Pyar Singh Thakur
Assist. Prof. & author
“The Himalaya is calling, I must go.”
The land of snow, the Himachal Pradesh truly enchants to the stranger where one who wish to visit to the vision of this land of charming scenic beauty, tranquil, peaceful, gorgeous, blessed with beautiful valleys, majestic mountains, gushing rivers, pristine snow, majestic fairyland, greenish flora-fauna and succulent gardens of apples, and dancing Devdaru tress, singing birds , jocose masses, footsteps of the ancient human civilization, godly homes of the land of India where every stone of the land has its holy tales, where God Himself dwells and base streaks in each and every particle of the land. Derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Him’ meaning snow and ‘Anchal’ meaning abode or land, it literally means abode or land of snow. Really, Himachal Pradesh is pulchritudinous land on this earth just like a heaven.
In other words, Himachal Pradesh is called ‘Dev Bhoomi’ or ‘land of the Gods and it is without reasons. Perched high atop the mountains and with its pristine beauty, it is no wonder if Himachal Pradesh is a place that is loved even by the gods. Not only it, Himachal Pradesh is called a ‘Vir-Bhumi’ or the ‘land of the brave soldiers’ as myriad of brave soldiers from this holy land have laid down their lives in various wars fought before and after independence of India. To achieve the full Statehood for Himachal Pradesh was not easy effort by the then leadership, political will and struggle of the H.P. masses, it was a great struggle behind this achievement fulfilled on 25th January, 1971 after a long struggle of the masses of Himachal Pradesh. However, Himachal Pradesh came into existence on 15th April, 1948 as a result of integration thirty Princely States of Thakurs, Ranas and other Rajput Kings spread over 27,000 sq. km. In 1954, when another ‘C’ class State of Bilaspur merged in Himachal Pradesh, its area increased to 28,241 sq. km. The position remained unchanged till 1966. On reorganization of the State, the hilly areas of Punjab were merged with the State, increasing its size to 55,673 sq. km. After the independence of India, on 15th April, 1948, the State merged into Union of India. The State has its own rich ancient era from Vedic era to present era, and a greater human development. After 1948, Himachal Pradesh stepped with slowly paces but after attaining full Statehood it paced myriads of development paces in each sphere of its fifty years, which is being celebrated golden jubilee of HP Statehood by the masses of Himachal Pradesh. This celebration is the outcome of the hard work, honesty and heroic efforts behind the development of Himachal Pradesh in each area. Today, it is less to know Himachal as we cannot count its mammoth development by single line of writing but experience if one mingles with the air, water, geography, land, flora-fauna, etc and mass development. Himachal Pradesh the snow-laden province is a State of Indian Union in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh is one of the eleven mountain States of India, and is characterized by extreme greenery landscapes, featuring several peaks and extensive river systems. Himachal Pradesh shares borders with the Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and the others neighboring States Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The HP State also shares a border to the east with the Tibet autonomous region in China. The predominantly mountainous region comprising the present-day Himachal Pradesh has been inhabited since pre-historic times having witnessed multiple waves of human migration from other areas. Through its history, the region was mostly ruled by local kingdoms some of which accepted the suzerainty of larger empires. Prior to India’s independence from the British, Himachal comprised the hilly regions of Punjab Province of British India. After independence, many of the hilly territories were organized as the Chief Commissioner’s province of Himachal Pradesh which later became a union territory. In 1966, hilly areas of neighboring Punjab state were merged into Himachal and it was ultimately granted full statehood in 1971. Himachal Pradesh is spread across valleys with many perennial rivers flowing through them. Almost 90% of the state’s population lives in rural areas. Agriculture, horticulture, hydropower and tourism are important constituents of the state’s economy. The hilly state is almost universally electrified with 99.5% of the households having electricity as of 2016. The state was declared India’s second open-defecation-free state in 2016. According to a survey of CMS – India Corruption Study 2017, Himachal Pradesh is India’s least corrupt State. The history of H.P. describes that tribes such as the Koli, Hali, Dagi, Dhaugri, Dasa, Khasa, Kanaura, and Kirat inhabited the region of Himachal Pradesh from the prehistoric era. The foothills of the modern State of Himachal Pradesh were inhabited by people from the Indus valley civilisation which flourished between 2250 and 1750 BCE. The Kols and Mundas are believed to be the original inhabitants to the hills of present-day Himachal Pradesh followed by the Bhotas and Kiratas. During the Vedic period, several small republics were known as ‘Janapada ‘existed, which were later conquered by the Gupta Empire. After a brief period of supremacy by King Harshavardhana, this Himalyan region was divided into several local powers headed by chieftains, including some Rajputs Thakurs, Ranas principalities. These kingdoms enjoyed a large degree of independence and were invaded by Delhi Sultanate a number of times. Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered Kangra at the beginning of the 11th century. Timur and Sikander Lodi also marched through the lower hills of the state and captured a number of forts and fought many battles. Several hill states acknowledged Mughal suzerainty and paid regular tribute to the Mughals. The Kingdom of Gorkha conquered many kingdoms and came to power in Nepal in 1768. They consolidated their military power and began to expand their territory. Gradually, the Kingdom of Nepal annexed Sirmour and Shimla. Under the leadership of Amar Singh Thapa, the Nepali army laid siege to Kangra. They managed to defeat Sansar Chand Katoch, the ruler of Kangra, in 1806 with the help of many provincial chiefs. However, the Nepali army could not capture Kangra fort which came under Maharaja Ranjeet Singh in 1809. After the defeat, they expanded towards the south of the state. However, Raja Ram Singh, Raja of Siba State, captured the fort of Siba from the remnants of Lahore Darbar in Samvat 1846, during the First Anglo-Sikh War. They came into direct conflict with the British along the Tarai/lower belt after which the British expelled them from the provinces of the Satluj. The British gradually emerged as the paramount power in the region. In the revolt of 1857, or first Indian war of independence, arising from a number of grievances against the British, the people of the hill states were not as politically active as were those in other parts of the country. They and their rulers, with the exception of Bushahr, remained more or less inactive. Some, including the rulers of Chamba, Bilaspur, Bhagal and Dhami, rendered help to the British government during the revolt. The British territories came under the British Crown after Queen Victoria’s proclamation of 1858. The states of Chamba, Mandi and Bilaspur made good progress in many fields during the British rule. During world war first, virtually all rulers of the hill states remained loyal and contributed to the British war effort, both in the form of men and materials. Among these were the states of Kangra, Jaswan, Datarpur, Guler, Rajgarh, Nurpur, Chamba, Suket, Mandi, and Bilaspur.
After independence, the Chief Commissioner’s Province of Himachal Pradesh was organised on 15 April 1948 as a result of the integration of 28 petty princely states (including feudal princes and zaildars) in the promontories of the western Himalayas. These were known as the Simla Hills States and four Punjab southern hill states under the Himachal Pradesh (Administration) Order, 1948 under Sections 3 and 4 of the Extra-Provincial Jurisdiction Act, 1947 (later renamed as the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1947 vide A.O. of 1950). The State of Bilaspur was merged into Himachal Pradesh on 1 July 1954 by the Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur (New State) Act, 1954. Himachal became a Part ‘C’ State on 26 January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India and the Lieutenant Governor was appointed. The Legislative Assembly was elected in 1952. Himachal Pradesh became a union territory on 1 November 1956. Some areas of Punjab State— namely Simla, Kangra, Kullu and Lahul and Spiti Districts, Nalagarh Tehsil of Ambala District, Lohara, Amb and Una Janungo circles, some area of Santokhgarh Kanungo circle and some other specified area of Una Tehsil of Hoshiarpur District, besides some parts of Dhar Kalan Kanungo circle of Pathankot tehsil of Gurdaspur District—were merged with Himachal Pradesh on 1 November 1966 on enactment by Parliament of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. On 18 December 1970, the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament, and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Himachal became the 18th state of the Indian Union with Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar as its first chief minister. The geography and climate of Himachal Pradesh has its own importance and contribution for human life. Himachal is in the western Himalayas. Covering an area of 55,673 square kilometres (21,495 sq mi), it is a mountainous state. Most of the state lies on the foothills of the Dhauladhar Range. At 6,816 m, Reo Purgyil is the highest mountain peak at the southern end of the Zaskar Range in the western Himalaya area in the state of Himachal Pradesh; while the highest mountain peak in Himachal Pradesh is Shilla located in the Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh that stands at a gigantic height of 7025 meters. The name of this peak may be derived from ‘Shi’ means ‘death’ and ‘Shi-la’ means ‘Range/Peak Death’. The drainage system of Himachal is composed both of rivers and glaciers. Himalayan rivers crisscross the entire mountain chain. Himachal Pradesh provides water to both the Indus and Ganges basins. The drainage systems of the region are the Chandra Bhaga or the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, the Sutlej, and the Yamuna. These rivers are perennial and are fed by snow and rainfall. They are protected by an extensive cover of natural vegetation. Due to extreme variation in elevation, great variation occurs in the climatic conditions of Himachal. The climate varies from hot and sub humid tropical in the southern tracts to, with more elevation, cold, alpine, and glacial in the northern and eastern mountain ranges. The state’s winter capital, Dharamsala receives very heavy rainfall, while areas like Lahaul and Spiti are cold and almost rainless. Broadly, Himachal experiences three seasons: summer, winter, and rainy season. Summer lasts from mid-April till the end of June and most parts become very hot (except in the alpine zone which experiences a mild summer) with the average temperature ranging from 28 to 32 °C (82 to 90 °F). Winter lasts from late November till mid-March. Snowfall is common in alpine tracts. Furthermore, Himachal Pradesh is one of the States that lies in the Indian Himalayan Region, one of the richest reservoirs of biological diversity in the world. As of 2002, the International Health Regulations is undergoing large scale irrational extraction of wild, medicinal herbs, thus endangering many of its high-value gene stock. To address this, a workshop on ‘Endangered Medicinal Plant Species in Himachal Pradesh’ was held in 2002 and the conference was attended by forty experts from diverse disciplines. According to 2003 Forest Survey of India report, legally defined forest areas constitutes 66.52% of the area of Himachal Pradesh. Vegetation in the state is dictated by elevation and precipitation. The state is endowed with a high diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants. Lahaul-Spiti region of the state, being a cold desert, supports unique plants of medicinal value including Ferula jaeschkeana, Hyoscyamus niger, Lancea tibetica, and Saussurea bracteata. You know that Himachal is also said to be the fruit bowl of the country, with orchards being widespread. Meadows and pastures are also seen clinging to steep slopes. After the winter season, the hillsides and orchards bloom with wild flowers, while gladiolas, carnations, marigolds, roses, chrysanthemums, tulips and lilies are carefully cultivated. Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Ltd. (HPMC) is a state body that markets fresh and processed fruits. As per the governmental record, Himachal Pradesh has around 463 bird, 77 mammalian, 44 reptile and 80 fish species. Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Pin Valley National Park are the national Parks located in the state. The state also has thirty wildlife sanctuaries and three conservation reserves. The state bird of Himachal Pradesh is the Western tragopan, locally known as the jujurana. It is one of the rarest living pheasants in the world. The H.P. State animal is the Snow leopard, which is even rarer to find than the jujurana. The Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh has no pre-constitution history. The H.P. State itself is a post-independence creation. It came into being as a centrally administered territory on 15th April, 1948 from the integration of thirty erstwhile princely States, which were called ‘Thakuraeeyan’. Himachal Pradesh is governed through a Parliamentary System of Representative Democracy, a feature the state shares with other Indian states. Universal suffrage is granted to residents. The legislature consists of elected members and special office bearers such as the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker who are elected by the members. Assembly meetings are presided over by the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker in the Speaker’s absence. The judiciary is composed of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and a system of lower courts.
Executive authority is vested in the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister, although the titular head of government is the Governor. The governor is the head of State appointed by the President of India. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the governor and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers reports to the Legislative Assembly. The Assembly is unicameral with 68 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Terms of office run for five years, unless the Assembly is dissolved prior to the completion of the term. Auxiliary authorities known as Gam panchayats, for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. In the assembly elections held in November 2017, the Bharatiya Janata Party secured an absolute majority, winning 44 of the 68 seats while the Congress won only 21 of the 68 seats. Jai Ram Thakur was sworn in as Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister for the first time in Shimla on 27 December 2017. Recently (January 2021), H.P. Government conducted Gram Panchayat Polls under Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj.The State of Himachal Pradesh is divided into twelve districts such as Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul & Spiti, Mandi, ShimlaSirmaur, Solan, Una, which are grouped into three divisions, Shimla, Kangra and Mandi. These districts of H.P. are further divided into 69 subdivisions, 78 blocks and 145 Tehsils. The economy of Himachal Pradesh is enough rich but for more growth in economy of the State, the era of planning in Himachal Pradesh started in 1951 along with the rest of India with the implementation of the first five-year plan. The First Plan allocated ₹52.7 million to Himachal Pradesh. More than 50% of this expenditure was incurred on transport and communication; while the power sector got a share of just 4.6%, though it had steadily increased to 7% by the Third Plan. Expenditure on agriculture and allied activities increased from 14.4% in the First Plan to 32% in the Third Plan, showing a progressive decline afterwards from 24% in the Fourth Plan to less than 10% in the Tenth Plan. Expenditure on energy sector was 24.2% of the total in the Tenth Plan. The total GDP for 2005-06 was estimated at ₹254 billion as against ₹230 billion in the year 2004–05, showing an increase of 10.5%. The GDP for fiscal 2015–16 was estimated at ₹1.110 trillion, which increased to ₹1.247 trillion in 2016–17, recording growth of 6.8%. The per capita income increased from ₹130,067 in 2015–16 to ₹147,277 in 2016–17. The state government’s advance estimates for fiscal 2017–18 stated the total GDP and per capita income as ₹1.359 trillion and ₹158,462, respectively. While present GDP growth of Himachal Pradesh is 7.3% (2018-19). As of 2020-21, Himachal is the 22nd-largest State economy in India with ₹1.82 lakh crore (US$21 billion) in gross domestic product and has the 13th-highest per capita income (₹ 208,513 (US$2,900)) among the States and union territories of India. Himachal Pradesh also ranks as the second-best performing State in the country on human development indicators after Kerala. One of the Indian government’s key initiatives to tackle unemployment is the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). The participation of women in the NREGA has been observed to vary across different regions of the nation. As of the year 2019–2020, Himachal Pradesh joined the category of high female participation, recording a 46% share of NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) work days to women. Agriculture accounts for 9.4% of the net State domestic product. It is the main source of income and employment in Himachal. About 90% of the population in Himachal depends directly upon agriculture, which provides direct employment to 62% of total workers of State. The main cereals grown include wheat, maize, rice and barley with major cropping systems being maize-wheat, rice-wheat and maize-potato-wheat. Pulses, fruits, vegetables and oilseeds are among the other crops grown in the state. Land husbandry initiatives such as the Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Project, which includes the Himachal Pradesh Reforestation Project (HPRP), the world’s largest clean development mechanism (CDM) undertaking, have improved agricultural yields and productivity, and raised rural household incomes. Apple is the principal cash crop of the state grown principally in the districts of Shimla, Kinnaur, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and some parts of Sirmaur and Lahaul-Spiti with an average annual production of five lakh tonnes and per hectare production of 8 to 10 tonnes. The apple cultivation constitute 49 per cent of the total area under fruit crops and 85% of total fruit production in the state with an estimated economy of ₹3500 crore. Apples from Himachal are exported to other Indian states and even other countries. In 2011–12, the total area under apple cultivation was 104,000 hectares, increased from 90,347 hectares in 2000–01. According to the provisional estimates of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the annual apple production in Himachal for fiscal 2015–16 stood at 753,000 tonnes, making it India’s second-largest apple-producing State after Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, Himachal Pradesh produced 4,46,574 metric tonnes of apples. The State Government has projected the production of at least 3.7. crore boxes of apples in 2019, now in 2020 even in corona pandemic, Himachal Pradesh earned a greater price of apples to protect the economy of the State. Hydropower is one of the major sources of income generation for the State. The State has an abundance of hydropower resources because of the presence of various perennial rivers. Many high-capacity hydropower plants have been constructed which produce surplus electricity that is sold to other states, such as Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal. The income generated from exporting the electricity to other states is being provided as subsidy to the consumers in the State. The rich hydropower resources of Himachal have resulted in the state becoming almost universally electrified with around 94.8% houses receiving electricity as of 2001, as compared to the national average of 55.9%. Himachal’s hydro-electric power production is however yet to be fully utilized. The identified hydroelectric potential for the state is 27,436 MW in five river basins while the hydroelectric capacity in 2016 was 10,351 MW. At present time, new hydropower resources are being generated. Tourism in Himachal Pradesh is a major contributor to the state’s economy and growth. The Himalayas attracts tourists from all over theworld.Hillstationslike Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Chamba, Khajjiar, Kullu and Kasauli are popular destinations for both domestic and foreign tourists. The state also has many important Hindu pilgrimage sites with prominent temples like Naina Devi Temple, Bajreshwari Mata Temple, JwalaJi Temple, Chintpurni, ChamundaDevi Temple, BaijnathTemple, Bhimakali-Temple, BijliMahadev and Jakhoo Temple. Manimahesh Lake situated in the Bharmour region of Chamba district is the venue of an annual Hindu pilgrimage trek held in the month of August which attracts lakhs of devotees. The state is also referred to as “Dev Bhoomi” (literally meaning Abode of Gods) due to its mention as such in ancient Hindu texts and occurrence of a large number of historical temples in the state. Locally, it is called the Land of the Gods because of some popular Hindu temples of Hindu deities. Although neighbouring state Uttarakhand is famous as the land of the gods because of the major Hindu shrines like Badrinath( One of the Char Dham), Kedarnath, Adi- Kailasha, Origin of holy rivers like Ganges, Yamuna, Holy city Haridwar, Rishikesh etc. Himachal is also known for its adventure tourism activities like ice skating in Shimla, paragliding in Bir Billing and Solang valley, rafting in Kullu, skiing in Manali, boating in Bilaspur and trekking, horse riding and fishing in different parts in the state. Shimla, the state’s capital, is home to Asia’s only natural ice-skating rink. Spiti Valley in Lahaul and Spiti District situated at an altitude of over 3000 metres with its picturesque landscapes is an important destination for adventure seekers. The region also has some of the oldest Buddhist Monasteries in the world Himachal hosted the first Paragliding World Cup in India from 24 to 31 October in 2015. The venue for the paragliding world cup was Bir Billing, which is 70 km from the tourist town Macleod Ganj, located in the heart of Himachal in Kangra District. Bir Billing is the centre for aero sports in Himachal and considered as best for paragliding. Buddhist monasteries, trekking to tribal villages and mountain biking are other local possibilities. Himachal has three Domestic Airports in Kangra, Kullu and Shimla districts. The air routes connect the State with Delhi and Chandigarh. Now new Airport at Sundernager is scheduled to build.The only broad gauge railway line in the whole state connects Amb Andaura-Una Himachal railway station to Nangal Dam in Punjab and runs all the way to Daulatpur, Himachal Pradesh. It is an electrified track since 1999.Future constructions such as Una Himachal- Hamirpur rail project via Dhundla Bhanupali (Punjab) – Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh Chandigarh – Baddi are on progress. Himachal is known for its narrow-gauge railways. One is the Kalka-Shimla Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and another is the Pathankot-Jogindernagar line. The total length of these two tracks is 259 kilometres (161 mi). The Kalka-Shimla Railway passes through many tunnels and Bridges, while the Pathankot–Jogindernagar meanders through a maze of hills and valleys. The total route length of the operational railway network in the state is 296.26 kilometres (184.09 mi). Roads are the major mode of transport in the hilly terrains. The state has road network of 28,208 kilometres (17,528 mi), including eight National Highways (NH) that constitute 1,234 kilometres (767 mi) and 19 State Highways with a total length of 1,625 kilometres (1,010 mi). Hamirpur district has the highest road density in the country. Some roads are closed during winter and monsoon seasons due to snow and landslides. The state-owned Himachal Road Transport Corporation with a fleet of over 3,100, operates bus services connecting important cities and towns with villages within the state and also on various interstate routes. In addition, around 5,000 private buses ply in the state. Himachal Pradesh has a total population of 6,864,602 including 3,481,873 males and 3,382,729 females according to the Census of India 2011. It has only 0.57 per cent of India’s total population, recording a growth of 12.81 per cent. The scheduled castes and scheduled tribes account for 25.19 per cent and 5.71 per cent of the population, respectively. The sex ratio stood at 972 females per 1,000 males, recording a marginal increase from 968 in 2001. The child sex ratio increased from 896 in 2001 to 909 in 2011. The total fertility rate (TFR) per woman in 2015 stood at 1.7, one of the lowest in India. In the census, the state is placed 21st on the population chart, followed by Tripura at 22nd place. Kangra District was top-ranked with a population strength of 1,507,223 (21.98%), Mandi District 999,518 (14.58%), Shimla District 813,384 (11.86%), Solan District 576,670 (8.41%), Sirmaur District 530,164 (7.73%), Una District 521,057 (7.60%), Chamba District 518,844 (7.57%), Hamirpur district 454,293 (6.63%), Kullu District 437,474 (6.38%), Bilaspur district 382,056 (5.57%), Kinnaur District 84,298 (1.23%) and Lahaul Spiti 31,528 (0.46%).
The life expectancy at birth in Himachal Pradesh increased significantly from 52.6 years in the period from 1970 to 1975 (above the national average of 49.7 years) to 72.0 years for the period 2011–15 (above the national average of 68.3 years). The infant mortality rate stood at 40 in 2010, and the crude birth rate has declined from 37.3 in 1971 to 16.9 in 2010, below the national average of 26.5 in 1998. The crude death rate was 6.9 in 2010. Himachal Pradesh’s literacy rate has almost doubled between 1981 and 2011 (see table to right). The state is one of the most literate states of India with a literacy rate of 83.78% as of 2011. Hindi is the official language of Himachal Pradesh and is spoken by the majority of the population as a lingua franca. Sanskrit is the additional official language of the state, though it is largely restricted to educational and symbolic use. Most of the population, however, speak natively one or another of the Western Pahari languages (locally also known as Himachali or just Pahari), a subgroup of the Indo-Aryan languages that includes Bhattiyali, Bilaspuri, Chambeali, Churahi, Gaddi, Hinduri, Kangri, Kullu, Mahasu Pahari, Mandeali, Pahari Kinnauri, Pangwali, and Sirmauri. Additional Indo-Aryan languages spoken include Punjabi (native to 4.4% of the population), Nepali (1.3%), Chinali, Lahul Lohar, and others. In parts of the state there are speakers of Tibeto-Burman languages like Kinnauri (1.2%), Tibetan (0.3%), Lahauli (0.16%), Pattani (0.12%), Bhoti Kinnauri, Chitkuli Kinnauri, Bunan (or Gahri), Jangshung, Kanashi, Shumcho, Spiti Bhoti, Sunam, Tinani, and Tukpa. The gentry of Himachal from different communities and religions live amicably and work for the progress of the State. There are Hinduism (95.17%), Islam (2.18%), Sikhism (1.16%), Buddhism (1.15%), Christianity (0.18%), Jainism (0.03%), Other or none (0.2%). Hinduism is the major religion in Himachal Pradesh. More than 95% of the total population adheres to the Hindu faith and majorly follows Shaivism and Shaktism traditions, the distribution of which is evenly spread throughout the state. Himachal Pradesh has the highest proportion of Hindu population among all the states and union territories in India. Other religions that form a small percentage are Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism. Muslims are mainly concentrated in Sirmaur, Chamba, Una and Solan districts where they form 2.53-6.27% of the population. Sikhs mostly live in towns and cities and constitute 1.16% of the state population. The Buddhists, who constitute 1.15%, are mainly natives and tribals from Lahaul and Spiti, where they form a majority of 62%, and Kinnaur, where they form 21.5%. Himachal Pradesh was one of the few states that had remained largely untouched by external customs, largely due to its difficult terrain. With remarkable economic and social advancements, the state has changed rapidly. Himachal Pradesh is a multi religious, multicultural as well as a multilingual state like other Indian states. Western Pahari languages also known as Himachali languages are widely spoken in the state. Some of the most commonly spoken individual languages are Kangri, Mandeali, Kulvi, Chambeali, Bharmauri and Kinnauri.
The Hindu communities residing in Himachal include the Brahmins, Kayasthas, Rajputs, Sunars, Kannets, Rathis and Kolis. The tribal population of the state consists mainly of Gaddis, Gujjars, Kanauras, Pangwalas, Bhots, Swanglas and Lahaulas.
Himachal is well known for its handicrafts. The carpets, leather works, Kullu shawls, Kangra paintings, Chamba Rumals, stoles, embroidered grass footwear (Pullan chappal), silver jewellery, metal ware, knitted woolen socks, Pattoo, basketry of cane and bamboo (Wicker and Rattan) and woodwork are among the notable ones. Of late, the demand for these handicrafts has increased within and outside the country.
Himachali caps of various colour bands are also well-known local art work, and are often treated as a symbol of the Himachali identity. The colour of the Himachali caps has been an indicator of political loyalties in the hill state for a long period of time with Congress party leaders like Virbhadra Singh donning caps with green band and the rival BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal wearing a cap with maroon band. The former has served six terms as the Chief Minister of the state while the latter is a two-time Chief Minister. Local music and dance also reflects the cultural identity of the state. Through their dance and music, the Himachali people entreat their gods during local festivals and other special occasions.
Apart from national fairs and festivals, there are regional fairs and festivals, including the temple fairs in nearly every region that are of great significance to Himachal Pradesh. The Kullu Dussehra festival is nationally known. The day-to-day cuisine of Himachalis is similar to the rest of northern India with Punjabi and Tibetan influences. Lentils (Dāl), rice (Chāwal or Bhāț), vegetables (Sabzī) and chapati (wheat flatbread) form the staple food of the local population. Non-vegetarian food is more preferred and accepted in Himachal Pradesh than elsewhere in India, partly due to the scarcity of fresh vegetables on the hilly terrain of the state. Himachali specialities include Siddu, Babru, Khatta, Mhanee, Channa Madra, Patrode, Mah Ki Dal, Chamba-Style Fried Fish, Kullu Trout, Chha Gosht, Pahadi Chicken, Sepu Badi, Auriya Kaddu, Aloo Palda, Pateer, Makki Ki Roti and Sarson Ka Saag, Chouck, Bhagjery and Chutney of Til.
EDUCATION: At the time of Independence, Himachal Pradesh had a literacy rate of 8% – one of the lowest in the country. By 2011, the literacy rate surged to over 82%, making Himachal one of the most-literate states in the country. There are over 10,000 primary schools, 1,000 secondary schools and more than 1,300 high schools in the state. In meeting the constitutional obligation to make primary education compulsory, Himachal became the first state in India to make elementary education accessible to every child. Himachal Pradesh is an exception to the nationwide gender bias in education levels. The state has a female literacy rate of around 76%. In addition, school enrolment and participation rates for girls are almost universal at the primary level. While higher levels of education do reflect a gender-based disparity, Himachal is still significantly ahead of other states at bridging the gap. The Hamirpur District in particular stands out for high literacy rates across all metrics of measurement.
The state government has played an instrumental role in the rise of literacy in the state by spending a significant proportion of the state’s GDP on education. During the first six five-year plans, most of the development expenditure in education sector was utilised in quantitative expansion, but after the seventh five-year-plan the state government switched emphasis on qualitative improvement and modernisation of education. In an effort to raise the number of teaching staff at primary schools they appointed over 1000 teacher aids through the Vidya Upasak Yojna in 2001. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is another HP government initiative that not only aims for universal elementary education but also encourages communities to engage in the management of schools. The Rashtriya Madhayamic Shiksha Abhiyan launched in 2009, is a similar scheme but focuses on improving access to quality secondary education. Now ‘New Education Policy’ of the central government has been implemented in educational institutions of Himachal Pradesh by the present Jai Ram Thakur Government.
The standard of education in the state has reached a considerably high level as compared to other states in India] with several reputed educational institutes for higher studies. The Baddi University of Emerging Sciences and Technologies, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamsala, National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, Indian Institute of Information Technology Una, APG Shimla University, Maharaja Agrasen University, Himachal Pradesh National Law University are some of the notable universities in the State of Himachal Pradesh. Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Kangra, Rajiv Gandhi Government Post Graduate Ayurvedic College in Paprola and Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital in Kumarhatti are the prominent medical institutes in the state. Besides these, there is a Government Dental College in Shimla which is the state’s first recognized dental institute.
The state government has also decided to start three major nursing colleges to develop the healthcare system of the state. CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalya Palampur is one of the most renowned hill agriculture institutes in the world. Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry has earned a unique distinction in India for imparting teaching, research and extension education in horticulture, forestry and allied disciplines. Further, state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Government Engineering College was inaugurated in 2006 at Sundernagar. Himachal Pradesh also hosts a campus of the prestigious fashion college, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Kangra and many more professional education institutes. To conclude above all, Himachal Pradesh today is quoated as a successful model of not only hill area development but also for having realized development in education, health and social services.
