About 250kms away from Shimla is the strikingly beautiful district of Kinnaur, where the icy waters of the River Sutlej and its tributaries have carved deep gorges through the high ranges. The landscape varies from the lush green orchards of the picturesque Sangla Valley to the stark magnificence of the Hang rang Valley.
Along the valley of the River Baspa, terraced fields surround villages that cling to the steep slopes above the gorge. Higher still, are beautiful Rolling Meadows spiked with iris and wild flowers in spring and dotted with shrubs of rhododendron in varying shade of pink. The massive snow clad ranges that provided a regal dignity to the scene are dominated by the peak of the Kinner Kailash revered by the Kinnauris as the abode of Lord Shiva.
The road from Shimla to Kinnaur follows a scenic route, running through Narkanda in the heart of the apple country, past kumarsain, descending to the Sutlej Valley and the trading town of Rampur, then on to the beautiful village of Sarahan the last stop before entering Kinnaur.
ALTITUDE: HIGH ALTITUDE VALLEYS 2,500M OR MORE.
TEMPERATURE: Cold with temperatures well below Zero in winter.
SEASON: June to Oct Ideal for treks.
CLOTHING: HEAVY WOOLLENS.
HOW TO GET THERE: AIR: Shimla (25kms) is the nearest airport.
RAIL: Nearest railhead is Kalka.
ROAD: Linked by road to Shimla. The N.H.22 runs through the district to Spiti and links important centers along the route.
BUS: Buses, Jeep and taxis are available from Shimla and Rampur.
SARAHAN: Drive 177kms past woodland and orchards – and through the Sutlej Valley to Sarahan.
Sarahan is regarded as the shonitpur of old. And here, in a truly splendid setting, Banasura of legend once ruled. With the Bhimakali temple complex, Sarahan is revered as one of the 51 sacred shaktipeeths.
As the mists of myth gave way to verifiable history, the beautiful spot of Sarahan became the capital of the princely state of Bushair. The raja moved here from Kamru, the original seat in the Baspa Valley. In the 18th century another shift was made to Rampur on the lower boundaries of the state. Bushier was regarded as one of the wealthiest states of the region and was a major entry point for trade with Tibet, Ladakh, Kashmir and Kazakhstan.
KARCHAM: The N.H.22 that follows…
Himachal Pradesh On India Poly Group
Archive for the ‘Kinnaur’ Category:
KINNAUR District Himachal
Kinnaur – The Land of Gods Simple Peoples in Green land
Kinnaur surrounded by the Tibet to the east, in the northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh, about 235 kms from Shimla is a tremendously beautiful district having the three high mountains ranges i.e. Zanskar, Greater Himalayas and Dhauladhar, enclosing valleys of Sutlej, Spiti, Baspa and their tributaries. All the valleys are strikingly beautiful. The slopes are covered with thick wood, orchards, fields and picturesque hamlets. The much religious Shivlinga lies at the peak of Kinner Kailash mountain. The beautiful district was opened for the outsiders in 1989. The old Hindustan-Tibet road passes through the Kinnaur valley along the bank of river Sutlej and finally enters Tibet at Shipki La Pass. And it is not only the scenic beauty which appeals to the young and old alike but also the life styles of the people, their culture, heritage, customs and traditions.
