Kullu district | |
---|---|
Coordinates(Kullu): 31°59′N77°24′E / 31.99°N 77.40°E | |
Country | India |
State | Himachal Pradesh |
Headquarters | Kullu |
Sub-divisions | Kullu, Banjar, Manali, Anni and Nirmand |
Government | |
• Constituencies | Kullu, Banjar, Manali and Anni |
Area | |
• Total | 5,503 km2 (2,125 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 437,903 |
• Density | 80/km2 (210/sq mi) |
• Urban | 7.92% |
Demographics | |
• Literacy | 63.45% |
• Sex ratio | 105% |
Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
Website | http://hpkullu.nic.in/ |
Kullu is a district in Himachal Pradesh, India. It borders Shimla district to the south, Mandi and Kangra districts to the west, Kinnaur to the east and the Lahaul and Spiti district to the north and east. The largest valley in this mountainous district is the Kullu Valley. The Kullu valley follows the course of the Beas River, and ranges from an elevation of 833 m above sea level at Aut to 3330 m above sea level at the Atal Tunnel South Portal, below the Rohtang Pass. The town of Kullu, located on the right side of the Beas River, serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district. The Kullu district also incorporates several riverine tributary valleys of the Beas, including those of the Parvati, Sainj, and Tirthan rivers, and thus some regions somewhat distant from the Kullu valley. The economy of the district relies mainly on horticulture, agriculture, tourism, and traditional handicrafts.
The ancient seat of the kings of the kingdom of Kullu was the Naggar Castle, about 12 km north of the present-day town of Kullu, and was thought to have been built in the late 15th century. Raja Jagat Singh (who ruled Kullu between 1637–72) moved the capital in the middle of the 17th century from Naggar to Sultanpur, within today's Kullu town. [1]
Kullu ended being an independent kingdom upon the invasion by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839. Following, in turn, the takeover of the Sikh Empire by the British Empire, Kullu was ceded by the Sikhs to the British in 1846, whereupon it became a tehsil of the British-administered Kangra district (in turn a part of the Punjab Province, British India). [2] The head of Kullu's royal family had been granted the Waziri Rupi by the Sikh emperor along with the title 'Rai', and this continued throughout the British period. [2] Naggar Castle was exchanged by Raja Gyan Singh of Kullu for a rifle with Major Hay, the first Assistant Commissioner of the then-newly acquired British territory of Kullu. [3] The Rupi Palace in Sultanpur is still used as home by the descendants of Kullu's royal family. [2]
Upon the Independence of India, until 1960, Lahaul and Spiti continued being parts of the Kullu tehsil, as had also been the case during the British rule. In 1960, Lahaul and Spiti became a separate district. [4] Kullu became a district of Punjab in 1963, and on November 1, 1966, it became a district of Himachal Pradesh, through the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966. [5]
Since the British times, the various government offices and other government institutions built around the Dhalpur grounds, in the heart of the Kullu town, have formed the nerve centre of the district administration in Kullu district. [5]
According to the 2011 census Kullu district has a population of 437,903, [7] roughly equal to the nation of Malta. [8] This gives it a ranking of 553rd in India (out of a total of 640). [7] The district has a population density of 79 inhabitants per square kilometre (200/sq mi). [7] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 14.65%. [7] Kullu has a sex ratio of 942 females for every 1000 males, [7] and a literacy rate of 80.14%. 9.45% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 28.01% and 3.84% of the population respectively. [7]
At the time of the 2011 census, census, 44% of the population in the district declared Kullui as their first language, 23% opted for Pahari, 10% chose Seraji, [lower-alpha 1] 7.8% – Hindi, 3.2% – Mandeali, 2.5% – Nepali, 2.3% – Lahauli, 0.92% – Punjabi, 0.87% – Kangri, 0.84% – Kinnauri, and 0.41% – Tibetan. [9]
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1901 | 119,585 | — |
1911 | 124,803 | +0.43% |
1921 | 122,027 | −0.22% |
1931 | 131,425 | +0.74% |
1941 | 137,202 | +0.43% |
1951 | 145,688 | +0.60% |
1961 | 152,925 | +0.49% |
1971 | 192,371 | +2.32% |
1981 | 238,734 | +2.18% |
1991 | 302,432 | +2.39% |
2001 | 381,571 | +2.35% |
2011 | 437,903 | +1.39% |
source: [10] |
The administrative headquarters of the Kullu district lies at Kullu. The Kullu district has the following administrative divisions: [11]
Electorally, at the State level, Kullu contains four of the 68 assembly constituencies of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, namely Manali, Kullu, Banjar, and Anni.
At the Central level, Kullu is a part of the Mandi Lok Sabha Constituency, one of the four such constituencies that represent the state of Himachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha.
The main highway running through the Kullu district is the National Highway 3, formerly known as National Highway 21. The segment of this highway through the Kullu district begins at Aut and ends at the Atal Tunnel. This highway runs in a roughly south-north direction. To evade the usually heavy traffic between Kullu and Manali, one can take the road along the left bank of the Beas River at Kullu, so as to arrive in Manali via Naggar.
The Kullu district has an airport at Bhuntar, capable of accommodating small aircraft. There are helipads at Manali, Palchan, Kullu (Dhalpur ground), and Naggar. [13]
The Kullu district is not connected through railways.
Agriculture and horticulture are the predominant sources of livelihood in the Kullu district. Wheat, maize, vegetables, and garlic are the main crops grown. Most agriculture in this mountainous district is done in the form of terrace farming. Most of this agricultural activity is subsistence level. Horticulture, particularly apple farming, has been more profitable in Kullu district. [14] [15] But both these activities are being negatively influenced by climate change. [16] [17] Cannabis farming has also been a lucrative though illegal source of income in the district, particularly since the 1980s. [15] Forests play an important role in securing local livelihoods in the Kullu district, in the form of timber and various non-timber forest products. [18] The district is also rich in medicinal herbs. [19] [20] No major minerals are found in the district. [18] However, the district is rich in hydroelectric potential, and has several major hydroelectric projects, including the Parbati hydroelectric project. [21] [22] [23] Some valleys in the district contain historic seasonal migration routes of the Gaddi and Gujjar transhumant communities. [24] Tourism is a major source livelihood at many places in the Kullu district, in the form of hotels, homestays, restaurants, travel agencies, shops, dhabas, guiding services, cooks, porters, and taxi services. [25] Tourism has had a major ecological footprint in the district. [26] The handloom-based production and sale of Kullu shawls is also important in some parts of the Kullu district. [27] Service sector industries, in field such as tourism, education, floriculture, and livestock and poultry farming have a good scope of growth in the district. There is no large-scale industry in the Kullu district. Geographic constraints and difficulty of access inhibit the growth of industries in the Kullu district. [18]
[This section does not cover the schools, colleges, and universities of Kullu district.]
The Kullu district is rich in both ecological wealth and cultural and historical heritage. At the same time, Kullu is not far from regions such as the Trans-Himalayas and Tibet, and lies on an important historic trade route from Punjab to Ladakh and Central Asia. [28] In modern times, these features of the Kullu valley have drawn many researchers, scientists, artists, and seekers of other kinds to it.
The Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute was the first institution in the Kullu region, dedicated to research on various sciences and mysticism in the Himalayas. The Roerich family established this centre in 1928 at Naggar upon their return from their Central-Asian Expedition. By World War II, the institute had become defunct. Nonetheless, the site of the former institute, a part of the Roerich estate in Naggar, continues to operate a library and some exhibitions. [29]
The Himalayan Institute of Cultural and Heritage Studies (HICHS), until early 2023, was based in Katrain village, 30 km north of Kullu. This institution used to offer curated heritage walks in the Kullu valley; conducted on-site and online courses related to Himalayan cultures, religions, iconography, and architecture, and hosted weekly online talks by scholars and artists from India and around the world whose work featured the Himalayas. The institute has relocated to Bigri village, Shimla district. [30]
At present, there are two institutions in Kullu that are active in generating and preserving Himalaya-specific knowledge:
Particularly since the onset of the unrest in Kashmir in the 1980s, the Kullu region has gained in significance as a tourist destination. [33] The Kullu valley is known as the "Valley of the Gods" or "Dev Bhumi" because almost every village in the valley has a local deity and annual festivities around them. [34] The following is a non-exhaustive list of historical, cultural, religious, scenic, and ecological places of interest in the Kullu district.
Himachal Pradesh is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterised by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks and extensive river systems. Himachal Pradesh is the northernmost state of India and shares borders with the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to the north, and the states of Punjab to the west, Haryana to the southwest, Uttarakhand to the southeast and a very narrow border with Uttar Pradesh to the south. The state also shares an international border to the east with the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. Himachal Pradesh is also known as Dev Bhoomi or Dev Bhumi, meaning 'Land of Gods' and Veer Bhoomi which means 'Land of the Brave'.
Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass on the eastern end of the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas around 51 km (32 mi) from Manali in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh, India.
The Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The present administrative center is Kyelang in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, Kardang was the capital of Lahaul, and Dhankar the capital of Spiti. The district was formed in 1960 and is the fourth least populous district in India. It is the least densely populated district of India, according to the Census of India 2011.
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.
Parvati Valley is a Himalayan valley situated in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. From the confluence of the Parvati River with the River Beas, the valley runs eastwards, through a steep-sided valley from the town of Bhuntar, in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh in Northern India.
Bilaspur is a town and a municipal council in Bilaspur district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
Parvati River is a river in the Parvati Valley in Himachal Pradesh, northern India that flows into the Beas River at Bhuntar, some 10 km south of Kullu. It rises from the Man Talai Glacier below the Pin Parbati Pass and flows in a gradual curve from north-northwest to west-southwest past the important temple town of Manikaran.
Kullu is a municipal council town that serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Valley about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the airport at Bhuntar, Kullu.
The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) is a national park in India, located in Banjar sub-division of Kullu in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The park was established in 1984 and is spread over an area of 1171 km2; elevations within the park range between 1500 and 6000 m. The Great Himalayan National Park is a habitat to numerous flora and more than 375 fauna species, including approximately 31 mammals, 181 birds, 3 reptiles, 9 amphibians, 11 annelids, 17 mollusks and 127 insects. They are protected under the strict guidelines of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972; hence any sort of hunting is not permitted.
Situated on the left bank of river Beas at an altitude of 1,800 meters, Naggar is an ancient town in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It was once capital of the Kullu kingdom.
Malana is an ancient Indian village in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The only village in the Malana Nala, a side valley of the Parvati Valley northeast of the Kullu Valley, it is isolated from the rest of the world. The peaks of Chanderkhani and Deo Tibba shadow the village. It is situated on a remote plateau by the torrential Malana river, at a height of 2,652 metres (8,701 ft) above sea level. Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure, and people are strict in following their customs. Malana has been the subject of various documentaries, including Malana: Globalization of a Himalayan Village. and Malana, A Lost Identity. The existing speakers of the autochthonous language Kanashi, the traditional language of the inhabitants of Malana, number approximately 1700. According to the 1961 census, the language speakers were then 563, but today the population of Malana is at least three times as large as 40 years ago. The most common route to the village is by taxi or bus from Jhari. Roads to Malana Village trekking gate are developed.
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
Banjar is a town in Kullu district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Banjar is one of the five sub-divisions of Kullu district. Banjar town serves as the headquarters of Banjar sub-division and tehsil.Culturally, it is a part of the Seraj region that extends from Jalori pass to Shikari Devi in Janjehli. A dialect of Kullavi called Seraji is spoken in the region and the natives are also called Serajis. The tourist attractions of Tirthan valley and Jibhi are a part of the Banjar region with Banjar town being the main marketplace in Tirthan Valley.
Spiti is a high-altitude region of the Himalayas, located in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The middle land", i.e. the land between Tibet and India. Spiti incorporates mainly the valley of the Spiti River, and the valleys of several rivers that feed into the Spiti River. Some of the prominent side-valleys in Spiti are the Pin valley and the Lingti valley. Spiti is bordered on the east by Tibet, on the north by Ladakh, on the west and southwest by Lahaul, on the south by Kullu, and on the southeast by Kinnaur. Spiti has a cold desert environment. The valley and its surrounding regions are among the least populated regions of India. The Bhoti-speaking local population follows Tibetan Buddhism.
Kullu Valley is a broad open valley in Himachal Pradesh, India, formed by the Beas River between Manali and Larji. This valley is famous for its temples, beauty and its majestic hills covered with pine and deodar forest and sprawling apple orchards. The course of the Beas river presents a succession of magnificent, clad with forests of deodar, towering above trees of pine on the lower rocky ridges. Kullu valley is sandwiched between the Pir Panjal, Lower Himalayan and Great Himalayan Ranges. Ski touring is a sport growing in popularity in the Himilayan peaks surrounding the valley.
Kasol is a hamlet in the Kullu district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated in Parvati Valley, on the banks of the Parvati River between Bhuntar and Manikaran. It is located 30 km (19 mi) from Bhuntar, 3.5 km from Manikaran and 36 km (22 mi) from Kullu town, the district headquarters. Kasol is the Himalayan hotspot for backpackers and acts as a base for nearby treks to Malana and Kheerganga. It is called Mini Israel of India due to a high percentage of Israeli tourists here.
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.
Hamta Pass is a corridor in the Himalayas, between the Chandra Valley in Lahaul and the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh, India. The pass is named after Hamta Village, below Sethan village. Lower Himalayan shepherds use the pass in summer for its high altitude grasslands in the summer, when the desert of Lahaul is barren.
Mud is a small village in the cold desert region of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, India. Located at an altitude of 3,810 m (12,500 ft) on the left bank of the Pin River, a right bank tributary of the Spiti River, the village is nestled at the base of the Parbati range that towers almost vertically 1,600 m (5,200 ft) above. Mud is near the boundary of the Pin Valley National Park and is a convenient base for treks in the park, and to the neighbouring districts of Kullu and Kinnaur. It is the last village on the Spiti side of the Pin Parbati trek to Kullu and the Pin Bhaba trek to Kinnaur.
Tshering Dorje was a cultural historian from Himachal Pradesh, India. He was regarded as an authority on the cultural traditions and histories of the Lahaul and Spiti district and some neighboring regions. He also played an important role in bringing about the construction of the 9.02 km-long, high-altitude Atal Tunnel.