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Nested
in the Himalayas, the world's mightiest mountain ranges, Himachal
Pradesh is blessed with some of the most spectacular landscapes
anywhere. It is a glorious mountain state, of crystals lakes,
vast stretches of brilliant flowers, ancient shrines and beautiful
people. This state lies in the northern part of the country,
in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, at an altitude, that varies
from 460 to 6600 metres above sea level. It is surrounded by
Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Tibet.
Himachal Pradesh is girdled by the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar
ranges in the northwest, dominated by the great Himalayas in
the northeast, and marked with lower ridges of the Shivalik
ranges in the southeast.
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Himachal
has five mighty, snow fed rivers flowing through it - the Chenab,
Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Yamuna. Climatically, this state is divisible
into two regions - the south which is as warm as the plains, and
the north where the summers are temperate, and winters are extremely
cold. The people of Himachal Pradesh are simple and unsophisticated,
lively and good - natured, with a penchant for colorful fairs
and festivals. Most of them are fair complexioned, with sharp
Aryan features, while some have pronounced Mongloid features.
The clothes of the Himachalis are vibrant, and each region is
characterized by a typical dress. The headgear worn by both men
and women is the unique feature of their attire. Hindi is spoken
throughout Himachal, though each valley possesses its own dialect.
Being
truly a travelers paradise, with mighty snow peaks, deep gorges,
lush green and golden valleys, flower filled meadows, misty woods,
fast flowing icy rivers, glaciers and enchanting lakes. While
the picturesque valleys of kullu, Kinnaur and kangra are a riot
of colors, in marked contrast the barren terrain of Lahaul & Spiti
have a stunning lunar landscape like beauty. For the visitors,
there are superb locations for relaxing and sight seeing. There
are also tremendous opportunities for trekking, mountaineering,
fishing, river rafting, skiing, Para-gliding, ice skating and
golf. Top |
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