Kangra

The Kangra Fort was built by the royal Rajput family of Kangra (the Katoch dynasty), which traces its origins to the ancient Trigarta Kingdom, mentioned in the Mahabharata epic. It is the largest fort in the Himalayas and probably the oldest dated fort in India.

The fort of Kangra resisted all Islamic invasions. It remained impregnable. Emperor Akbar led an unsuccessful 4 year siege. Kangra was greatly weakened by this siege. Emperor Akbar's son Jehangir finally subdued the fort in 1622, after a siege of fourteen months. Mughal Emperor Jahangir with the help of Suraj Mal garrisoned with his troops.

The Katoch Kings repeatedly looted Mughal controlled regions, weakening the Mughal control and with the decline of Mughal power, Raja Sansar Chand-II succeeded in recovering the ancient fort of his ancestors, in 1789. Maharaja Sansar Chand fought multiple battles with Gurkhas on one side and Sikh King Maharaja Ranjit Singh on the other. Sansar Chand used to keep his neighboring Kings jailed, and this led to conspiracies against him. During a battle between the Sikhs and Katochs, the gates of the fort had been kept open for supplies. The Gurkha army entered the opened scarcely armed gates in 1806. This forced an alliance between Maharaja Sansar Chand and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Subsequently in 1809 the Gurkha army was defeated and they had to retreat across Sutlej River. The Fort remained with the Katochs until 1828 when Ranjit Singh annexed it after Sansar Chand's death. The fort was finally taken by the British after the Sikh war of 1846.

Dharamshala is a city in the upper reaches of the Kangra Valley and is surrounded by dense coniferous forest consisting mainly of stately Deodar cedar trees. The suburbs include McLeodGanj, Bhagsunath, Dharamkot, Naddi, ForsythGanj, Kotwali Bazaar (the main market), Kaccheri Adda (government offices such as the court, police, post, etc.), Dari, Ramnagar, Sidhpur, and Sidhbari (where the Karmapa is based).

The village of McLeodGanj, lying in the upper reaches, is known worldwide for the presence of the Dalai Lama. On 29 April 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) established the Tibetan exile administration in the north Indian hill station of Mussoorie. In May 1960, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) was moved to Dharamshala. Dharamshala is the centre of the Tibetan exile world in India. Following the 1959 Tibetan uprising

McLeod Ganj (also spelt McLeodGanj or Mcleodganj) is a suburb of Dharamsala in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" (a short form of Dharamshala used mainly by Tibetans) because of its large population of Tibetans.The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeod Ganj.

It has an average elevation of 2,082 metres (6,831 feet). It is situated on the Dhauladhar Range, whose highest peak, "Hanuman Ka Tibba", at about 5,639 metres (18,500 feet), lies just behind it

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 Dhauladhar range (lit. The White Range) is a southern branch of the main Outer Himalayan chain of mountains. It rises from the Indian plains to the north of Kangra and Mandi. Dharamsala, the headquarters ofKangra district, lies on its southern spur in above the Kangra Valley, which divides it from ChambaThe highest peak in the range is the Hanuman ji Ka Tiba, or 'White Mountain', about 5,639 m or 18,500 ft high. There are several peaks which are close to 5,180 m (17,000 ft).Himachal Pradesh has all the major Himalayan ranges represented in it. The Greater Himalayas that begin from near Ladakh and run all the way to Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga in Sikkim, pass through Himachal Pradesh.

Palampur is an important town located in Kangra Valley. It was one of the leading hill stations and was once a part of the Jalandhar kingdom. Countless streams and brooks crisscross the landscape and in their intricate mesh, hold tea gardens and rice paddies. The town of Palampur came into being when Dr. Jameson, Superintendent of Botanical Gardens, introduced the tea bush from Almora in 1849. The bush thrived and so did the town which became a focus of the European tea estate owners. Since then, the Kangra tea of Palampur has been known internationally.The first prime minister of independent India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Palampur in 1941 when it was still British India. There is a Nehru Chowk in Palampur to commemorate this event

Palampur, also known as the 'Tea Capital of North India', is a popular hill station because it is not only known for its scenic beauty but also for the beautiful temples and buildings built in the Colonial period. Here, a nature lover can enjoy a quiet stroll while feasting his eyes on the natural beauty and an outdoor lover with a taste for adventure can enjoy hand gliding and trekking during the holidays. It has something for people of all tastes, which makes it an ideal holiday resort for many.

Baijnath  temple attracts a large number of tourists and pilgrims from allover India and abroad throughout the year. Special prayers are offered in the morning and evening every day besides on special occasions and during festive seasons. Makara Sankranti, Maha Shivaratri, Vaisakha Sankranti, Shravana Mondays, etc. are celebrated with great zeal and splendor. A five-day state level function is held here on Maha Shivratri every year.Baijnath Temple is located in Himachal Pradesh, India, and is over 1,000 years old.

Besides this temple there are other ancient shrines in and around the place such as Mahakala temple complex that has recently been renovated, the Sidhanath temple, Mukutanath temple etc. Besides the serene surroundings and salubrious climate of middle range hills of Baijnath, tourists interested in adventure can also enjoy paragliding at nearby (about 10 km) Bir and go for trekking in the region.