Kangra Valley is a river valley situated in the Western Himalayas.Earthquakes
'' The Imperial Gazetteer of India'', v. 1, ''p. 98.'' It lies in the state of

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several pea ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

, and is a popular tourist destination. The

Kangri dialect Kangri (Takri: ) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in northern India, predominantly in the Kangra, Una and few parts of Hamirpur of Himachal Pradesh as well as in some parts of the Gurdaspur, Rupnagar and Hoshiarpur districts of Punjab. It is ...

is spoken there. Dharamshala, the headquarters of

Kangra district Kangra is the most populous district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Dharamshala is the administrative headquarters of the district. History Kangra is known for having the oldest serving Royal Dynasty in the world, the Katoch. In 17 ...

and the main city of the valley, lies on the southern spur (lateral ridge) of Dhauladhar.

History

The valley witnessed a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake at 6:19 am on 4 April 1905, as a result of which about 19,800 people were killed and thousands were injured in the Kangra area. Most buildings in towns of Kangra,

Mcleodganj McLeod Ganj, also spelt McLeodganj, (pronounced ''Mc-loud-gunj'') is a suburb of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" (a short form of Dharamshala used mainly by Tibetans) beca ...

and Dharamshala were destroyed. the Tedha Mandir, in Jawalamukhi is also a victim of Earthquake 1905.

Geography

The valley is filled with numerous perennial streams, which irrigate the valley, and the river Beas flows through this valley. The valley has an average elevation of 2000 ft. Kangra Valley is a strike valley and extends from the foot of the Dhauladhar range to the south of river Beas. The highest peak on the Dhauladhar, White Mountain, marks the boundary between the valley and

Chamba Chamba may refer to: People *Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer *Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist Places Ghana * Chamba, a town in the Northern Region India * Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh * ...

, and reaches . The peaks of the range are approximately above the valley floor, rising sharply from its base with no low hills in between.Dhaula Dhar
'' The Imperial Gazetteer of India'', v. 11, ''p. 287.''

Climate

Most of the valley has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(Cwa). Summer starts in early April and peaks in May. From June to mid-September is the

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

season, when the valley receives very high amounts of rainfall. Autumn is mild and lasts from October to the end of November. Winters are cold and last till late February. Snowfall is common in the hills and higher reaches of the valley during this time. Snow in the lower elevations of the valley is rare, but has been recorded occasionally. Western disturbances cause winter precipitation. Winters are followed by a short, pleasant spring.

Language

A distinct regional dialect,

Kangri Kangri can mean: *of, from, or related to the Kangra Valley or the Kangra district of northern India *Kangri language, the Indo-Aryan language of the valley *Kanger A kanger (; also known as kangri or kangid or kangir) is an earthen pot woven aro ...

, is spoken in Kangra valley."Himachal Pradesh Kangri Language"
, India Mapped - Languages in India, accessed 18 April 2015

Important towns

* Baijnath * Dharamshala * Kangra * Palampur * Nagrota Bagwan * Yol

Transport

Road

National highway National highway or National Highway may refer to: * National Highways (England) * National Highway (Australia) * List of National Roads in Belgium * Brunei National Roads System * National Highway System (Canada) * Trans ...

154 Year 154 ( CLIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Lateranus (or, less frequently, year 907 ''Ab urbe cond ...

and 503 are the national highways that pass through the valley, connecting it with other parts of Himachal Pradesh and the neighbouring state of Punjab. Several state highways also connect the valley.

Railway

Kangra Valley Railway The Kangra Valley Railway is a gauge railway that runs from Pathankot, Punjab to Jogindernagar in Himachal Pradesh. It runs through the sub-Himalayan region of Kangra Valley and is long. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative lis ...

is a 164 km long narrow gauge railway line that connects the valley with

Pathankot Pathankot is a city and the district headquarters of the Pathankot district in Punjab, India. Pathankot is the 6th most populous city of Punjab, after Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and Bathinda. Its local government is a municipal co ...

, the nearest railhead on broad gauge railway network.

Airport

Gaggal Airport Kangra-Gaggal Airport , officially known as Kangra Airport, is a regional airport serving areas of Kangra including Dharamshala, the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located at Gaggal, which is situated from the city, from ...

, alternatively known as Kangra Airport or Dharamsala-Kangra Airport, is an airport located at Gaggal in Kangra Valley. It is located 14 km southwest of Dharamshala.

Tourism

The main town in the valley and the capital of the district, Dharamshala, is one of the most visited hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and India. It also acts as a base for several Himalayan treks in the Dhauladhars, including

Triund Triund is a small hill station in the Kangra district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Triund is a part of Dharamkot. Triund is at the foot of the Dhauladhar ranges and is at a height of . See also *List of hill stations in In ...

which is one of the most famous treks in India.

is the current residence of the

Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current D ...

and the centre of Tibetan community in exile in India, and draws tourists from all over the world. Palampur and Dharamshala are also famous for their tea gardens where Kangra tea is grown. Bir is well known for adventure sports, particularly paragliding.

References

External links

"Kangra Valley"

Kangra District Kangra is the most populous district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Dharamshala is the administrative headquarters of the district. History Kangra is known for having the oldest serving Royal Dynasty in the world, the Katoch. In 17 ...

official website. {{Authority control Geography of Kangra district Valleys of Himachal Pradesh