhis. They stayed on the lower areas during the winters while they move to the higher areas during the hot season. The center of their culture is the Bharmour. The Gaddhi women wear silver ornaments.

In the Pangi Valley, you will find the Pandwals. They are naturally good looking and healthy people. Another set of tribal people live in the Pangi Valley. They are called the Bhots. These Bhots are a cross between Mongol and Aryan races. The Bhots follow the Hindu as well as Buddhist cultures.

This tribe practices Polygamy. One woman might be married to two of more brothers. The Gujjars too are found in these parts. They are followers of Islam. They depend on dairy products for their livelihood. One more tribe called the Dhogrias is indigenous to this region. They are found in Lakarmandi. They are different in terms of the way they make a living. They use underground kilns to burn wood and make coal.

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