Kullu district explained

Kullu district
Settlement Type:District of Himachal Pradesh
Total Type:Total
Coordinates:31.99°N 77.4°W
Coor Pinpoint:Kullu
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: India
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1: Himachal Pradesh
Established Title:Established
Seat Type:Headquarters
Seat:Kullu
Parts Type:Sub-divisions
Parts Style:para
P1:Kullu, Banjar, Manali, Anni and Nirmand
Area Total Km2:5503
Population As Of:2011
Population Total:437,903
Population Urban:7.92%
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Demographics
Demographics1 Title1:Literacy
Demographics1 Info1:63.45%
Demographics1 Title2:Sex ratio
Demographics1 Info2:105%
Leader Title:Constituencies
Leader Name:Kullu, Banjar, Manali and Anni
Timezone1:IST
Utc Offset1:+05:30
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 833m above sea level at Aut to 3330m 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.

History

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.

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.

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]

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Kullu district has a population of 437,903,[6] roughly equal to the nation of Malta.[7] This gives it a ranking of 553rd in India (out of a total of 640).[6] The district has a population density of 79PD/sqkm.[6] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 14.65%.[6] Kullu has a sex ratio of 942 females for every 1000 males,[6] 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.[6]

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, 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.[8]

Administrative

The administrative headquarters of the Kullu district lies at Kullu. The Kullu district has the following administrative divisions:[9]

Politics

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.

Transport

By road

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.

By air

The Kullu district has an airport at Bhuntar, capable of accommodating small aircraft. There are helipads at Manali, Palchan, Kullu (Dhalpur ground), and Naggar.[11]

By railway

The Kullu district is not connected through railways.

Economy

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.[12] [13] But both these activities are being negatively influenced by climate change.[14] [15] Cannabis farming has also been a lucrative though illegal source of income in the district, particularly since the 1980s.[13] Forests play an important role in securing local livelihoods in the Kullu district, in the form of timber and various non-timber forest products. The district is also rich in medicinal herbs.[16] [17] No major minerals are found in the district. However, the district is rich in hydroelectric potential, and has several major hydroelectric projects, including the Parbati hydroelectric project.[18] [19] [20] Some valleys in the district contain historic seasonal migration routes of the Gaddi and Gujjar transhumant communities.[21] 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.[22] Tourism has had a major ecological footprint in the district.[23] The handloom-based production and sale of Kullu shawls is also important in some parts of the Kullu district.[24] 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.[25]

Institutions for Himalayan knowledge

[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.[26] 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.[27]

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.[28]

At present, there are two institutions in Kullu that are active in generating and preserving Himalaya-specific knowledge:

Attractions

Particularly since the onset of the unrest in Kashmir in the 1980s, the Kullu region has gained in significance as a tourist destination.[31] 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.[32] The following is a non-exhaustive list of historical, cultural, religious, scenic, and ecological places of interest in the Kullu district.

Places of interest

Festivals

Outdoor sports

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History District Kullu India . 2022-10-06 . en-US.
  2. Web site: Rathore . Abhinay . Kullu (Jagir) . 2022-10-05 . Rajput Provinces of India . 2 February 1949 . en.
  3. Web site: Service . Tribune News . When castle was exchanged for a rifle . 2022-10-06 . Tribuneindia News Service . en.
  4. Web site: History District Lahaul and Spiti, Government of Himachal Pradesh India . 2022-10-06 . en-US.
  5. Web site: History District Kullu India . 2022-10-05 . en-US.
  6. Web site: 2011 . District Census Handbook: Kullu . censusindia.gov.in . Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  7. Web site: US Directorate of Intelligence . Country Comparison:Population . 2011-10-01 . 27 September 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110927165947/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html . dead .
  8. Web site: Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Himachal Pradesh . www.censusindia.gov.in . Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  9. Web site: Administrative Setup District Kullu India . 2022-10-05 . en-US.
  10. Web site: Gram Panchayats District Kullu India . 2022-10-05 . en-US.
  11. Web site: List of Helipads in Kullu district . October 5, 2022.
  12. Web site: Agriculture and horticulture in Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India: Practice, problems, and progress HimalDoc . 2022-10-07 . lib.icimod.org . en.
  13. Web site: Raghuvanshy . Garima . 2021-08-11 . For Himachal Pradesh, Apples And Cannabis Are Double-Edged Swords . 2022-10-10 . TheQuint . en.
  14. 2015 . Impact of climate variability on apple production and diversity in Kullu valley, Himachal Pradesh . Indian Journal of Horticulture . 72 . 1 . 0972-8538.
  15. Book: Global Climate Change and Indian Agriculture: Case Studies from the ICAR Network Project . Indian Council of Agricultural Research . 2009 . New Delhi . vii.
  16. 2010 . Wild Medicinal Plants Used by Local Communities of Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India . Ethnobotanical Leaflets . 3 . 4.
  17. Web site: Chauhan . Kuldeep . Kullu-Manali Farmers Get Tips on How to Cultivate Medicinal Plants in Their Fields . 2022-10-10 . himbumail.com . 10 July 2022 . en-gb.
  18. Web site: Singh . M.P. . 2017 . Hydro Power Scenario in Himachal Pradesh Electrical India Magazine . 2022-10-10 . en-US.
  19. Web site: NHPC Limited : Projects : Under Construction : Parbati - II . 2022-10-10 . www.nhpcindia.com.
  20. Web site: NHPC Limited : Projects : Power Stations : Parbati - III . 2022-10-10 . www.nhpcindia.com.
  21. Web site: Service . Tribune News . Gaddis, adventurous trekkers use Pin Parbat pass . 2022-10-10 . Tribuneindia News Service . en.
  22. Gardner . James . Sinclair . John . Berkes . Fikret . Singh . R. B. . 2002-01-01 . Accelerated Tourism Development And Its Impacts In Kullu-Manali, H.P., India . Tourism Recreation Research . 27 . 3 . 9–20 . 10.1080/02508281.2002.11081370 . 128607111 . 0250-8281.
  23. Webster . Jane . 1998 . Desktop Videoconferencing: Experiences of Complete Users, Wary Users, and Non-Users . MIS Quarterly . 22 . 3 . 257–286 . 10.2307/249666 . 249666 . 0276-7783.
  24. Web site: 2017 . A Comparative Study of Cooperative Society, Private Sector, and Clusters of Kullu Handicrafts in Kullu . October 7, 2022.
  25. Web site: MSME Development Institute, Govt. of India . 2012 . Brief Industrial Profile of the Kullu District . October 7, 2022.
  26. Web site: The Worst Trade Route in the World . 2022-10-06 . Travel The Himalayas . April 2018 . en-US.
  27. Web site: "Urusvati" Himalayan Research Institute . 2022-10-06 . irmtkullu.com.
  28. Web site: HICHS – Archaeology, Anthropology and Cultural Study . 2022-10-05 . en-US.
  29. Web site: Govind Ballabh Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment . 2022-10-06 . gbpihed.gov.in.
  30. Web site: Karelia . Gopi . 2021-03-03 . This CEPT Alumnus Is Reviving A 1200-YO Architecture Form That Can Last Upto 5 Centuries . 2022-10-06 . The Better India . en-US.
  31. Web site: Land use/cover change and its implications for Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, India . 2022-10-07 . www.indianjournals.com.
  32. Web site: Valley of the Gods . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181515/http://ignca.nic.in/ex_0058.htm . 3 March 2016 . 2007-03-26 . IGNCA.
  33. Meister . Michael W. . 2006 . Mountain Temples and Temple-Mountains: Masrur . Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians . 65 . 1 . 26–49 . 10.2307/25068237 . 25068237 . 0037-9808.
  34. Web site: Basheswar Mahadev Temple Kullu, How to Reach Mahadev Temple Kullu . 2022-10-06 . www.kulluonline.in.
  35. Web site: About Society . 2022-10-05 . bhutticoshawl.com.
  36. Web site: Our Showroom . 2022-10-05 . bhutticoshawl.com.
  37. Web site: Bhole . Shabbir Khambaty and Swapnil S. . 2018-08-24 . Chaini Kothi: Himachal's Towering Edifice . 2022-10-06 . www.livehistoryindia.com . en.
  38. Web site: Jain . Anshika . 2019-05-15 . Chaini Kothi: Saving A Himalayan Wonder . 2022-10-06 . www.livehistoryindia.com . en.
  39. Web site: History . 2022-10-06 . The Dagpo Fund . en-US.
  40. Web site: Dechen Choekhor . 2022-10-06 . Dechen Choekhor Mahavihara . en-GB.
  41. Web site: The official website of Great Himalayan National Park A UNESCO World Heritage . 2022-10-06 . en-US.
  42. News: Lesser-known national parks of the Himalayan region . The Times of India . 2023-09-18 . 0971-8257.
  43. Web site: 2014-06-30 . Lessons from the success story of Great Himalayan National Park . 2023-09-18 . Firstpost . en.
  44. News: Gautam . Shikha . The strange story of Manali's Hadimba Devi Temple . 2022-10-05 . The Times of India . en.
  45. Web site: Incredible India Things To Do . 2021-11-30 . www.incredibleindia.org.
  46. Web site: WaysFare . 2020-09-26 . Kaisdhar – The best Trek from Kullu to Lugvalley . 2022-10-05 . en-GB.
  47. Web site: Kasol: Little Israel of the Himalayas . 2022-10-06 . Atlas Obscura . en.
  48. Web site: Service . Tribune News . She obsessively loved Kullu valley and died there . 2022-10-05 . Tribuneindia News Service . en.
  49. Web site: History of Ropeways in Kullu . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20030523144002/http://mountaintechnology.tripod.com/ropeway/history.html . 23 May 2003 . 2006-12-24.
  50. Web site: Mata Vaishno Mahadevi Tirth Temple, Kullu - Timings, History, Pooja & Aarti schedule . 2022-10-06 . Trawell.in.
  51. Rosser . Colin . 1952 . A 'Hermit' village in Kulu . The Economic Weekly . IV . 19 & 20 . 477–482.
  52. Axelby . Richard . 2015 . Hermit Village or Zomian republic? An update on the political socio-economy of a remote Himalayan community . European Bulletin of Himalayan Research . 46 . 35–61.
  53. Web site: Mansingka . Shubham . 2016-04-04 . The Legend Of The Mysterious Village Of Malana . 2022-10-06 . Culture Trip.
  54. Web site: Manikaran Sahib - SikhiWiki, free Sikh encyclopedia. . 2022-10-07 . www.sikhiwiki.org.
  55. Web site: Fungni Mata(Beasar) – ValleyOfGods.in . 9 August 2019 . 2022-10-06 . en-US.
  56. Web site: shubhammansingka . 2022-07-01 . Day Hike to Mathasaur – Jai Maa Fungni Temple . 2022-10-06 . The Bum who Travels . en-US.
  57. Web site: The Castle, Naggar – Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) . 2022-10-05 . hptdc.in.
  58. Web site: The Roerichs' Memorial House . 2022-10-05 . irmtkullu.com.
  59. Web site: N. Roerich and S. Roerich Art Gallery . 2022-10-05 . irmtkullu.com.
  60. Web site: Service . Tribune News . Nirmand and the legend of Parshurama . 2022-10-05 . Tribuneindia News Service . en.
  61. Chauhan . Gian . 1996 . TRACES OF FEUDALISM AS SEEN IN THE NIRMAND COPPER-PLATE INSCRIPTION OF C. a. 612-13 A. D. . Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute . 77 . 1/4 . 241–246 . 41702174 . 0378-1143.
  62. Web site: Raghunath Temple in Kullu, About Lord Raghunathji Temple Kullu . 2022-10-05 . www.kulluonline.in.
  63. Web site: Tourism Development Council Manali (H.P.)-Home . 2022-10-10 . rohtangpermits.nic.in.
  64. Web site: Sultanpur Palace Kullu, How to Reach Sultanpur Palace Kullu . 2022-10-06 . www.kulluonline.in.
  65. Web site: One Day Trip from Kullu, Famous Places to Visit near Kullu . 2022-10-06 . www.kulluonline.in.
  66. Web site: Marchal . Stephan . Jalori pass - treks, hikes and camping . 2022-10-06 . Himalayan Ecotourism . en.
  67. Web site: Shringa Rishi Temple - Banjar, Kullu - Timings, History, Pooja & Aarti schedule . 2022-10-06 . Trawell.in.
  68. Web site: Official website for Kullu Dussehra . 2022-10-06 . en-US.
  69. Web site: Official website for Kullu Dussehra . 2022-10-05 . en-US.
  70. Web site: Spring Festival Kullu, Pipal Jatra Fair Kullu, Vasantotsava Kullu . 2022-10-06 . www.kulluonline.in.
  71. Web site: Himalayan . The . 2013-04-17 . Trout fishing proves boon for tourism in Kullu valley . 2022-10-06 . Discover Kullu Manali . en-US.
  72. Web site: Angling - Fisheries Department, Government of Himachal Pradesh . 2022-10-06 . himachal.nic.in.
  73. Web site: Kullu Mountains . 2022-10-05 . PeakVisor . en.
  74. News: 20 deaths in 10 years: The sport that's taking lives in India India News - Times of India . 2022-10-06 . The Times of India . en.
  75. Web site: 24-yr-old tourist dies in paragliding accident in Himachal . 2022-10-06 . Inshorts - Stay Informed . en.
  76. Web site: Service . Statesman News . 2019-04-08 . Himachal: Kerala tourist, pilot killed in Kullu paragliding accident . 2022-10-06 . The Statesman . en-US.
  77. Web site: Sports & Adventure - Government of Himachal Pradesh, India . 2022-10-05 . himachal.nic.in.
  78. Web site: Rapid Riders . https://web.archive.org/web/20191221062715/http://www.rapidriders.in/rafting.html . 21 December 2019.
  79. Web site: Sethan . 2022-10-05 . boulderbox.in . en.
  80. Web site: Rock Climbing and Bouldering in Manali & beyond 1 to 21 days . 2022-10-05 . www.potala-himalaya.com.
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  82. Web site: Himalayan . The . 2021-01-30 . Skiing and snowboarding championships at Hamta from Jan 31 . 2022-10-08 . Discover Kullu Manali . en-US.
  83. Web site: Bhrigu Lake Trek 2024 - Treks In Himachal Pradesh - Himalayan Frontiers . 2022-10-07 . himalayanfrontiers.com.
  84. Web site: Malana Chanderkhani Pass - Potala Adventurers . 2022-10-07 . www.potala-himalaya.com.
  85. Web site: Pin Parvati Pass . 2022-10-07 . indiahikes.com.
  86. Web site: Marchal . Stephan . Treks in the Great Himalayan National Park . 2022-10-07 . Himalayan Ecotourism . en.
  87. Pandey . Abhimanyu . July–September 2007 . Khandedhar - Origin of the Jiwa Nal . Monal . 54 . 3–5.