5 Himachali experiences you cannot miss

CULTURE: Kullu Valley Dussehra
A cultural mainstay, the extremely popular week-long Kullu valley dussehra celebrations take place at the Dhalpur ground in Kullu. According to tradition, an idol of Lord Rama—called Raghunathji here—was brought from Ayodhya to Kullu in the 17th century to be established as the reigning deity of the Kullu kingdom. This idol is set up at the grounds, and the several local deities are brought in large processions from villages from the surrounding valleys. The assembly of the ‘devtas’ is a grand affair, celebrated with cultural programmes, traditional music and much fanfare.

HERITAGE: Tabo Monastery
About a thousand years ago, regions comprising Kinnaur, Spiti and lower Ladakh were part of the Guge kingdom of Tibet, which played an important role in the second dissemination of Buddhism from India to Tibet. Some of the monasteries erected at this time, and their art, still survive, none more so than Tabo in Spiti. The main temple is the oldest structure, with beautiful clay sculptures of tantric deities like the Buddha Vairochana, Vajradharma and many sculptural mandalas and murals. The monastery was constructed between the 10th and 13th centuries, and its Assembly Hall and galleries are gems of western Himalayan art.

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE: Baspa Valley
The picturesque Baspa river valley in Kinnaur is easily one of the most beautiful places in the Himalaya. The Baspa River flows past apple and apricot orchards, groves of walnut and deodhars and picture-perfect farms to the Sutlej gorge. Kinnaur is famous for its unique culture, its old wooden temples and monasteries. Chitkul, one of the larger villages in the valley, is home to traditional wood-carved houses, a beautiful Buddhist monastery and an old tower. Several trekking routes, including the Kinner-Kailash trail as well as the Rupin Pass trail to Garhwal, originate from the valley. If you plan to stay a while, try the locally-run Kinner Nature Camps (doubles from Rs 4,500; www.kinnercamps.com).

WILDLIFE: Great Himalayan National Park
One of the newer national parks in the country, the Great Himalayan National Park is also one of the country’s best managed and richest in terms of biodiversity. Comprising some 90,000 hectares of the head waters of the Sainj and Tirthan river valleys in the Kullu district, the national park is characterised by high Alpine peaks, Alpine meadows and rich forests, supporting fauna as diverse as musk deer, snow leopards, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan pit vipers, western tragopan and raptors such as lammergeier and golden eagles as well as spectacled finch and golden bush robin. A success in terms of community participation of the local villagers living in the eco-zone, the park also offers fantastic wildlife treks as well as hikes to local sacred sites in the area. (www.greathimalayannationalpark.com)

ADVENTURE: Paragliding in Bir
The Kangra Valley with its temples, archaeological sites and monasteries, apart from the grand Dhauladhar range, has always been a popular destination for trekkers. The latest craze in the region is paragliding in Billing, near the town of Bir. Take off from a high spur and glide along the air currents over the lush green carpet of the Kangra valley with the dazzling ramparts of the Dhauladhar on one side. There are plenty of operators here, and they all offer basic joyrides, flights along the range, and even paragliding courses. (Rs 10,000 for 3 days; www.birbillingparagliding.com)