Kangra Sightseeing, Quick Facts, History, Packages, Tours & Excursions

A must-see in Kangra is the re-constructed Vajreshwari Temple with its two huge lion statues at the entrance. Once among the wealthiest temples in north India, Vajreshwari was looted for precious stones, diamonds and pearls many a times by the Muslim invaders. The temple specially observes the Navratras (9-day festival of Goddess Durga) in April and October.

The ancient fort of Nagar Kot is another place to visit in Kangra. Although the fort is not well-kept, you can climb to the top to have a stunning view of the valley and the meeting point of the Manjhi and Baner Rivers. There are two Jain temples inside the fort as well.

Other places nearby include Judges Court in Pragpur, a royal retreat carefully restored, and Taragarh Palace. The town of Masroor famous for its intricately carved temples is 15 Km from Kangra.

Other Activities:

Acquaint yourself with the nearby picturesque villages, which will give you the real feel of Kangra town. There isn't much to do in the town but you can explore Palampur and Pragpur nearby. You can shop for the woollen shawls and handicrafts from the local markets. Palampur is also the main producer of Kangra Tea, and you can sample it at the local tea stalls.

H.P. Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.

Ritz Annexe, Shimla

Himachal Pradesh - 171 001

Tel: 0177- 2652704

The small town of Kangra overlooks the River Ban Ganga and nestles at the foothills of the Dhauladhar Range. The Kangra School of paintings, popularly called Pahari Paintings, is world-famous. The region is also known for its ancient temples. Kangra was the ancient capital of the erstwhile rulers of Chand dynasty, but faced a series of invasions by Mahmud of Ghazni in AD 1009 and Feroz Shah Tughlaq in AD 1309. It was under the reign of Maharaja Sansar Chand Katoch that Kangra witnessed an upsurge in miniature paintings. Although a severe earthquake in 1905 destroyed most of the palace buildings, you can still see some of the paintings and murals on its walls. Kangra remains an agricultural trade centre although tourism is also growing rapidly.