Religious beliefs and practices, recreation and amusement of Himachal Pradesh
Religious practices of himachal pradesh
For thousands of years Indians, especially the Hindus, have looked upon the mighty Himalayas with awe and reverence. For them it is the abode of the gods. There Shiva, the great god of destruction, sat in deep meditation until ‘Parvati’, “the Himalaya-Putri” or daughter of the mountains, succeeded in winning his love. Temples of Shiva and Parvati abound in these mountains and thousands of pilgrims from the plains make their arduous climb to them each year. Himachal is dotted with quaint Pagoda-like or shikhara styled temples. Most of these have fascinating legends attached to them. While festivals are special occasions for celebration, worship is a part of daily life. Hinduism was brought to these hills by the immigrant Rajput tribes of the 5th to the 15th century. But the Hinduism practiced here is in its more lenient form – the caste system is less rigid than elsewhere in India. The people have their own distinct flavour of the Hindu religion, especially in the upper hills.
More than 95% of the population of Himachal is Hindu but Buddhism has also made inroads in to the state thanks to the nearness to Tibet and presence of the Dalai Lama at Dharamsala. The ashen valleys of Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur are made brilliant by the Buddhist way of life. At times the demarcation between Hinduism and Buddhism is very faint in these hill regions such as, the rituals of the Kinnauris are a mix Buddhist and Hindu practices. The hundreds of gompas and monasteries here serve as a veritable library for the student of Buddhism. No wonder Himachal Pradesh is said to be God’s Own Country.
There are also several notable churches and Sikh gurudwaras in the state. Christianity came in with the British, of course, who dashed to these mountains whenever the heat of the plains got to them. Shimla, Kasauli and Dalhousie served as the most important British retreats, and so have the most well known churches of the state. St-John-in-the-Wilderness in Dharamsala is also quite an attraction. Sikhism, too, is practiced in a few places in Himachal. Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district is a major pilgrimage for Sikhs, and so is beautiful Manikaran in the Kullu Valley . The Sikhs played an important role in the history of Himachal and Guru Govind Singh, one of the ten founders of the religion, began his career on this very land.
Amusement in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh has been blessed with endless natural beauty which is one of the most important reasons why tourists keep coming here throughout the year. Tourists of all genres find this state a place to have solace and get ample opportunities and activities to get de-stressed. Parks and gardens in Himachal Pradesh are plenty in numbers and many of them have been developed as theme park.
Hip Hip Hurray Amusement Park Shimla
Hip Hip Hurray Amusement Park is one of the most happening places of Shimla. To enjoy your time with your kids, you will never get a match for this place. Children as well as adults can enjoy varieties of activities in this amusement park. These activities are Rock Climbing, Flying Fox, Burma Bridge Crossing, Commando Net, Bump Them Cars, Boating and others. This amusement park is located at a height of about 8500 ft and is considered as one of the best places for entertainment. Hip Hip Hurray Amusement Park offers wonderful sight of the entire surrounding and visitors could have enthralling experience of varieties of rides in this park. The park is spread over an area of 5000 sq meters. During winters visitors can enjoy ice skating in this park. Indoor golf course is there for the golf lovers.
Him Valley Amusement Park Manali
Located in the picturesque hill station of Himachal Pradesh, Him Valley Amusement Park is considered as one of the most amusing and relaxing theme parks. The location of this park is about a distance of 3 KM from Main Bus Stand of Manali at a place called Bahang. This park is located at a height of 7000 feet and is one of the oldest amusement parks of the region. Many exciting rides are available in this park for the children and the adults. Revolving Chair, Swing Chari, Bungee Jumping etc. and varieties of interesting water sports are available in this park for the visitors. From time to time, visitors could enjoy watching interesting cultural shows that help the visitors to know more about the culture and tradition of this region. Natti Dance of Himachal Pradesh, Bhangra Dance of Punjab and Bohappa Dance of Rajasthan are shown in the shows of this park.
Mohan Park Solan
Mohan Park is situated in Solan and is a popular relaxing place for the locals and the tourists who come and spend hours here. Walking trails, beautifully designed and maintained gardens and lawns, and varieties of rides for the kids make this park one of the most visited amusement parks of Solan District in Himachal Pradesh.
Jawahar Park Solan
Considered as one of the most popular theme parks of Solan, Jawahar Park has got its name after Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. It is located in close proximity of Thodo Ground in Solan District of Himachal Pradesh. Varieties of amusement activities are available in this park. The park also has fountains, toy trains, zoo, lawns, walking gardens, green lawns and others. The mini zoo of Jawahar Park has many types of birds and animals. Rabbits, species of snakes, deer, various species of cats and varieties of birds can be enjoyed here in this zoo. The park is located at walking distance from the nearest railway station.
Kufri Fun World
This is a famous amusement park of Kufri. It is visited by many locals and the tourists because this park houses the highest track for Go-karting in the entire world. The park also houses a canteen where delicious foods of different types are available at reasonable price. This park was constructed by the Tourism Department of Himachal Pradesh State. Kufri Fun World is located on National Highway No. 22. From the main bus stand, the total distance one has to drive to reach the park is only 3 KM.
Suketi Fossil Park Nahan
Considered as one of the most popular fossil parks of Asia, Suketi Fossil Park attracts children as well as adults with full size models of the animals that used to exist during the pre-historic days. These models are constructed with FRP or Fibre Reinforced Plastic. Suketi Fossil Park is also popularly called Shivalik Fossil Park. It is constructed at the place where fossils of pre-historic animals were found. The park is located on the left banks of River Markanda and can be easily reached through a road that is linked to the high road nearby. Visitors get to see clay rocks, sandstones and models of Sivatherium, Stegodonganesa, Hexaprotodon sivalensis, Colosschyelys atlas, Crocodilia, paramachairodus and various other animals of Mesozoic Periods.