Kangra Valley

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Kangra Valley
An aerial view of Bir, Kangra valley sights nature culture Himachal Pradesh India 2015.jpg
An aerial view of Bir in Kangra valley
Floor elevation2,000 ft (610 m)
Geology
Type River Valley
Geography
Location Himachal Pradesh, India
Population centers Baijnath, Dharamshala, Kangra, McLeodGanj, Palampur, Bhawarna, Sidhbari
Coordinates 32°05′11″N76°15′12″E / 32.08639°N 76.25333°E / 32.08639; 76.25333  
Rivers Beas River
Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas from Kangra Valley Kangra.jpg
Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas from Kangra Valley

Kangra Valley is a river valley situated in the Western Himalayas. [1] It lies in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India, and is a popular tourist destination. The Kangri language is spoken there. Dharamshala, the headquarters of Kangra district and the main city of the valley, lies on the southern spur (lateral ridge) of Dhauladhar. [2]

Contents

History

The valley witnessed a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake at 6:19 am on 4 April 1905, as a result of which about 19,800 people were killed and thousands were injured in the Kangra area. Most buildings in towns of Kangra, Mcleodganj and Dharamshala were destroyed. [1] [3] [4] the Tedha Mandir, in Jawalamukhi is also a victim of Earthquake 1905. [5]

Geography

The valley is filled with numerous perennial streams, which irrigate the valley, and the river Beas flows through this valley. The valley has an average elevation of 2000 ft. Kangra Valley is a strike valley and extends from the foot of the Dhauladhar range to the south of river Beas. The highest peak on the Dhauladhar, White Mountain, marks the boundary between the valley and Chamba, and reaches 15,956 ft (4,863 m). The peaks of the range are approximately 13,000 ft (4,000 m) above the valley floor, rising sharply from its base with no low hills in between. [2]

Climate

Spring in Kangra valley Flowering Trees in spring in DHARAMSHALA(HP-INDIA) Dhauladhar Ranges in Kangra velley.jpg
Spring in Kangra valley

Most of the valley has a humid subtropical climate (Cwa). Summer starts in early April and peaks in May. From June to mid-September is the monsoon season, when the valley receives very high amounts of rainfall. Autumn is mild and lasts from October to the end of November. Winters are cold and last till late February. Snowfall is common in the hills and higher reaches of the valley during this time. Snow in the lower elevations of the valley is rare, but has been recorded occasionally. Western disturbances cause winter precipitation. Winters are followed by a short, pleasant spring.

Climate data for Dharamshala (1991–2010, extremes 1951–2011)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)24.7
(76.5)		28.0
(82.4)		31.6
(88.9)		35.6
(96.1)		38.6
(101.5)		38.6
(101.5)		42.7
(108.9)		37.8
(100.0)		34.8
(94.6)		34.6
(94.3)		26.6
(79.9)		27.2
(81.0)		42.7
(108.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)15.7
(60.3)		17.1
(62.8)		21.5
(70.7)		26.5
(79.7)		30.3
(86.5)		31.2
(88.2)		27.3
(81.1)		26.6
(79.9)		26.6
(79.9)		25.2
(77.4)		21.7
(71.1)		17.8
(64.0)		24.0
(75.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)6.0
(42.8)		7.3
(45.1)		10.9
(51.6)		15.4
(59.7)		19.1
(66.4)		20.9
(69.6)		20.0
(68.0)		19.7
(67.5)		18.0
(64.4)		14.3
(57.7)		10.3
(50.5)		7.2
(45.0)		14.1
(57.4)
Record low °C (°F)−1.9
(28.6)		−1.6
(29.1)		2.4
(36.3)		7.3
(45.1)		8.4
(47.1)		12.6
(54.7)		14.3
(57.7)		14.1
(57.4)		11.2
(52.2)		8.0
(46.4)		4.8
(40.6)		−1.0
(30.2)		−1.9
(28.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches)83.6
(3.29)		128.3
(5.05)		111.3
(4.38)		65.7
(2.59)		72.4
(2.85)		279.0
(10.98)		859.0
(33.82)		942.3
(37.10)		377.7
(14.87)		52.6
(2.07)		18.8
(0.74)		36.6
(1.44)		3,027.3
(119.18)
Average rainy days4.56.16.45.25.29.820.622.413.02.81.42.8100.2
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST)66635447455380867863626563
Source: India Meteorological Department [6] [7]

Language

A distinct regional dialect, Kangri, is spoken in Kangra valley. [8]

Important towns

Transport

Road

National highways 154 and 503 are the national highways that pass through the valley, connecting it with other parts of Himachal Pradesh and the neighbouring state of Punjab. Several state highways also connect the valley.

Railway

A train in the Kangra valley Kangra Valley train.jpg
A train in the Kangra valley

Kangra Valley Railway is a 164 km long narrow gauge railway line that connects the valley with Pathankot, the nearest railhead on 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge railway network.

Airport

Gaggal Airport Kangra airport 1.jpg
Gaggal Airport

Gaggal Airport, alternatively known as Kangra Airport or Dharamsala-Kangra Airport, is an airport located at Gaggal in Kangra Valley. It is located 14 km southwest of Dharamshala.

Tourism

Paragliding in Bir Paragliding in Dharamshala -in DHAULADHAR RANGES-Kangra (HP-INDIA).jpg
Paragliding in Bir

The main town in the valley and the capital of the district, Dharamshala, is one of the most visited hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and India. It also acts as a base for several Himalayan treks in the Dhauladhars, including Triund which is one of the most famous treks in India. Mcleodganj is the current residence of the Dalai Lama and the centre of Tibetan community in exile in India, and draws tourists from all over the world. Palampur and Dharamshala are also famous for their tea gardens where Kangra tea is grown. Bir is well known for adventure sports, particularly paragliding.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dharamshala</span> Winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India

Dharamshala is a town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It serves as the winter capital of the state and the administrative headquarters of the Kangra district since 1855. The town also hosts the Tibetan Government-in-exile. Dharamshala was a municipal council until 2015, when it was upgraded to a municipal corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangra district</span> District in Himachal Pradesh, India

Kangra district is the most populous district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Dharamshala is the administrative headquarters of the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manali, Himachal Pradesh</span> Town in India

Manali is a town, near Kullu town in Kullu district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated in the northern end of the Kullu Valley, formed by the Beas River. The town is located in the Kullu district, approximately 270 kilometres (170 mi) north of the state capital of Shimla and 544 kilometres (338 mi) northeast of the national capital of New Delhi. With a population of 8,096 people recorded in the 2011 Indian census Manali is the beginning of an ancient trade route through Lahaul (H.P) and Ladakh, over the Karakoram Pass and onto Yarkand and Hotan in the Tarim Basin of China. Manali is a popular tourist destination in India and serves as the gateway to the Lahaul and Spiti district as well as the city of Leh in Ladakh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhauladhar</span> Himalayan mountain range

Dhauladhar is a mountain range which is part of a lesser Himalayan chain of mountains. It rises from the Shivalik hills, to the north of Kangra and Mandi. Dharamsala, the headquarters of Kangra district and the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, lies on its southern spur in the Kangra Valley. Chamba lies to the North of this range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangra, Himachal Pradesh</span> City in Himachal Pradesh, India

Kangra is a city and a municipal council in Kangra district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is also known as Nagarkot.

Palampur is a hill station and a municipal corporation situated in the Kangra District in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Himachal Pradesh</span>

The state of Himachal Pradesh is spread over an area 55,673 km2 (21,495 sq mi) and is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on the north, Punjab on the southwest, Haryana on the south, Uttarakhand on the southeast, a small border with Uttar Pradesh in the south, and Tibet on the east. Entire Himachal Pradesh lies in the mountainous Himalaya region, rich in natural resources

Nagrota Bagwan is a town and a municipal council in Kangra district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is an important town situated in Kangra valley around a serene lap of Dhauladhar Mountain Range. It is a major market area with numerous stores and showrooms. The area also has an industrial area with small-scale industries. There are various automobile showrooms around the town. It is located within the center of 3 main towns of the valley: Dharamshala, Palampur, and Kangra.

Nurpur is a city and a municipal council in Kangra district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It was formerly part of the Nurpur State since the 11th century AD. The capital of the state was at Pathankot formerly known as Paithan, now in Punjab.It got its name from wife of Mughal emperor Jahangir, Nur Jahan, when they visited Kangra (Nagarkot) after Jahangir's successful conquest of the Kangra Fort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jogindernagar</span> Municipality and Hill Station in Himachal Pradesh, India

Jogindernagar, or Jogindar Nagar, is a municipality, and a sub district in Mandi district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Named after Raja Joginder Sen, the hill station is the terminus of the 163-kilometre-long (101 mi) Kangra Valley narrow-gauge railway. Jogindernagar is the third-largest city in the Mandi district. The only city in Asia with three hydro-electric power stations, its nickname is "The City of Powerhouses".

Himachal Pradesh, although railways and airways serve very limited transport needs, the road network of the state serves the transport needs of the people. Although, the geography of Himachal presents considerable challenge to the development of transport infrastructure, it has the highest road density among all the Hill States of India. Himachal also has 3 airports, 2 narrow gauge rail tracks and couple of other under-construction broad gauge railway tracks, but roads remain the main mode of transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLeod Ganj</span> Suburb in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India

McLeod Ganj or McLeodganj is a suburb of Dharamshala in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" as the Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered here and there is a significant population of Tibetans in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangra Airport</span> Domestic airport in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India

Kangra-Gaggal Airport, officially known as Kangra Airport, is a regional airport serving areas of Kangra including Dharamshala, the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located at Gaggal, which is situated 12 km (7.5 mi) from the city, 8 km (5.0 mi) from Kangra and 14 km (8.7 mi) from Kangra Railway Station. Kangra Airport is located on National Highway 154, that runs between Pathankot and Mandi, and is the largest airport in Himachal Pradesh in terms of Passengers and Aircraft movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangra Valley Railway</span> Indian narrow gauge railway line

The Kangra Valley Railway is a 2 ft 6 in gauge railway that runs from Pathankot, Punjab to Jogindernagar in Himachal Pradesh. It runs through the sub-Himalayan region of Kangra Valley and is 164 km (101.9 mi) long. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative list. The railway is part of the Firozpur division of Northern Railway. It is the longest Narrow Gauge line in India and also the longest 2 ft 6 in Gauge Railway in the World. The highest point on this line is Ahju station at an elevation of 1,290 meters (4,230 ft). There are 33 stops and 950 bridges.

Jawali is a town in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh State in India.Old name of Jawali is Jawanwalashehar. Jawali is the second largest Assembly constituency in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located 250 km distance from its State Capital, Shimla and is located 50 km distance from its District headquarters Dharamshala.

Maranda is a suburb in Palampur City on the Kangra district in Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Dharamshala is the administrative headquarters of the Kangra district.

Shamirpur is a town in the Kangra district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located next to National Highway 20, which runs from Pathankot in Punjab to Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. It is easily accessible from Dharmasala. The nearest airport is Gaggal Airport, alternatively known as Kangra Airport or Dharamsala-Kangra Airport, which is located in Gaggal near Kangra, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) southwest of Dharamshala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Himalayas</span> Western section of the Himalayas

The Western Himalayas refers to the western half of the Himalayas, in northwestern India and northern Pakistan. Four of the five tributaries of the Indus River in Punjab rise in the Western Himalayas; while the fifth, the Sutlej cuts through the range after rising in Tibet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Himachal Pradesh</span> Tourism in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh

Tourism in Himachal Pradesh relates to tourism in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. This is popularly renowned for its Himalayan landscapes and popular hill-stations. Many outdoor activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, ice-skating, trekking, rafting, and heli-skiing are popular tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh.

Ichhi is a village and a Village Panchayat in Kangra district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Ichhi village is 8 kilometres from Kangra.

References

  1. 1 2 Earthquakes Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine The Imperial Gazetteer of India , v. 1, p. 98.
  2. 1 2 Dhaula Dhar Archived 28 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine The Imperial Gazetteer of India , v. 11, p. 287.
  3. ↑ "Dharamshala Earthquake 1905 – Images". Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
  4. ↑ History Archived 21 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine Kangra district Official website.
  5. ↑ "Temple destroyed by earthquake, Kangra, 1905 | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London". collection.nam.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Station: Dharamshala Climatological Table 1981–2010" (PDF). Climatological Normals 1981–2010. India Meteorological Department. January 2015. pp. 243–244. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  7. ↑ "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M68. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  8. ↑ "Himachal Pradesh Kangri Language" Archived 4 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine , India Mapped – Languages in India, accessed 18 April 2015

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