Vinod Bhardwaj

History. Heritage. Himachal.

Cultural Heritage & Legacy

MEDICAL COLLEGE AT VICEREGAL LODGE IN SIMLA – A DR. PARMAR STORY

Biographies & Life Stories, Cultural Heritage & Legacy, Himachal Pradesh: Land & People, Memories, Essays & Reflections, Shimla: Then & Now

Prof. S. Radhakrishnan the then President of India ( 1962-1967) inaugurated Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS)on October 20,1965 at Simla (later Shimla). In his inaugural address, Dr. Radhakrishnan emphasised the importance of questioning established truths and not being prisoners of the status quo.

The Viceregal Lodge , built between 1880 and 1888 for Lord Duffrin served as summer residence of the British Viceroy from 1888 to 1947. After Independence Government of India inherited two very different viceregal homes in Simla Hills Viceregal Lodge ie Rashtrapati Niwas at Observatory Hill and the Retreat at Mashobra. Before 1888 Peterhoff was the residence of Viceroy. The Viceroy Lodge came to be associated with many an important events which changed the history and geography of the sub-continent. As early as 1900, the Punjab Alienation of Land Act was passed in the Governor General’s Council in the Viceregal Lodge.

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CHABA POWER HOUSE

Cultural Heritage & Legacy, Himachal Pradesh: Land & People, Memories, Essays & Reflections

A HERITAGE BURIED UNDER SAND

In the Imperial period the Europeans living in Simla ( later Shimla)and visitors coming from abroad preferred to explore the countryside. They surveyed the entire Western Himalayas, documented the history ,culture and heritage which became the base line information for future research projects. The beautiful places nearer to Simla are their favourite camping sites. During summers they preferred to visit via Naldera to Suni on to the banks of Sutlej, where the traveller can see the head-works of the electric supply station at Chaba, float down the Sutlej on ‘musacks’ or inflated buffalo skins, and bathe, in the wonderful sulphur springs on the river bank at Tattapani an ancient religious place.

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सरदार पटेल का पत्र व डॉ परमार के अथक प्रयासों से हिमाचल देश का 18 वाँ राज्य बना ।

Biographies & Life Stories, Cultural Heritage & Legacy, Himachal Pradesh: Land & People, Memories, Essays & Reflections

हिमालय क्षेत्र में छोटी-छोटी रियासतों में बँटे इस भूभाग को एकत्रित कर हिमाचल का उदय आज़ादी के आठ माह उपरांत 15 अप्रैल 1948 को हुआ। एक नवंबर ,1966 में हिमाचल प्रदेश में पंजाब के पहाड़ी क्षेत्रों के विलय से विशाल हिमाचल बना।तदोपरांत डॉ. यशवंत सिंह परमार के नेतृत्व में राज्य को पूर्ण राज्य का दर्जा दिलवाने के लिए एक संघर्ष आरंभ हुआ । पाँच जुलाई 1965 को कांग्रेस कार्यकारी समिति ने एक प्रस्ताव पास कर प्रदेश को संवैधानिक दर्जा ,लौह पुरुष सरदार बल्लभ भाई पटेल द्वारा 18 मार्च 1948 में लिखें पत्र का हवाला देते हुए पारित किया ,जिसमें सरदार पटेल ने लिखा था की – “अपने अंतिम चरण में जब यह क्षेत्र अपने संसाधनों तथा प्रशासनिक प्रशासनिक तौर पर पूरी तरह से विकसित हो जाएगा तो यह संवैधानिक तौर पर देश के अन्य राज्यों के समान होगा। “ सरदार वल्लभभाई पटेल का यह कथन हिमाचल को पूर्ण राज्य का दर्जा दिलाने का आधार बना । वहीं नेहरु-गांधी परिवार की विशेष अनुकंपा ने भी अहम योगदान दिया।

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The SIVA TEMPLE BAIJNATH

Cultural Heritage & Legacy, Himachal Pradesh: Land & People, Traditions, Fairs & Folk Life

“WHERE STONES SPEAK THEIR OWN STORIES”

The two inscriptions on the slab inside the Mandap of Baijnath temple in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, are important sources of information that shed light on the glorious history ,culture and heritage of the Trigarta now known as Kangra Valley. Baijnath was originally the name of the temple only, the village in which it is situated being called Kiragrama. The name Baijnath is derived from Vaidyanatha (Lord of physicians, Shiva).

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