Dharamsala

Dharmashala is the District headquarters of the Kangra District. It is a hill station lying on the spur of the Dhauladharrange about 19 kms North-East of Kangra town. Kangra is one of the most pictresque valleys in the Himalayas. It is sheltered by the Dhahladhar. The history of Kangra valley dates back to Vedic times more than 3500 years ago. One of the oldest hill states it finds mention in the puranas in the Mahabharata and in Rajaangni. The most notable Ruler, however was Raja Sansarchand, who ruled over Kangra much later, in the 18th Century A.D. The Valley of Kangra it is said, was so beautiful and the temples so prosper¬ous that no invader could ignore it. The fort of Nagarkot bears the sears of several invasions, starting with Mahmud of Ghazni in 1001 A.D. happily, the valley survived all the plunder only to be flattened by the 1905 earthquake. Still it is a major centre for piligrms. Dharmashala is divided into two deligent parts, Lowe dharamshala and Up¬per dharam