Dalhousie – A historical place :

Dalhousie is a hill station in Chamba district, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated on 5 hills and has an elevation of 1,970 metres above sea level. Dalhousie Town was named after The Earl of Dalhousie, who was the British Governor-General in India while establishing this place as a summer retreat.

History :

Lord Dalhousie founded the town in 1854 because its fresh and peaceful atmosphere and healthy surroundings enchanted him. The British acquired five hills — Kathalagh, Potreyn, Terah (now called Moti Tibba by the locals), Bakrota and Bhangora — from the ruler of the Chamba State for developing the area as a sanatorium; in return, his taxes were reduced. The project originated with Lt. Col. Napier, then Chief Engineer of Punjab; (‘afterwards Lord Napier of Magdala”). Dr. Clemenger of the 49th Native infantry did the surveying. In 1851 a spot where the Dayan Kund Ridge (now Dain Kund) breaks in to spurs was selected for the project and Kathalagh was identified for the construction of Convalescent Depot.

The British visited this place for their summer vacations, and the bungalows are in an English style. The modern town is situated among the five hills, facing the Pir Panjal range of snow-capped and pristine mountains, surrounded by thick forests of pine and deodar trees.

Places to visit :

Khajjiar : Khajjiar is a hill station in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, India, located approximately 24 km from Dalhousie. On 7 July 1992, Mr. Willy T. Blazer, Vice Counselor and Head of Chancery of Switzerland in India brought Khajjiar on the world tourism map by calling it "Mini Switzerland". He also put a sign board of a yellow Swiss hiking footpath showing Khajjiar's distance from the Swiss capital Berne-6194 km. Khajjiar is among the 160 locations in the world that bear topographical resemblance with Switzerland. The counselor also took from Khajjiar a stone which will form part of a stone collage around the Swiss Parliament to remind the visitors of Khajjiar as a Mini Switzerland of india"  Khajjiar Lake is a small lake, surrounded by saucer-shaped lush green meadow and a floating island.

A little away from the lake is the temple of Khajji Nag belonging to the 12th century AD made by the king of chamba Preeti Singh . The temple has a golden dome and due to which it is also known as 'Golden Devi Temple'. In the mandapa of the temple one can see the images of the Pandavas and the defeated Kaurvas hanging from the roof of the circumambulatory path. 

Dainkund Peak : Dainkund in Dalhousie region is a place worth visiting, thanks to its beautiful snow covered peaks and lush green surroundings that attract many tourists every year to this stunning place. Dainkund is the highest peak in Dalhousie and gets maximum snowfall during the winter season. 

view of the entire valley and provides the superb picture of the lush green trees and tranquil mountains.The Dainkund Peak is one of the most visited places in Dalhousie and is located at an altitude of 2755 meters above sea level.

Although trekking is the most common activity in this area, a lot of people come here to enjoy the calm and peaceful surroundings and to visit the Pholani Devi Temple, which is one of the major attractions here. One can also find an Air Force base, which is only a few meters away from the temple, at Dainkund.

Chamera Lake : Dalhousie has a collection of some of the most beautiful and rich natural splendors and the Chamera Lake, in the Chamba district, is one of such attraction, which almost every tourists love to visit in Dalhousie.

The Chamera is an artificial lake, which is surrounded by beautiful green trees and exquisite valleys. It gives way to various water sports activities such as boat riding and fishing and is a part of the Chamera Hydroelectric project that is built over the Ravi River. This lake is located at an altitude of 763 meters above the sea surface and can be accessed from Chamba district, which is only 25 to 35 km from the main market of Dalhousie. The lake offers irrigation facilities to the villagers, who live in and around the Chamera Lake area. Anyone visiting the Chamba Valley or Dalhousie, must visit this spectacular lake, which is surrounded by so many beautiful pine trees and lustrous valleys.

To encourage water sports activities on the lake, a water sports sub-center is set up by the Himachal Pradesh Department of Tourism nearby the lake.

Panchpula : Shrouded by a green blanket of pine and Deodar trees and enfolding refreshing water streams, the picturesque Panchpula has always been one of the most favorite spots of tourists in Dalhousie. Some of these streams even contain medicinal properties that are helpful in healing skin diseases. The Panchpula is a scenic place, which is surrounded by picturesque mountains and green valleys and is only three kilometers from the main city of Dalhousie.

Another popular spot in Panchpula is the memorial monument, which was built to commemorate the revolutionary Sardar Ajit Singh. There are several streams connecting this place that makes this place look more beautiful and appealing. One can also find a restaurant, built by the tourism department of the state with the intent of serving tourists refreshments and beverages.

There are many impressive waterfalls at Panchpula that looks best during the monsoon as everything around these falls buzzes with natural richness during the rainy season. Panchpula is also famous for many treks that originate here and leads to Dalhousie or other nearby destinations.

Satdhara Falls : The exquisite Satdhara Falls in Dalhousie region of Himachal Pradesh is filled with scenic beauty and serene ambience making it one of the most popular sightseeing attractions. This stunning Satdhara fall derives its name from the seven beautiful springs that flows from a height of 2036 meters, passing the majestic mountains and cliffs of Chamba Valley.

The Satdhara waterfall gets its name from the seven gorgeous springs that gushes in full force through the magnificent mountains of Himachal Pradesh and looks very beautiful, especially in monsoon.

Subhash Baoli : Another popular destination of Dalhousie, the Subhash Baoli is a picturesque site, named after Subhash Chandra Bose, the famous Indian freedom fighter, who had spent a lot of time in the Dalhousie region of Himachal Pradesh.

People say that it is the same place where Subhash Chandra Bose used to sit and meditate, while he was staying at a guest house in Dalhousie. Today, a seating arrangement has been made for the tourists to come and sit here and enjoy the natural beauty of the overlooking mountains. Some people say that Subhash Chandra Bose has lived in Dalhousie for seven months and rejuvenated by the medicated water of the spring.

Upper Bakrota : The highest area in Dalhousie, it has a number of estates, a residential school, and an Army barracks at the top. The area is circled by a road called Bakrota Walk, on the way to Khajjiar which ends at Alah Water Tank. It was the preferred destination of the landed gentry of Punjab during the Raj, now populated by similar residents from the new India. Some of the houses are worth seeing, but are mostly on private gated estates.

Kalatop wild life reserve  : Kalatop Sanctuary was recognized as a game sanctuary on 1 July 1949. It lies between Dalhousie and Chamba at the northwestern extremity Daula Dhar. Dalhousie-Chamba Road runs through the sanctuary, which contains about 15 villages.
  This reserve covers an area of 3,069 hectares. Its altitude varies from 1185 meters to 2768 meters (3910 ft-9134 ft.)  Khajjiar, Kalatop, Dain Kund, Lakarmandi, and Bara Pathar are the tourist attractions in this sanctuary.

               Dalhousie is known for its great valleys and high mountain ranges. Places like Panchpula are known for trekking. There are waterfalls, places to trek, or to sit down, relax, and experience nature. This Place Registered its name in History.