Khajjiar
Khajiar | |
|---|---|
From top: View from Khajjiar in different seasons Nature of Khajjiar in Chamba district (H.P) | |
| Nickname: ""Mini Switzerland of India"[1] | |
Khajiar Khajiar | |
| Coordinates: 32°32′46″N 76°03′29″E / 32.5462344°N 76.0580921°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| District | Chamba |
| Elevation | 1,920 m (6,300 ft) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi, Pahari |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 176314 |
| Telephone code | 01899 |
| Vehicle registration | HP 48 |
| Nearest city | Chamba Town and Dalhousie |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Kangra |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Dalhousie |
Khajjiar is a hill station near the town of Chamba in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Located approximately 24 kilometres (15 mi) from Dalhousie, it lies on a small plateau about 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level in the foothills of the Dhauladhar ranges in the Western Himalayas. It is also part of the Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary.[2]
Khajjiar can be reached from Dalhousie, the nearest major town. The area features a combination of three ecosystems: lake, pasture, and forest.[3]
Mini Switzerland
On 7 July 1992, Swiss envoy Willy P. Blazer, Vice-Counselor and Head of the Chancery of Switzerland in India brought Khajjiar onto the world tourism map by calling it 'Mini Switzerland'. He also erected a sign featuring a yellow Swiss hiking footpath symbol, showing Khajjiar's distance from the Swiss capital, Bern: "6,194 km" or 3,849 mi. Khajjiar is one of 160 locations worldwide that bear a topographical resemblance to Switzerland. The envoy also took a stone from Khajjiar, which forms part of a stone collage around the Swiss Parliament building to remind visitors that Khajjiar is the 'Mini Switzerland of India'.[1]
Notable sites
Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary
The Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.[4]
Khajjiar Lake
Khajjiar Lake is a small lake surrounded by a saucer-shaped meadow and a floating island. The growth of a weed called vacha has made the earth spongy. Over time, the banks have been covered by a thick layer of earth formed by years of dust settling on the weeds.
Khajji Nag temple
A little away from the lake stands the Khajji Nag Temple, built in the 12th century CE by Prithviraj Singh I, the king of Chamba. The temple features a golden dome, also known as Golden Devi Temple. Inside mandapa, one can see the images of the Pandavas and the defeated Kauravas hanging from the roof of the circumambulatory path. The sanctum of the temple is carved from wood.[1] This temple is dedicated to snake (Nāga) worship, and it houses several snake idols. Additionally, there are idols of Shiva and the Goddess Hadimba.
Gallery
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18 April 2019
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18 April 2019
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18 April 2019
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Grasslands of Khajjiar, July 2012
References
- ^ a b c "Himachal Tourism | Khajjiar". Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ "Chamba Government official website". Archived from the original on 16 July 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
- ^ "Khajjiar New Page". HP Tourism Development Corporation.
- ^ "Himachal Tourism". himachaltourism.gov.in. Retrieved 25 November 2017.