Gazetteer of the Kangra district

· 1884 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1: These tracts are in many respects so distinct that it is quite

2mmpossible to bring the whole under any general description ; while

3to treat them separately under each heading would break the eonti-

4nuity of the work, On the other hand, separate statistics are not in

5all eases available for the three tracts. The first or outer Himalayan

6tract of Kangra proper, while comprising not one-third of the area of

7the district, includes 85 per cent. of the total population, and pays

891 per cent. of the total land-revenue, The work will, therefore, be

9divided into three parts. The first, headed Kangra proper, will

10describe the district as a whole in all respects in which Kalu, Lahaul

11and Spitt do not materially differ from Kangra proper. It will also

12contain all the statistics, in giving which, however, separate details

13will be added, wherever available, for the three tracts. The second and

14third parts of the work, headed respectively Kulu, Lahanl and

15Spiti, will contain matter supplementary to the firat part, and will

16deal with all points in respect of which these special tracts are

17sufficiently distinct from Kangra proper to call for separate treatment.

18In one small point, however, the physical divisions sketched at

19page 2 will be departed from, The ek: Bigp ea tract of Bangabal

20(see footnote to page 2) though physically belonging to Kulu, is

21include in the Kangra ¢adsil, and will therefore be treated through-

22out as a portion of Kangra proper.

23Before, however, proceeding tothe description of Kangra proper

24it will be convenient to map out broadly the mountain and river

25systems of the district as a whole. The range of mountains which

26separates Kangra proper from Chamba and Kala has been hitherto

27spoken of as one of the main ranges of the Himalayas, and this,

28from a local point of view, it is. Taking, however, a more compre-

29hensive view of the Himalayan system asa whole, the description is

30searcely correct. There are two main Himalayan ranges which,

31with more or less distinctness, preserve a parallel course from end to

32end of the system. Of these, the one which, being further from

33India, separates the upper valleys of the Indus and Satlaj, is commonly

34called the western Himalayan or Zanskar range; while that which

35lies nearer the plains is known as the Pir Panjal or mid-Himalayas.

36In Kangra the latter of these ranges is orographically represented

37by the mountains which separate Kulu from Spiti and Labaul. Just

38at the north-west corner of Kulu, these mountams put off

39a branch, which, running southwards for about 15 miles, separates

40Kiln from Bangahal. It then divides into two branches, one of which

41continuing southward divides Kuln from the state of Mandi, and

42terminates upon the Bids, while the other turns westwards and, under

43the name of the Dhaola Dhar, separates Kangra from Chamba, and

44ultimately sinks upon the southern bank of the Ravi in the neighbour-

45lwod of Dalhousie, These two branches together constitute what bas

46been, and will still for the aake of convenience be, styled the outer

47Himalayan range. Locally the description is correct, and the

48range, which is said to have a mean elevation ou the Chamba side

49of 15,000 feet above the sea, is by no means unworthy of the

50designation. On the Mandi side the elevation is somewhat less.

51Of the main Himalayan ranges, properly so called, the mid-Hima-

52Jnyas rise abruptly from the valley of the Satlaj and run due north

53for about 40 miles, separating Kulu from Spiti. They then trend

54Plan of the present

55work,

56General sketch of

57mountain and river

58systems,