Colourful Culture of Himachal Pradesh

This beautiful state of India is almost completely covered with mountainous landscapes . Culture of Himachal Pradesh is quite different from the other states of India.

Few years back this state was not exploited by tourism due to its complex landscapes. Modernization has completely changed that picture. However the state retains its old charm to certain extend. Almost the entire population of this state depend on agriculture for their livelihood.  Most of the income of the inhabitants of this place is derived from sheep, goats and other cattle. About 90 percent of the people live in villages and small towns. These villages comprises of terrace farming and two storey houses with slanting roofs. These villages are self-reliant with a few shops which take care of the basic needs of the daily life. Most of these villages have a temple where the people of the village come together for worship and thanking the God. In most of the parts of the Himachal Pradesh the village Gods is carried on palanquins to village fairs.

Exploring the culture of Himachal Pradesh-

Religion: Most of the population of Himachal Pradesh are Hindus. There is a small number of Buddhists in this place.

People living in this region have their own separate flavour of Hinduism. Their practice of religion is a combination of local legends and larger Hindu beliefs. Because of the local constraints, most of the temples of the upper hilly region are constructed of wood and are similar to Pagodas in design. There are many stunning Buddhist temples and pagodas in Himachal.

Arts and Craft: The speciality of Himachal is Thapada which is a large embroidered shawl.  Kohana, a kind of a wall hanging, pillow covers and caps are other forms of embroidered crafts. Dyeing and painting constitute the chief traditional craft of Himachal. Weaving of wool forms a major cottage industry of this place. Himachal is a home to various other crafts which makes the place famous among the tourists.

Dance and Music

The dance and music of Himachal are related with religion where gods are aroused during the festivals. The major dances of this place are Rakshasa dance, the Kayang dance, Nati dance and various other dance forms.

Ranasingha, Karna, Turhi, Flute and many other musical instruments are played to provide music for the songs and dances during these festivals.

Fairs and Festivals

Apart from the festivals that are celebrated all over India, there are numerous other fairs and festivals that are celebrated in Himachal. These festivals show the religious and cultural faith of the people of the local inhabitants of this place. It is also the time to wear vibrant clothes and accessories. Some of the fairs and festivals are the Kullu Dussehra, Shivratri Fair (Mandi), Minjar Fair (Chamba) and several others which are celebrated with great dedication.

Cuisine

The local cuisine of Himachal is very similar to the rest of north Indian dishes. The thing that separates the cuisine of this place from other north Indian states is the non vegetarian items. It has a range of other unique dishes which separates itself with the other states.

Language: In Himachal, language differs from district to district, along with the diversity in culture. This shows the unity in diversity in this scenic place.