Palampur

Height : 1250 m
Apart from Dharamsala-McLeodganj, Palampur is Kangra’s other large town but a distinctive twist. Af ew things have given Palampur much of its remarkable character and beauty. The first is the backdrop of the Dhauiadhar mountains which rise dramatically from level ground and within a few lmllometers, they touch altitudes of several thousand meters – and many have streaks of snow on their peaks well into
summer. The second is the presence of scores of streams and brooks that crisscross the area — there is the large Neugal chasm while numerous small streams race all over the low mulling hills; The name ‘Palampur‘ is believed to be a derivative of the local word ‘pulum’, which means “lots of water.” The third is the presence of the tea gardens which established Pallampur as a town in the first place when tea plantation was introduced in the mid 19th century. The town itself is built as a single main street that steadily rises from the old tea factory in flhe direction of the mountains and the Neugal chasm. Parallel to this road, or as angles shooting out of it, are the side roads
and by-lanes. There are picturesque villages, forts and shrines that lie close to  Palampur.

GETTING THERE :

• By Road : Palampur is 40 km from Dharamsala, 115 km from Pathankot, and 259 km from Shimla and 545 km from Delhi.
• By Rail : Palampur can be reached by the narrow gauge Pathankot-Joginder Nagar train; Maranda station is 4 km from town. Pathankot has the closest broad-gauge station and is 15 km from Palampur.
• By Air: Kangra airport at Gaggal is at a distance of 39 km.

CLIMATE:

Summers are warm and cottons are adequate. Winters can be chilly and woollens will be required.
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TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

• Temple of Bundla Mata: This is 2km from the market and is close to the Neugal Khad.
• Andretta (13 km): This is an attractive village and became the home of a few noted artists some decades back. Sobha Singh, B.C. Sanyal and Norah Richards were drawn to the sylvan setting of Kangra and settled here. Around these luminaries, a small but active community of artists began flourishing. Many of Sobha Singh’s works were executed in Andretta where his home has been converted into an art-gallery. Today, this also has a pottery centre.
• Al Hilal (Taragarh;11 km): The splendid mansion that belonged to the former royal family of Jammu and Kashmir is now a hotel. A kilometre away, is the Buddhist monastery of Tashijong which was established and is managed by Tibetan expatriates. This has a vibrant handicrafts centre.
• Baijnath (15 km): The temple of Baijanth is a splendid example of classical Indian architecture and falls within the ambit of the sacred Jalandhara Peeth. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva in his manifestation of Vaidhyanath, Lord of the Physicians. The tiny town of Baijanth is a place of considerable antiquity and was once known as Kiragrama and held a significant position on the old trade routes.
• Bir (24 km): The pleasant terrain of Bir is somewhat similar to that of Palampur— large terraced fields and a few tea gardens. This also has a fairly large settlement of Tibetan expatriates and a monastery. This is the landing area for the para-gilders that take off from Billing.
• Billing (38 km): This is accessed from Bir and is a popular site for paragliding. It is the access point for the main trek route that leads into the remote valley of Bara Bangal. In the past few years, this has also been the site ofthe Paragliding Pre-World Cup Event.

HOTELS

THE T-BUD – Deluxe Hotel
The appropriately named Hotel T Bud is run by the HPTDC at Palampur. Situated in the finest part of town, this faces tea gardens. The brick building of the hotel is surrounded by lofty deodar and pine trees.
ADDRESS : The T-Bud Palampur, Distt. Kangra(HP)-176061
Tel.(01894) 231298 Fax: 234548
E-mail: palampur@hptdc.in

THE NEUGAL  – Budget Hotel
The Hotel Neugal is situated besides the Bundla stream,
amidst scenic tea plantation it offers a panoramic view of the
river and Dhauladhar ranges.
ADDRESS : The Neugal Palampur, Distt. Kangra(HP)-
176061 , Tel. (01894) 233342 E-mail: palampur@hptdc.in