Fun things to do in State of Himachal Pradesh

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Kullu is the main town by the river Beas in the Kullu Valley with high mountains each side.Some years ago i attended the Diwali Festival there which was mainly held in a park area in the centre of the town. The local gods were brought out from the temples and paraded high through the streets for all to see (people had come from the surrounding villages to attend the festival). There was also circus acts such as tight rope walking, jugglers and dancing bears. So if you are in Himachal Pradesh this year the festival will take place on 13th November (2013--3rd November). There is a good number of tourists who visit there who buy the different fruits that are grown in the area, and also many handicrafts are on sale here too.

Chile is a beautiful place just an hour's drive from shimla.IT has a beautiful palace that has been coverted into a hotel.Look at my accomodation tips for more details.This place is also good for a visit,even if you dont stay there.you could have some snacks and hang around the garden area after having a look at the palace.

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Ridge this large open space in the heart of town presents excellent views of the mountain ranges. Shimla's landmarks, the neo, gothic structure of Christ Church and the neo, Tudor library building are worth seeing.

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The British empire as the 'summer capital' of the British in India is Sutied 375 Kms from Delhi by road. This was the country's focus for the better part of every year and now, it is state capital of Himachal Pradesh. Today, it has well developed facilities, easy accessibility and numerous attractions make it one of India's most popular hill resort. Placed in the lower ranges of the Himalaya mountains, it is surrounded by pine deodar, oak and rhododendrom forests. Towards the north lie the snow-covered high-ranges, while the valleys breathe whispering streams and swaying fields. Within the town are host of splendid colonial edifices, quaint cottages and charming walks. Shimla holds a variety of shopping, sport and entertainment.

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the old monastry id perched on the hill top...the museum was closed when we went but we got an opportunity to have a peek at the shrine on the top of the hill.....to which we have to climp stairs without railings....i was sacred to death however i managed to climb just concentrating on the steps taken one by one(i neither looked left or right) if you have fear of height its an awesome feeling...your leg will be tingling making u feel giddy ha ha...the village look great too..the people are all warm and friendly...we were invited for lunch...the pics are below of the family.......Tashi lahmu amd her sister Tshering choden...you get to see a typical hills of dhankar and surroundings...the sandy hills looks as if some one has cut out the remaining parts...it might be erosion due to water from snow melting

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on the hills above are the cave shrines carved on the hills I could not get the information from the lama who took us there as he was a trainee and did not have much information....however it might have been used for meditation...there is also a small monastry built and some paintings done on the walls.............

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It is 47 km. from Kaza. At the right of Spiti river, is an ancient village named Tabo, flanked on either side by lofty brown hills and sun burnt, is the seat of one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries - Sherlang, Duang, Chamba, Chibbo, Domlang Gompas, regarded by many as only next to the Thelong Gompa in Tibet. The 10th Century Tabo monastery houses more than 60 lamas. Large number of scriptures and pieces of art, wall paintings - 'Tankhas' and 'Stucco'. Tabo has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In terms of area, this is the largest monastic complex in Spiti, and the old section has 9 temples, 23 chortens, a monk's chamber and a nun's chamber. There are several caves and contemporary structures that form a part of the Tabo complex. Founded in 996 A.D., the Tabo 'gompa' has exquisite wall paintings and stucco statues - and is often called the 'Ajanta of the Himalaya'.
9 Temple complex are.....
The Temple of the Enlightened Gods (gTsug Lha-khang)
This is also known as the Assembly Hall (du-khang) and forms the core of the complex. It houses a vestibule, an assembly hall and a sanctum. The central figure in the assembly hall is the four fold Vairocana. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is regarded as one of the five spiritual sons of the Adibuddha, who was the self-creative primordial Buddha. He is portrayed here in a posture "turning the wheel of law". On brackets arrayed along the walls and with stylised flaming circles around them, are life size stucco images of what are commonly known as the Vajradhatu Mandala. These images number thirty three in all, and are the other deities of the pantheon. With five Bodhisattvas of the Good Age placed within, the sanctum is immediately behind the assembly hall. The walls around the stuccoes are elaborately adorned with wall paintings that depict the life of the Buddha.
The Golden Temple (gSer -Khang) - Once believed to hav been layered with gold, this shrine was exhaustively renovated in the 16th century by Senge Namgyal, ruler of Ladakh. The walls and ceiling are covered with murals.

The Mystic Mandala Temple or Initiation Temple (dKyil-hKhor-khang) - The wall facing the door is embellished by a massive painting of Vairocana, who is surrounded by the eight Bodhisattvas. Mystic mandalas cover the other areas. It is here, that the initiation to monkhood takes place.

The Bodhisattva Maitreya Temple (Byams-Pa Chen-po Lha-khang) - This shrine houses the image of the Bodhisattva Maitreya that is more than six meters high. The temple has a hall, vestibule and sanctum. The array of murals within, also depict the monastery of Tashi-Chunpo and Lhasa's Potala palace.

The Temple of Dromton (Brom-ston Lha-khang) - The temple lies on the northern edge of the complex and is said to have been founded by Dromton (1008-1064 AD), an important disciple of Atisha. The doorway is intricately carved and the inner walls are covered by murals.

The above shrines are said to be the earliest in the Tabo complex and the following are later additions.

The Chamber of Picture Treasures (Z'al-ma) - This is an ante room of sorts attached to 'the temple of enlightened gods'. It too is covered with paintings which are in the Tibetan style.

The Large Temple of Drom ton (Brom-ston Lha-khang) - The second largest temple in the complex, this has a floor area of over seventy square meters, while the portico and niche add another forty two square meters. The front wall sports the figure of the Sakyamuni, flanked by Sariputra and Maha Maugdalayana. The other walls depict the eight Medicine Buddhas and Guardian Kings. The wooden planks of the ceiling are also painted.

The Mahakala Vajra-bhairava Temple (Gon-Khang) - This temple enshrines the protective deity of the Geluk-pa sect. Fierce deities people the room and it is only entered after protective meditation. Often it is also called known as 'the temple of horror'.

The White Temple (dKar-abyum Lha-khang) - The walls of this shrine are also intricately adorned leaving a low dado for the monks and nuns to lean against.

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is the oldest and the biggest monastery of Spity dominating Ki-Village. About 300 lamas are receiving their religious training in its monastery, which houses rare paintings and beautiful scriptures of Buddha and other gods and goddesses. It is serving western population of Spity. It is regarded as the largest in the sub-division. It is a collection of rooms and a labyrinth of corridors that do not follow any defined plan, but seem to have grown over the years. No definite data can be ascribed to the construction of the gompa - that acted both as a monastery and as a fort. In the architectural definitions given to various monasteries, Ki falls in the 'Pasada' style which is characterised by more stories than one and often plays the role of a fort-monastery.

Ki is the repository of the rare 'Thangka' paintings and several ancient musical instruments - trumpets, cymbals and drums. Its lybrary holds the manuscripts of the sacred Tangyur texts. Apart from the cells pccupied by the monks, the monastery has a large 'Du-Khang', assembly chamber lined by religious paintings and other chambers of the incarnate abbot, the zim-chung is the highest point in the building. The village of Ki is just short of the monastery.

Thousands of devotees from all over the world here attended the Kalachakra ceremony which was performed in August, 2000 by His Holiness Dalai Lama.Kalachakra initiation (Skt. Abhisheka, Tibetan Wang) is not just an elaborate puja or a religious congregation. It is a workshop in a grand scale to make an earnest effort by both the teacher and disciples to awaken their Buddha nature by the combined forces of teaching, prayer, blessing, devotion, mantra, yoga and meditation. It is an effort by every participant to try to discover the true and permanent peace for the sake of all others. The Buddhists believe mere presence during this elaborate initiation ceremony stretching over a few days, liberates the participant from suffering and bestows on him the bliss of Enlightenment.
The ceremony focuses on five main subjects - cosmology, psycho-physiology, initiation, sadhana and Buddhahood. A Kalachakra mandala and Viswatma deitiy in union with his consort are at the centre of this ceremony guiding the disciple through the tedious process of initiation.