Himachal Pradesh is blessed with some of the most spectacular and beautiful landscape — mighty snow peaks, deep gorges, green valleys, lakes, fruit-laden orchards, flower filled meadows. There are also great opportunities for trekking, mountaineering, river-rafting and paragliding. Himachal Pradesh was formed on 15 April 1948 and became a full-fledged state on 25th January 1971.

   Shimla, state capital, hill resort and holiday centre throughout the year. Jakhoo temple, Mall Road, Kali Bari temple, Indian Institute of Advanced study, Sankat Mochan, Tara Devi temple, State Museum, and Kiarighat, a little short of Shimla are of tourist interest.

   Historical sites are Bharmour fort, Bajreshwari (Vajreshwari) Devi temple and fort at Kangra, Brij Raj temple and fort at Nurpur.

   Among religious sites the better known temple towns are Chamba on river Ravi and others. Jawalamukhi (Jwala Ji) temple, where the goddess believed to manifest herself as a blue gas flame from floor of the sanctum. Jwalamukhi is a famous temple to the goddess Jwalamukhi, the deity of flaming face. Raja Bhumi Chand Katoch of Kangra, a great devotee of goddess Durga, dreamt of the sacred place and the Raja set people to find out the whereabouts of the site. The site was traced and the Raja built a temple at that location. The building is modern with a gilt dome and pinnacles, and possesses a beautiful folding door of silver plates. Under the gaze of the Dhauladhar range and set amidst the undulating hills that character sub-Himalayan Himachal Sati's tongue is believed to have fallen at Jwalamukhi and the goddess is manifest as tiny flames that burn a flawless blue through fissures in the age old rock.

   Other temples are Baijnath temple; Renukaji temple with a lake, largest in Himachal, and believed to be the manifestation of the mother of sage Parashurama (6th avatar of Vishnu); Masroor — rock cut temple, Mrikuladevi temple in Udaipur city on very North of Himachal Pradesh state. Keylong is home to monasteries.

   Trilokinath village (2,760 metres) is known for the Trilokinath temple revered by both the Hindus and Buddhists. 'Trilokinath' is one of the names of the Hindu god, Shiva, meaning the "Lord of the Three Worlds", but local tradition clearly states that it was originally a Buddhist vihara or monastery, although nothing remains of the original building. The temple had a marble statue of a six-headed Avalokiteshvara which was stolen decades ago and replaced initially with a crude image made of grey stone, and later with the present six-armed white marble Avalokiteshvara, which is attributed by some to the 12th century. It is revered as Avalokiteshvara by Buddhists and as Shiva by Hindus and is crowned with an image of Amitabha Buddha — the 'Buddha of Boundless Light.' The original image is said to have been coeval with the Avalokiteshvara head found near the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers and is now housed at the Guru Ghantal or Gandhola Monastery. This head has been claimed to date to the time of Nagarjuna (2nd century CE) which may indicate some connection with the famous Kanika (Kanishka) stupa at Sani Monastery in nearby Zanskar. Though, both these images can be dated on stylistic grounds to around the 8th century or a century earlier.

   Paonta Sahib, is a majestic Gurudwara, built by the Sikhs’ tenth guru, Gobind Singh. Rewalsar has on its banks temples, monasteries, and gurudwaras.

   Nature of Himachal Pradesh is really beautiful. This covers Narkanda with views of snow topped ranges, Hatu Peak, and skiing in winter; Solan with a Horticulture and Forestry Institute; Kasauli with a magical aerial view of the night-lights of Chandigarh; Bhakra dam; Chail — world’s highest cricket pitch; Kufri’s nature park with a trek to Mahasu peak; apple orchards of Fagu; Naldehra’s golf course and picnic spot; Tattapani’s hot sulphur springs; Kullu on the banks of Beas; Manali at the foot of Rohtang Pass — a base for skiing, paragliding, river rafting, treks, and mountaineering; Manikaran’s hot sulphur springs; Dalhousie built across 5 hills with relics of the Raj; Dharmshala (Dharamsala) looking up at the Dhauladhar range and down at the Kangra Valley; Khajjiar with a small lake and golf course on the banks; Palampur in view of Dhauladhar range with tea gardens, pine trees; Kalpa with a view of Kinner Kailash, a peak, regarded as a huge Shivaling that changes colour with the time of the day and season; and Koksar on the left bank of Chandrabhaga, first village of Lahaul valley. To catalogue the rest, there is Kotgarh, Mashobra, Banjar, Katrain, Larji, Gobind sagar, Vashisht (near Manali), Mandi, Nadaun, and Nahan.

   Wildlife sancturies and national parks are Chail, Churdhar, Daranghati, Kalatop, Khajjiar, Kanwar, Maharana, Pratap, Majthal, Manali, Nargu, Renuka (sancturies), Pin Valley, Inderkilla, Khirganga, Simbalbara, and the Great Himalayan National Park.

   Parvati valley is 90 km. in length, spread in between Bhuntar and ‘Soma Pass’. It runs parallel to the South and is a narrow valley with fast rising mountains. The snow covered peaks, deep and ever green forests welcome the visitors with their grandeur and awful majesty. Parvati river, a tributary of Beas, runs in the middle of the valley. So, it is called Parvati valley. This valley has also earned the name of the Silver or Rupi valley as once it had silver mines located about 4 Km. away from Manikaran near ‘Uchich’ village and some other parts as well.

   To reach the valley one has to follow the National highway 21 and drop at Bhuntar which is 59 km. from Mandi. The nearest Railway Station is Joginder Naggar which is on Pathankot-Mandi Route. The narrow gauge train runs here and is 115 km. from Bhuntar. On Chandigarh route the nearest Railway Station is Kiratpur which is 194 km. from Bhuntar. By bus it is 16 hours journey from Delhi to Bhuntar.

   Parvati river originates from Mantalai. This area is believed to be the place of penance and meditation of lord Shiva. Once he was so much absorbed in his meditation that he forgot about the presence of his wife Parvati. She waited for a long time for lord Shiva to rise from his seat. There after, she began to move downward from the sloppy hill and in this way reached Manikaran. When lord Shiva opened his eyes, he was perturbed not to find Parvati there. He began to search her out. On his way he also reached Manikaran and found Parvati resting under the shade of a tree. The water overflowing from the Mantalai lake formed itself into a stream and following the footprints of Parvati made its course. The volumes of water from other streams mingling with it took the shape of a river As such the river was named as Parvati and the valley so formed by it has also been called Parvati valley. Parvati is the largest valley of the District Kullu comprising the area of 1085 sq. km. with 34 Panchayats.