Chitkul

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Chitkul
village
Temple at Chitkul.JPG
Mathi temple at Chitkul, the locals say it could be 500 years old.
India Himachal Pradesh location map.svg
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Chitkul
Location in Himachal Pradesh, India
India location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Chitkul
Chitkul (India)
Coordinates: 31°21′07″N78°26′13″E / 31.3518411°N 78.4368253°E / 31.3518411; 78.4368253
CountryFlag of India.svg India
State Himachal Pradesh
District Kinnaur
Elevation
3,450 m (11,320 ft)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total
882
Languages
 • Official Hindi
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
172106
Vehicle registration HP-
Nearest city Rampur
Climate Alpine climate (Köppen)

Chitkul is a village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. During winters, the place mostly remains covered with snow and the inhabitants move to lower regions of Himachal.

Contents

According to a recent study by Centre of Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, Chitkul has the cleanest air in India. [1] [2]

Geography

Chitkul, a village located on right bank of Baspa River, is the last village of the Baspa Valley and the last village on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route. It is also the last point in India one can travel to without a permit. [3]

Tourism

Of particular interest at Chitkul are its houses with either slate or wooden plank roofs, a Buddhist temple and a small tower. However, there has been an increased use of tin-roofs, especially the high school and the army/ITBP barracks.

The Kagyupa temple has a highly valued old image of the Shakyamuni Buddha, a Wheel of Life mandala and four Directional Kings on either side of the door. Chitkul is practically the last point of the famous Kinner Kailash Parikrama as one can hitch a hike from here onwards.

After one crosses over the 5,242 m high Charang Pass., [4] it is a long and steep run down through slithery scree slopes to Chitkul(3,450m). The powerful goddess of Chitkul is the only non-Buddhist deity to which respect must be paid by the Parikrama pilgrims. It is believed that the local Deity is related to the Deity of Gangotri and till recently the locals would carry the Deity to Gangotri on foot over high mountain passes. [5] Chitkul is situated around 40 km from Karcham, the place where road bifurcates from Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH 22). The Sangla Valley is a delight for nature lovers; especially the stretch after Raksham and right up to Chitkul. The valley is extremely beautiful, on the left bank of the Baspa River are snow-clad mountains and on the right bank the whole terrain is full of apple orchards and wooden houses.

Chitkul is start point for Lamkhaga pass trek and Borasu pass trek. Nagasthi ITBP post is 4 km and Ranikanda meadows is 10 km trek from Chitkul. [6]

Transport

Chitkul is around 569 km from the National capital Delhi, 345 km from Chandigarh [7] and 28 km from Sangla.

Karcham-Harshil Road, from Karcham NH-5 to Harshil, [8] with a road tunnel under the Lamkhaga Pass, [9] [10] is under construction which will cut down present 450 km long distance, which take nearly 16 hours, to just nearly 150 km or 2 to 3 hours. [8] In 2024, BRO began constructing 40-km long Kharcham-Sangla-Chitkul section of Karcham-Harshil Road. [11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Among metros, Delhi worst hit by PM2.5: Study". www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Kinnaur District In Himachal Pradesh Has The Cleanest Air In India, According To IIT!". indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "Chitkul, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, India Tourist Information" . Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama trek - Charang La". Raacho Trekkers.
  5. ↑ "Chitkul the last Indian Village" . Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Chitkul to Dumti via Ranikanda meadows". Raacho Trekkers.
  7. ↑ Wravel, Just. "Plan Road Trip Chandigarh to Chitkul Distance | Book Outstation Taxi Cab Chandigarh to Chitkul - JustWravel". www.justwravel.com. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  8. 1 2 Dutta, Amrita Nayak (15 September 2020). "Modi govt's infra push along China border — 2 new roads, alternate route to Daulat Beg Oldie". ThePrint. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  9. ↑ One step closer, Daily Pioneer, 8 Oct 2020.
  10. ↑ BRO plans tunnels to ensure all-weather connectivity in eastern Ladakh, Business Standrad, 2 Aug 2025.
  11. ↑ Himachal: BRO to build Karcham-Chitkul road along China border, Hindustan Ties, 15 July 2024.
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