Nestled in the lap of the majestic Himalayas, Kullu is a veritable jewel in the crown of Himachal Pradesh.
The breath taking beauty of its marvellous landscapes, the hospitality of its people, their distinctive lifestyle
and rich culture have enthralled travellers for aeons.
The Dev Sanskriti of the valley blends faith, mythology and history to create and sustain a unique bond between the
mundane and the divine. Blessed with salubrious weather throughout the year, the district is known for the internationally
renowned towns of Kullu and Manali, the pristine beauty of the Parbati valley, the teeming biodiversity of the Great
Himalayan National Park, the quaint temple architecture of the hills and several enjoyable trekking routes across its
breadth and width. Kullu was a princely state of India under the British rule. It came into being as district of H.P. on
1st November 1966 on the reorganization of states. It extends from the town Rampur in the south to the Rohtang Pass in
the north and share common boundaries in the districts of Lahoul Spiti on the north and east, districts of Kinnaur on
the south - west, Shimla on the south, Mandi district on the south -west and west , Kangra district on the north - east.
The Kullu valley is known as the valley of Gods. Places of tourists interests are: Arjun Gufa, Nehru Kund, Manikaran,
Rohtang Pass and Nagger. The beautiful hill station Manali is situated north to this town. It is blessed with a climate
which is suitable for growing of off-season vegetables and temperate fruits like Apple, Peach, Pear,Plum etc.
According to the Geographical survey of India, the total area of Kullu is 5,503 Sq. Kms which contribute 9.88% area
of the state. The landscape of district is mountainous imbedded with rivers and valleys. The altitude of the district
ranges from 500 mtr to 5000 meters above the mean sea level, but the habitation is only up to 3500 mtrs .The district
comprises of physiographical areas viz. Ujhi ,Lug, Kharahal and Seraj areas. The Seraj area is further divided in to
Inner Seraj and Outer Seraj. The Inner Seraj includes Banjar development block and Outer Seraj includes Anni and Nirmand
development blocks. It has been divided into 4 Tehsil 2 Sub Tehsil 4 Sub Divisions and 5 Development blocks namely Kullu ,
Anni, Nirmand, Banjar and Nagger . Under this, there are 204 Panchayats covering 173 villages. The major religions of the
district are Hindu and Bodh and spoken languages are mainly Kulvi and Hindi. Literacy rate in the district is 73.36% and
population as per census of 2001 is 3,81,571 having population density of 69 per sq. Km. Kullu districts Comes under sub
tropical zone . The winter spreads from Nov. to March, spring in April and May , summer June to September . The climate of
the district is cold and dry with moderate summers and severe winters. The minimum temperature in the winter season goes to
5.2 C and rises up to maximum 36c to 40c in summer. The annual rainfall in this area is 1000mm approximately.
Kullu town is well connected by air. The nearest airport is Kullu - Manali airport which is 10 Km.apart from the town
and located just near to the bus stand Bhuntar.Daily flights are available to and from Delhi, Chandigarh and
Jubbar Hatti ( Shimla). It hardly takes one & half an hour to reach Kullu - Manali from New Delhi.Joginder Nagar is
the nearest railway station located at a distance of 120 Km. far on Mandi Pathankot way.Kiratpur is another railway
station 200 Km. far on Kullu-Chandigarh highway.Another nearest railway station is Una which is approximately 260 Km.
from Kullu.
Location:
Item |
Details |
Altitude |
1279 mt. |
Latitude |
31o 20’ 25″ to 32o 25’ 0″ North |
Longitude |
76o 56’ 30″ to 77o 52’ 20″ East |
Surrounding Areas & Districts |
Kullu is bounded on the north and east by Lahaul&Spiti, on the south-east by Kinnaur, on the south by Shimla, on the south-west and west by Mandi and on the north-west by Kangra. |
Climate
Generally, the climate is cold and dry and the year can be divided into three season:
Summer |
April to July |
Rainy |
August to September |
Winter |
October to February |
From December to February, this period is very chilly. Heavy frost occurs during this period. Snowfall generally occurs during
December and January or an early snowfall may occur in November also. During this period, most of the parts of the Kullu remain under cover of snow.
But the snow does not remain on the ground for a long time. The average rain fall is 80 cm. Max temperature is 38.8o C and minimum is 30 C in winter.
Facts & Figures
Year of Creation |
1963 |
Total Area (Hectares) |
54771 |
Total Assembly Constituency |
4 (Four)
22-Manali
23-Kullu
24-Banjar
25-Anni |
Population (2011 census) |
|
Total
Male
Female |
437,903
225,452
212,451 |
Administrative Units |
Item 2 |
Sub Divisions
Tehsils
Sub-Tehsils
Blocks
Towns
Total Villages
Total Police Stations/Posts |
4
6
2
5
5
172
13 |
Agriculture |
|
Total Agricultural Land (Hect.)
Net Shown Area (Hect.) |
65,18636,342
2,878 |
The Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The present administrative centre is Keylong in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, Kardang was the capital of Lahaul, and Dhankar the capital of Spiti. The district was formed in 1960, and is the fourth least populous district in India. The district of Lahoul-Spiti in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahoul and Spiti. Lahoul Spiti came into existence in the year 1960 till then it was a tehsil of Kullu district.According to the Geographical survey of India , the total area of Lahoul & Spiti is 13,833 Km(5.341 Sq.Mi). The present administrative centre is Keylong in Lahoul. Before the two districts were merged, Kardang was the capital of Lahoul, and Dhankar the capital of Spiti.Kunzum la or the Kunzum Pass (altitude 4,551 m; 14,931 ft) is the entrance pass to the Spiti Valley from Lahoul. It is 21km from Chandra Tal.
This district is connected to Manali through the Rohtang Pass.Literacy rate in the district is 73.1% and population as per census of 2001 is 33,324 having population density of 6.2 per sq. Km.The districts consists of (2) tehsil namely Lahoul with H.Q. at Keylong and Spiti with H.Q. at Kaza (2) development block namely Lahoul and Spiti.There are 287 villages 41 Gram Panchyats out of them 28 in Lahoul and 13 in Spiti valley.
The two valleys are quite different in character. Spiti is more barren and difficult to cross, with an average elevation of the valley floor of 4,270 m (14,009 ft). It is enclosed between lofty ranges, with the Spiti river rushing out of a gorge in the southeast to meet the Sutlej River. It is a typical mountain desert area with an average annual rainfall of only 17 cm (6.7 inches). The language, culture, and populations of Lahoul and Spiti are closely related. Generally the Lahoulis are of Tibetan and Indo-Aryan descent, while the Spiti Bhotia are more similar to the Tibetans, owing to their proximity to Tibet. Fairer skin and hazel-colored eyes are commonly seen among the Lahoulis.
The languages of both the Lahouli and Spiti Bhotia belong to the Tibeto-Burman family. They are very similar to the Ladakhi and Tibetans culturally, as they had been placed under the rule of the Guge and Ladakh kingdoms at occasional intervals.
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood. Occupations include animal husbandry, working in government programs, government services, and other businesses and crafts that include weaving. Houses are constructed in the Tibetan architectural style, as the land in Lahul and Spiti is mountainous and quite prone to earthquakes.The harsh conditions of Lahoul permit only scattered tufts of hardy grasses and shrubs to grow, even below 4,000 metres. Glacier lines are usually found at 5,000 metres.
Animals such as yaks and dzos roam across the wild Lingti plains. However, over-hunting and a decrease in food supplies has led to a large decrease in the population of the Tibetan antelope, argali, kiangs, musk deer, and snow leopards in these regions, reducing them to the status of endangered species. However, in the Lahoul valley, one can see ibex, brown bears, foxes and snow leopards during winter.
The natural scenery and Buddhist monasteries, such as Ki, Dhankar, Shashur, Guru Ghantal and Tayul Gompas, are the main tourist attractions of the region.One of the most interesting places is the Tabo Monastery, located 45 km from Kaza the capital of the Spiti region. This monastery rose to prominence when it celebrated its thousandth year of existence in 1996. It houses a collection of Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist statues and Thangkas. The ancient gompa is finished with mud plaster, and contains several scriptures and documents. Lama Dzangpo heads the gompa here. There is a modern guest house with a dining hall and all facilities are available.
Another famous Gompa, Kardang Monastery, is located at an elevation of 3,500 metres across the river, about 8 km from Keylong. Kardang is well connected by the road via the Tandi bridge which is about 14 km from Keylong. Built in the 12th century, this monastery houses a large library of Buddhist literature including the main Kangyur and Tangyur scriptures.
The treacherous weather in Lahoul and Spiti permits visitors to tour only between the months of June to October, when the roads and villages are free of snow and the high passes (Rothang La and Kunzum La) are open. It is possible to access Spiti from Kinnaur (along the Sutlej) all through the year, although the road is sometimes temporarily closed by landslides or avalanches.
The net cultivated area of the district Kullu is 64,973 Hect out of which 2,828 Hect falls under irrigated area . The production of the district in Agriculture Produce i.e Vegetable 90115 mt. in 4125 Ha.and Fruit 78547 mt. in 26129.Ha. Lift irrigation, kuhals the main sources of irrigation . The elevation varies between 500 meters to 5000 meters above mean sea level . While the net cultivated area of Lahoul Spiti is 3043Ha. Out of that 333Ha.area is under fruit production and rest of area is under vegetable and other crops.
Location
Longitude |
Lies between East Longitude 76° 46’ 29″ and 78° 41’ 34″ |
Latitude |
Lies between North Latitude 31° 44’ 57″ and 32° 59’ 57″ |
Climate
Overall |
whole year |
Generally Cool |
Humidity |
whole year |
Generally Dry |
Rainfall/Snowfall |
whole year |
Scanty/Heavy(1185.8 cm) |
Rainfall |
2010 |
1461.2 milli meters |
