Sirmaur district
Sirmaur district | |
|---|---|
Clockwise from top-left: Gurudwara Paonta Sahib, Rani Tal Shiva Temple, Nahan, Renuka Temple and Renuka Lake, Churdhar Sanctuary, Mangarh Shiva Temple | |
Location in Himachal Pradesh | |
| Coordinates (Nahan): 30°38′N 77°26′E / 30.64°N 77.44°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| Headquarters | Nahan |
| Tehsils | 7 |
| Government | |
| • Vidhan Sabha constituencies | 5 |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,825 km2 (1,091 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 529,855 |
| • Density | 187.6/km2 (485.8/sq mi) |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 79.98% |
| • Sex ratio | 915 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| • Regional | Sirmauri[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| Vehicle registration | HP-16, HP-16AA, HP-17, HP-18, HP-71, HP-79, HP-85 |
| Website | https://hpsirmaur.nic.in/ |
Sirmaur district is the southernmost district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is largely mountainous and rural, with 90% of its population living in villages. The district capital is the town of Nahan. Some other towns include Paonta Sahib, Lana Palar, Tuheri, Bhawan, Sirmaur, Shamra, UchaTikker and Suketi - the last being known for Shivalik Fossil Park. Culturally, it is a part of the historical Mahasu region.[2]
Geography
There are seven tehsils in this district: Nahan, Renuka, Kamrau, Shillai, Rajgarh, Pachhad, and Paonta Sahib. The Giri River divides the district into two almost equal parts: Giripar and Giriaar. The major towns are Nahan, Paonta Sahib, Rajgarh, and Shillai. Rajgarh is the biggest village of Sirmour district.
History
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 135,667 | — |
| 1911 | 138,500 | +0.21% |
| 1921 | 140,428 | +0.14% |
| 1931 | 148,547 | +0.56% |
| 1941 | 156,003 | +0.49% |
| 1951 | 166,053 | +0.63% |
| 1961 | 197,488 | +1.75% |
| 1971 | 244,922 | +2.18% |
| 1981 | 306,897 | +2.28% |
| 1991 | 379,695 | +2.15% |
| 2001 | 458,593 | +1.91% |
| 2011 | 529,855 | +1.45% |
| source:[3] | ||
After the Independence of India, the Sirmur princely state was merged into India, and reconstituted as a district of the Himachal Pradesh state on April 15, 1948.[4]
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census of India, Sirmaur district has a population of 529,855, which placed it 542nd in India (out of a total of 640).[5] The district had a population density of 188 inhabitants per square kilometre (490/sq mi).[5] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 15.61%.[5] Sirmaur had a sex ratio of 915 females for every 1000 males,[5] and a literacy rate of 79.98%. 10.79% of the population lived in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 30.34% and 2.13% of the population respectively.[5]
Language
As of the 2011 census, 39% of the population of the district identified their first language as Hindi, 34% as Pahari, and 20% as Sirmauri. There were also speakers of Punjabi (3.88%), Nepali (0.94%), Haryanvi, (0.43%), and Tibetan (0.42%).[7]
Declared a national park in 2010, Simbalbara National Park is located in Sirmaur district. It covers an area of around 27.88 sq.km. The fauna of Simbalbara National Park includes, Goral, Spotted Deer, Sambhar, Himalayan Black Bear, Hanuman Langurs and Indian Muntjacs. The flora includes Sal forests and lush green pastures.
Politics
| No. | Constituency | Member | Party | Remarks | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | Pachhad (SC) | Suresh Kumar Kashyap | Bhartiya Janata Party | Member until May 2019 | ||
| Reena Kashyap | ||||||
| 56 | Nahan | Dr. Rajeev Bindal | Bhartiya Janata Party | |||
| 57 | Sri Renukaji (SC) | Vinay Kumar | Indian National Congress | |||
| 58 | Paonta Sahib | Sukh Ram Chaudhary | Bhartiya Janata Party | MPP and Power Minister | ||
| 59 | Shillai | Harshwardhan Chauhan | Indian National Congress | |||
Notable people
See also
References
- ^ "Language and dialect of Himachal Pradesh" (PDF). Literary Herald.
- ^ Raman (20 July 2025). "Mahasu Devta: Unveiling Ancient Guardian Deity of the Himalayas". Nohradhar. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
- ^ Govt of Himachal Pradesh (1969). Himachal Pradesh District Gazetteers Volume 10. Printed at the Standard Print. Press.
- ^ a b c d e "District Census Handbook: Sirmaur" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
- ^ "Table C-01 Population by Religion: Himachal Pradesh". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
- ^ a b "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Himachal Pradesh". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.