india-IV

Khajjiar

    

Khajjiar is a famous and wonderful hill station of india situated 23 kms from Dalhousie by road and 13 kms from Kalatop is the mini Switzerland of India i.e. Khajjiar, at a height of 6400 ft. Hutchison writes, "Khajjiar is a forest glade of great beauty, 6400 feet above sea level".Khajjiar is often reffered to as "Gulmarg of Himachal Pradesh". The lush green meadows are surrounded by thick pine and cedar forests. Grazing herds of sheep, goats and other milch cattle present a prefect pastoral scenery. There is a small lake in the center of the saucer shaped meadow which has in it a floating island. Much of the lake has degenerated into slush because of heavy silting during rains. Still the landscape of Khajjiar is picturesque and a photographer'sdelight.A little away from the lake is the temple of Khajji Nag belonging to 12th C. AD. 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. The sanctum of the temple has been beautifully carved from wood.There is a Tourism Hotel and some Tourism cottages at Khajjiar where the tourists can stay . Besides there are two rest houses one each of P.W.D. and Forest Deptt. A couple of private hotels have also come up, which do not match the above places in terms of location and amenities. Bus service to and from Khajjiar is limited and timings change according to local demands. There used to be a golf course in Khajjiar which is not maintained. The best entertainment in Khajjiar is to walk around the lake or to go for long walks in the thick pine forests. Children enjoy this place because of the freedom of movement and the slopy terrain which permits them to roll down to the lake without getting hurt. On 07-07-1992, Mr. Willy t. Blazer, Vice Counselor and Head of Chancery of Switzerland in India brought Khajjiar on the world tourism map by christening 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 kms. 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 Mini Switzerland of India.

• Golden Devi Temple The goldev devi temple is must see place of khajjiar The Golden Devi temple in Khajjiar adorns a golden dome and is scenically located in the middle of the golf course.

• Khajjiar Lake The Khajjiar Lake is one of the prime attractions of Khajjiar, located around 20 kms from Dalhousie. This perennial lake is fed by small streams and is panoramically situated amidst the cedar forests and hills. The lake is located at a height of 1950 mt above sea level and is ideal for picnicking.

• Khajji Naga Shrine one of the oldest and holiest temples in Himachal Pradesh, Khajjinag Temple is dedicated to Khajji Nag (serpent god). The temple is known to have been built in the 12th century and has been beautifully carved out of wood. The highlight of the temple is the mandapa where one can see the images of the Pandavas and the defeated Kaurvas hanging from the roof.Horse RidingHorse riding is one of the most common means of travel in Khajjiar. This activity can be enjoyed around the lake. Pony and horse rides can only be enjoyed during the summer season.TrekkingThe scenic village of Khajjiar is best explored while trekking. The hills surrounding enclosing Khajjiar offer some of the most exotic and breathtaking views of the surroundings and these hill tops can be reached only via trekking.Khajjiar also serves as the base for trekking excursions for Dalhousie, Chamba and Kalatop Wildlife sanctuary. The trekking routes in Khajjiar are categorized as easy and can be undertaken by people of all ages.ZorbingZorbing is an upcoming sport that is gaining immense popularity in India. Zorbing can be enjoyed on the huge slopes of Khajjiar meadows. Tourists should expect to pay anywhere between Rs 200- 300 per person. This sport can be enjoyed only during the summer season how to reachBy Road: Khajjiar is well connected with most of the cities of the state with well developed and sophisticated roads. This place is easily accessible by road and is hardly about one and a half hours driving from Dalhousie and Chamba. Himachal Road Transport Corporation operates bus services, connecting Khajjiar with the major cities in and around the state.By Train: The nearest railway station for Khajjiar is Pathankot, 80 kms from the hill resort.By Air: The nearest airport from Khajjiar is Gaggal which is situated in Kangra and the other one is in Pathankot in Punjab.