HIMACHAL CENTRAL KULLU
Kullu is the valley of Gods and Goddesses. These God are alive just like you and me. They sleep wake up, eat, dance and enjoy the beauty of nature like everyone else. They have relatives and near ones who join in the celebrations. Somme of these Devis and Devtas so not like to travel while others like to visit far away Gods and Goddesses and move in a caravan with a medium, musicians and followers. No wonder Kullu is Dev-Bhumi, The Land of Gods. All the seasons have their unique color and feel. The earthy flavor mixes with the fragrance of fruit blossoms in spring, and multi-colored flora don’t vast alpine grasslands that at tract hordes of honeybees in summer. Monsoon brings greenery all around while sailing mist engulfs the valleys in its moist folds. Autumn colors the land scape differently as the sky shines a clear blue. The white winters are severe but glow with bonfires. Kullu and Mandi are the main towns located along the Beas River.
HISTORY
Kullu was known as ‘Kulantpitha’: the end of the habitable word. It finds mention in ancient Sanskrit texts like Vishnu Purana, Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Mahabharata records that Bhim Sen, one of the Pandava brothers, married Hidimba, the presiding deity of Kulantpitha after slaying her brother Hidimb. Hidimba has been worshipped since ancient times and offerings to her included human sacrifice. Her seat is at Dhungri near Manali and she is said to have granted the country to Kullu Rajas. Kullu finds mention in Rajtarangini as a separate state. In the sixth century AD, Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang (AD 629-645) describes the country of K’iu-lu-to situated at 700 li (117 miles) northeast of Jalandhara which corresponds with the location of Kullu. Mr. Moorcroft was the first European to visit Kullu on his way to Ladakh in 1820 AD. He states that Shobha Singh, the wazir of Kullu Raja Ajit Singh, who was ten years old at that time, expressed his desire to be taken under British protection due to the tyranny of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
CLIMATE
The climate of the district is cool and dry. Snowfall generally occurs in December and January at high elevations and some of the regions remain cut off from the district headquarters because of snow and closure of mountain passes. The district receives moderate rainfall, the bulk of it in the months of July and August.
GETTING THERE
By Air Bhuntar, ten kilometers south of Kullu, has a small airport. There are flights from Shimla and Delhi. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Jagson Airways operates between Delhi-Shimla-Kullu and on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday it flies Delhi-Kullu-Gaggal.
By Train Nearest railheads are Kalka, Chandigarh and Pathankot from where you can get direct buses.
By Road Kullu is will connected by direct buses and taxis with Delhi, Ambala, Chandigarh, Shimla, Dehradun, Pathankot, Dharamshala and Dalhousie. There are direct buses to Kullu from most of the district headquarters in Himachal. Private deluxe, semi-deluxe and air conditioned buses also ply between Delhi and Kullu.
PLACE TO VISIT WITH ENTERTAINMENT
Please contact on these numbers for India Tours 9857102030 & 9816013724.