Our day first visit shall be Tatwani Hot Water Springs, famous for its medicinal values, is situated 25 km from Dharamsala,The springs lies on the banks of the Gaj Khad River where a section of the temple, has been built around the spring itself, and where it’s continual warm outpouring of water has been made to flow from a ornately sculpted faucet.
PLEASE CARRY YOUR BATHING OUTFITS FOR A WARM DIP.
Day second visit shall be Masroor Rock cut temples. These remarkable temples form a group of 15 monolithic rock cut temples in the Indo Aryan style and are richly carved. These richly ornamented cave temples are the only rock shrines in the northern part of India.The main shrine contains three stone images of Ram laxman and Sita but the presence of the figure of Shiva in the centre of the lintel affords a strong presumption that the temple was originally dedicated to Mahadeva.
After the sightseeing of the temples we drive through the remote villages of the valley with spectacular view around to reach the final destination of the day , The Kangra Fort.The Kangra Fort was built by the Royal family of Kangra (The Katoch Dynasty), which traces its origins to the ancient Trigarta Kingdom, mentioned in the Mahabharata. It is the largest fort in the Himalayas and probably the oldest dated fort in India.
The fort of Kangra was taken by the Mahmud of Ghazni in AD 1009. In 1337, it was captured by Muhammad bin Tughluq and again in 1351 by his successor, Firuz Shah Tughluq. following the decline of Mughal power, Raja Sansar Chand-II succeeded in recovering the ancient fort of his ancestors, in 1789. But by carrying his ambitions too far he came in conflict with the neighboring hill chiefs, the Gurkhas and finally with Maharaja of Punjab, Ranjit Singh to whom he was compelled to surrender Kangra Fort in 1809. It remained in the hands of the Sikhs till 1846 when it was made over to the British Government, along with the surrounding hills.
A British garrison occupied the fort until it was heavily damaged in an earthquake in the year 1905. |
