About Himachal Pradesh
Geography
Himachal Pradesh is hill state, located in northern part of India and situated in the Western Himalayas. It’s bordered by union territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh in the north side and other states of India like Punjab in the west, Uttarakhand in the south east, Haryana in the south west and the international border of Tibet in the east.
Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous state and most of the region lies on the foothills of the Dhauladhar Mountain Range. Reo Purgyil is the highest mountain peak in the Himachal Pradesh, located at height of 6,816 meters above from the sea level. Himachal Pradesh is spread across valleys with many perennial rivers flowing through them.
Tourism in Himachal
Himachal state is also referred to as “Dev Bhoomi” (literally meaning Abode of Gods) due to its mention as such in ancient Hindu texts and occurrence of a large number of historical temples in the Himachal Pradesh.
Tourism in Himachal Pradesh is a major contributor to the state’s economy and its growth. Beautiful Himalayas attracts tourists from all over the country and the world. Famous hill stations like Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Chamba, Khajjiar, Kullu and Kasauli are the most popular tourist destinations for domestic and foreign tourists.
Hindu, Buddhist & Sikh Pilgrimage
Himachal state also has many important Himachal Hindu pilgrimage sites with prominent and ancient temples as Naina Devi Temple, Mata Bajreshwari Temple, Jwala Ji Temple, Chintpurni Ji, Chamunda Devi Temple, Baijnath Temple, Bhimakali Temple, Bijli Mahadev and Jakhoo Temple.
Manimahesh Lake situated in the Bharmour region of Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh is the venue of an annual Hindu pilgrimage trek held in the month of August which attracts lacs of devotees.
Manikaran and Paonta Sahib Gurdwara are major and famous Sikh pilgrimage center in the region.
Activities & Sports in Himachal
Himachal is also said to be the fruit bowl of the country, with orchards being widespread. Meadows and pastures are also seen clinging to steep slopes.
Himachal Pradesh hosted the first Paragliding World Cup in country from 24 to 31 October in 2015. The venue for the paragliding world cup was Bir Billing in the Kangra district, which is 70 km from the tourist town Macleod Ganj, located in the heart of Himachal.
Bir Billing is the center for aero sports in Himachal and considered as best for paragliding. Buddhist monasteries, trekking to tribal villages and mountain biking are other local activities.