Kullu ..........Hill Station

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Capital town of the Kullu District, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, the hill station of Kullu is located along the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Valley at around 10km northwards of the airport at Bhuntar. Sprawled amid the fascinating Kullu valley, it has the mighty Himalayas for its backdrop. The several temples and the yearly Dussehra festival attract huge number of tourists both in the form of devotees as well as sheer travelers.

Kullu gives you major options of tourism as there are numerous tourist attractions in Kullu and around the town as well. The scenic beauty of the place will prove to be the main attraction on your tour to Kullu. Set amid the lower base of the Himalayas, this small town offers breathtaking views of valleys like Ani, Manikaran, Korpan, Lug, Banjar, Garsa, several apple orchards, and the imposing Himalayan ranges all of which go on to create a captivating atmosphere for the tourists.

Kullu is well-known for its temples and festivals. The main tourist interest of Kullu is the Raghunath Temple, devoted to Lord Ram, who is one of the important deities of the Hindus in general and the patron deity of the whole Kullu valley. It was built by Raja Jagat Singh, the former ruler of Kullu, in 1660 to amend for his sins. He got an idol of Lord Ram from Ayodhya and established it within the premises of this temple. Jagannathi Devi Temple or the Bekhli temple is at a distance of 3 km from Kullu and is sited in the village of Bekhli. It is a steep 1½ hour ascent to the temple, but it provides a wonderful view of Kullu which is worth the climb. Among the festivals celebrated widely in Kullu are Malani, Phalguni, Shahri Jatra and Birshu. Kullu Valley, also referred to as the “Valley of Gods”, is renowned for the seven day festival of Dussehra, a festivity of the mythological Lord Rama’s victory over the evil king Ravana.

Kullu is also a major hub of Himalayan Adventure Sports activities. Kullu Valley is recognized all over the world for Heliskiing. This sport is generally arranged near Bhrigu peaks in the Hamta pass. Solang Nala is also another convenient venue for the sport. You can enjoy the thrill of river rafting through the rough waters of River Beas.


Other places of tourist interest in the region include Manikaran and Vashisht village near Manali (hot water springs) at 40 km north of Kullu. Malana, Kaish-Dhaar in Lug Valley, Bijli Mahadev, Bhekhli and Bajaura are dotted with the famous temples of the area. Towards the north lies the eminent town of Manali, which leads onto the Lahaul and Spiti Valley through the Rohtang pass.


WHEN TO GO

* Summers (March to June) are pleasant and considered to be the ideal season for sight seeing.
* Monsoons (July, August) are accompanied by intermittent showers.
* Winters (November to February) are very cool and minimum temperature can go down to well below 0°C and is accompanied by heavy snowfall preventing people to do any business.

Best time to visit Kullu is from March to October.

* March to June are good for sight seeing and relaxation.
* September and October are good for trekking, rock climbing, sight seeing and river rafting.
* November to February are good for snow skiing.

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Raghunath Temple:
The chief tourist interest of Kullu is the Raghunath Temple that worships Lord Ram, who is believed as one of the most important deities in the Hindu mythology and is the patron deity amongst the residents of Kullu valley. It was erected in the year 1660 by Raja Jagat Singh, the one-time ruler of Kullu, basically to make amends for his sins. He got an idol of Lord Ram from Ayodhya and founded it in this temple.


Jagannathi Devi Temple:
At a distance of 3 km from Kullu is located the Jagannathi Devi Temple or the Bekhli temple in the village of Bekhli. Although it is a precipitous 1½ hour gradient leading to the temple, it provides an amazing view of Kullu which is worth the ascent.


Bijli Mahadev Temple:
The Bijli Mahadev Temple is placed on a spur at an elevation of 2460 meters. As the name suggests, the temple is frequently struck by lightning (bijli, lightning).

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Excursions from Kullu:
There are several shrines around Kullu. The Basheshwar Mahadev Temple at Bajura (15 km) from Kullu is renowned for its fine sculptures. The Vaishno Devi Temple (4 km) and the Vishnu Temple at Dayar (12 km) are some of the other significant shrines worth visiting. There are a number of excellent tourist spots as well. Located at an altitude of 1737 meters in the Parvati River valley, the tiny town of Manikaran (45 km) is celebrated for its hot sulphur springs. These hot springs are famously believed to have strong healing powers. This place is revered both by the Hindus and the Sikhs. Tourists can visit the Shri Ramchandra Temple and the Shri Guru Nanak Devji Gurdwara in Manikaran. Manikaran has hiking and trekking facilities to the travelers. Situated amidst pine forest, Kaisdhar (15 km) and Kasol (42 km) are other important picnic spots. Shoja (69 km), at an altitude of 2692 m, offers the traveler a breathtaking view of the entire Kullu valley.


Raisom (13 km), along the banks of river Beas, is a fine site for trekking. The town of Naggar (23 km) was the former capital of the Kullu state for more than 1,400 years. There are number of historic monuments and temples in this town.

Kullu draws the adventure-loving tourist by offering trekking and hiking trails in and around the valley. River Beas is also used for white-water rafting.
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Fairs and Festivals:
The festival of Dussehra, which alludes to the triumph of good over evil, is observed all over India in the month of October or November. But Dussehra in Kullu valley is out of the ordinary. It commences when Dussehra festivities in other parts of India are over. The key event of this festival is carrying Lord Raghunath’s (local version of Lord Ram) idol on a palanquin through the streets in procession by pilgrims.




Keywords: Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, Kullu Valley , Dussehra festival, Ani, Manikaran, Korpan, Lug, Banjar, Garsa, several apple orchards,Malani, Phalguni, Shahri Jatra , Birshu,Valley of Gods, Malana, Kaish-Dhaar in Lug Valley, Bijli Mahadev, Bhekhli , Bajaura, Raghunath Temple , Jagannathi Devi Temple ,Bekhli temple,Basheshwar Mahadev Temple , Shri Ramchandra Temple, Shri Guru Nanak ,Devji Gurdwara , Manikaran .