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As per the history of Kullu District, references of its origin could be traced back  Ramayana  and  Mahabharata . The valley has witnessed a number of events and incidents believed to be associated with it during Ramayana and Mahabharata period. It is said that  Pandavas  it is said, visited this valley several times. According to one legend,  Arjuna , under the advice of Rishi Vyas, practiced austerities in a cave called `Arjun Gupha` in the mountain of Inderkila (now called Deo Tiba) in order to get the powerful Pasupata Astra from Indra. Vyas Rishi performed his `tapa` in this valley during that period, at a place called `Vyas Kund` on Rohtang Pass. It was because of this that the river Vipasha got the present name of  Beas River .  History of Kullu District also suggests the origin of its name. It says that Kullu derives its name from `Kalut` which was a tribe in the upper valley of River Beas, as mentioned by Barahmir in Barihat Sahinta. There are other evidences in history

History of Mandi . Mandi is relayed through the legend of the great learned sage, Mandavya Rishi. The name of the place Mandi has also been derived from the name of this sage. The name of the place was earlier Mandav Nagar and then corrupted into Mandi. The interpretation that the town got the name as it was a market place the Hindi equivalent of which is mandi appears an after-thought. The town finds its earliest mention in the inscription at the Triloknath temple, in old Mandi. The Tibetans call Mandi as Zohar and there is a story behind it.  The great Buddhist teacher, Padma Sambhava (A.D. 750-800), went from Mandi or Zohar to Tibet at the request of the Tibetan King Sronglde Btzan to preach the doctrine of Tantric Buddhism. It is believed that many religious scriptures were taken into Tibet from Zohar (Mandi); and during the reign of Lang-darma (A.D. 900), the Tibetan King who prosecuted the Buddhists, many books are said to have been brought back to Zohar (Mandi). The Tibe

Palampur is a gorgeous hill station in India’s Kangra Valley-pristine beauty and enchanting surroundings-a town that entices you to a getaway at any time of the year. You can  Trekking, paragliding, angling, taking a stroll through verdant tea estates and going for picnic lunches are some of the popular  activities in Palampur  that you may enjoy here.  Palampur once formed a part of the local Sikh Kingdom but later it came under the British. The hill station has  some fine colonial architecture built during British times. Palampur came into being when an Englishman, Dr. Jameson who was the Superintendent of Botanical Gardens introduced the tea bush from Almora in 1849. The bush thrived and so did the town which became a focal point of the European tea estate owners. Since then the Kangra tea of Palampur has been known internationally acclaimed The plateau of Palampur (1219 metres) nestles amidst the snow-capped peaks of the Dhauladhar Range, flanked by tea gardens a

History of Kangra. The history of Pre-Aryan and Aryan eras is mainly based on the epics like Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharata, etc. In Rigveda, reference of Arijikya (Beas) flowing through this area has been made. This region, commonly named as Dev Bhumi is believed to be the abode of gods. According to the Vedas, some non-Aryan tribes inhabited this region before the arrival of Aryans. There is a mention of Trigarta (Kangra) kingdom in Mahabharata. Sir Lepel Griffin refers to the Rajput dynasties of the hills of whom the Katochs’ are the oldest. In Mahabharata there is a mention of King Susharama Chandra, who sided with the Kaurvas. He is said to be the founder of this dynasty. At that time, Kangra was probably named as Bhim Kot. The reference to prosperous Kingdom of Trigarta (Kangra) is also found in the Panani literature that was written sometimes between the seventh and fourth centuries B.C. The mention of Kangra (Nagarkot) was found in the works of Ferishta. Heun Tsang, a Chi

McLeodganj gets its name from the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, Sir Donald Friell McLeod who in 1848, discovered this place as a resting resort from the heat of the north Indian pl anes. The mighty Gorkha regiment had set their army base here in the 18th century before being taken over by the British. The devastating earthquake in 1905 brought this place to a standstill, it was an important centre for trade, commerce and official work in Kangra district earlier. From 30 April 1960, this is the home of the exiled Tibetan people from China and their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. The central Tibetan administration was established here thereafter. We are happy and proud to announce the launch of McLeodGanj.com on 27 May 2013. The website will have everything about McLeod Ganj. Right now the site is in beta, and we are at the developing stage. We hope you will find it enjoyable and useful. Your suggestions and feedback will be much appreciated. McLeod Ganj is a village in the