Himalaya Dalhousie

Himalayas in Himachal’ or one must say Himachal in Himalayas. ‘Him’ in Hindi literally means ice or snow and ‘alaya’ means home, which makes Himalayas ‘The Home of Snow’ and from there Himachal gets its name meaning ‘Land of Snow’.

The Himalayas affect the climate of Himachal as well. Huge variations in the elevations of mountains (from 450m to 6500m) cause big differences in climatic conditions. Different climatic conditions according to the elevations are: 450m-950m - Hot & Sub-Humid Tropical 900m-1800m - Warm 1900m-2400m - Cool 2400m-4800m & Above - Cold Alpine & Glacial The Himalayas, fulfilling its promise, are a reservoir of immense amount of ‘Him’ in the forms of Ice, Fresh and Underground Water. And the seeping of this moisture originates a number of rivers, which flows through the land of Himachal, namely Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Yamuna. It is also the reason of dozens of lakes that covered Himachal Pradesh. From the underground waters to the peak of mountains, Himalayas has blessed Himachal with great natural riches. In between, the Passes, the Valleys and the Hot Springs are also the gifts of Himalaya to Himachal.

Unlike many of the other great mountains of the world which have been treated in popular lore as the homes of demons and evil spirits, the Himalaya and Himachal have always been considered as benign and life-giving. These are places of solace and sanctuary. With just the woods and snow and icy winds for company, to these heights retreated the great sages of yore and their wisdom gave India the spine of much of its identity. Culturally and geographically, the state has three fairly well-defined zones. The 'tribal belt' that holds the districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti is largely Buddhist and the language belongs to the Himalayan belt of Tibeto- Burmese. The mid-belt hugs this close and is characterised by forested hills and cultivated valleys — with hamlets, farms and orchards interspersed over the slopes. Himachal’s sub-montane dwellers practise settled cultivation and this is the area that has traditionally held the greatest concentration of population. Religion In Himachal, the freshest of leaves are nurtured by roots that go centuries deep – and the nourishment has come from scores of different strands. South of the Greater Himalaya, the presence of Hinduism is strong. In the mid-hills, pastoral presences appear in the worship or numerous local ‘devtas’ and ‘devis’. In the Trans Himalaya, Buddhism has thrived for over a thousand years. The presence of Christianity came with the arrival of the British and the state has over a dozen churches spread over its area. Similarly, there are several places across the state that are held sacred by the Sikhs. Islam registers its presence in and around Nahan and in some of the larger towns.

Festivals

Himachal Pradesh is a land of festivals and dances that form an inherent part of its culture. Dances are notably performed at festivals and other special occasions like weddings, lending color and variety to everyday monotony. The varied forms and styles of dances reflect the true spirit of the people. Through beautiful folk dances and honey sweet pahari songs, they express merriment and exhibit a close bond with their roots. The most popular dances of the state are Rakshasa (demon), Kayang, Bakayang, the Bnayangchu, the Jataru Kayang, Chohara, Shand and Shabu, Lang-dar-ma, Nati, Jhanjhar, Jhoor, Gi and Rasa. A myriad of musical instruments like Ranasingha, Karna, Turhi, Flute, Ektara, Kindari, Jhanjh, Manjara, Chimta, Ghariyal and Ghunghru are played to provide music for the songs and the dances. Chham dance is one of the most colourful and splendid dance forms of Himachal. It is performed by a sect of Buddhists — usually monks and lamas in monasteries on special occasions and festivities. Dancers dress up in monstrous appearances and embody the evil spirits that are supposed to bring natural disasters and disease among mankind. According to legend, the dance form is pious and performing it is known to ward off evils and spirits. Kullu Nati is another famous dance of the state that is performed with much fanfare. Dancers dressed in ethnic attires groove to the beats of several musical instruments like dhol, nagara, narsimha etc. People gyrate their bodies in slow swaying movements; they dance either by making circles or by standing in rows. This dance form is performed during the New Year and celebrates the new harvest ready for reaping. Thoda from the hinterlands of Himachal Pradesh is a dance form that derives origins from martial arts. Also known as the dance of archery, Thoda is performed by two teams, descendants of Kuaravas and Pandavas respectively. The two opposing parties make continuous attempts to attack each other and defend themselves at the same time. They use arrows and bows swiftly and skillfully to create an illusion of real battle.