Khajjiar: Going from Dalhousie to Khajjiar is a soothing experience as you drive through the beautiful Bakrota Hills. As you keep on going, after some time, you enter the 'Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary' and you also see the beautiful 'Lakkar Mandi'. The whole journey is enjoyable because the road leads you through the magnificent 'Deodar' forests. You can easily notice the deep quietness in the environment which adds to the beautiful experience of the entire journey to Khajjiar.
No wilderness in Himachal is so easily accessible and beautiful. It is the magical paradise which quickly makes you realize that there is no place like this in the whole world. The magnificent of majestic 'deodar' is at its best here. Khajjiar lake is associated with a legend, it is associated with Khajjinag, the deity that is enshrined in the temple here. Khajjiar is a beautiful sylvan glade about a mile in length and half a mile in breadth picturesquely set in the midst of forest. The glade is green in its turf and contains in its bosom a small lake heaving approximate area of 5000 sq. yards. There is a clump of reeds and grasses exaggeratedly called an island floating on this lake adding charm to the eye of the viewer.
This one is special because the tree near the rest house is of a very different kind. It is called the "Panch Pandav" (Five Pandvas). Though the main root is the same but the base of the tree is divided into six parts, which make it one of the kind. It is also one of the main attractions when you begin to explore the Khajjiar ground on your feet. Near this rest house is the way leading to a small village and Khajjiar School. The locals believe that these six shoots represent five Pandvas and their common wife Dropadi. But trees with many shoots are a common occurrence in the Khajjiar forest. At a distance of one kilometer from Khajjiar towards Dalhousie a big deodar trees exists having more than 13 soots of comparable height. This trees has popularly come to be known as 'Mother Tree' of the area.
Bhoot Bangla: There are many rest houses situated just outside the Khajjiar ground and some of them were built during the British era. Look at the image on the right side - a very old rest house, the construction of the rest house is very interesting. Local people tell some interesting stories about the rest house. However it looks very beautiful in the far most corner of the Khajjiar ground.
Lake: Besides the view of the Lake in the middle of the ground, there is a lot more to explore. Outside the Khajjiar ground is thick deodar forest and amidst the forest, there are various small villages i.e. Khajjiar village, rota village, ladi village etc. (mainly situated near the slopes) Villages are situated far from each other, but not too far from Khajjiar ground. There are many apple orchards in Khajjiar area. Look at the photograph on the right side - This is a small village named ladi and you can see many apple trees in the image and when the season comes, they are full of apples. On the right side is the photograph of Khajjiar village. The location of the village is striking. You can have the breathtaking view of the hills from here. No doubt, the whole Khajjiar area is a magical paradise.
Khajji Nag Temple : Khajjiar is famous for the popular Khajji Naga shrine dedicated to the serpent god from which the name is believed to have been derived. The temple dates back to the 10th century and is interspaced with different patterns and images on the ceiling and wooden posts. A curious blend of Hindu and Mughal styles of architecture is reflected in the wooden carvings on the ceilings and wooden posts. The image carvings are said to represent the Kauravas who were tied up here in the hideout by the Pandavas. The temple consists of a spacious congregation hall sufficiently enclosed by wooden supports. The dome-shaped shrine is made of slates locally extracted from limestone quarries. Adjoining are other shrines of Shiva and Hadimba goddess also. The age-old tradition of sacrificing a goat is still practiced outside the temple premises.
Khajjiar has an islet with a small lake surrounding it. The lake is considered to be holy by the locals as legend associated it with Khajjinag, the deity in the Khajji temple. The Khajji Nag temple is made in pahari style and the object of worship is 'Nagdev', carved out of stone in human from. The images of five Pandvas: Yudhishtra, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul and Sahdev beautiful made out of wood stand in the corners of the Mandapa of the temple. A small temple of Hidimba ( Hidimba Temple )also stands close by. This has led people to believe that the Pandavas happened to visit this place during their exile and their period of incognito. There stands a deodar tree near the P.W.D. Rest house having six shoots of almost equal height. The locals believe that these six shoots represent five Pandvas and their common wife Dropadi.
Khajjiar Lake : This lake is 16 km from Dalhousie and 22 km from Chamba. Fed by slim streams, this small lake rests in the centre of the large glade of Khajjiar. The glade and the lake are held sacred to Khajjinag - after whom the place is named. Khajjiar has the thick forest of the Kalatop sanctuary surrounding its soft green grass. It is 1.5 km long and 1 km wide. It is surrounded by cedar (deodar) forest. This is like a magical paradise. A temple dedicated to Khajjinag is also located there. Khajjiar is also called "Mini Switzerland". The lake remains full of water in all the seasons and requires no rain water for survival.
Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary :
Altitude : varies from 1185 meters to 2768 meters.
Annual Rainfall : mean annual rainfall is 800 mm.
Temperature : temperature varies from -10 to 35°C.
Area : 2,026.89 hectares ( 20.27 sq. km. ).
Location : 36 km. from Chamba town. and 13 km. from Dalhousie
Approaches : Dalhousie to Lakarmandi ( inside the sanctuary 10km. ) then to Kalatop 3km.
This small sanctuary lies in the catchments of the Ravi River, and contains patches of good coniferous and Oak forests. A lovely bowl-shaped meadow at Khajjiar, with a lake and a ‘floating’ island, is a popular tourist spot. There is a ‘golden’ domed temple at the edge of this meadow, dedicated to the deity ‘Khajjinag’, from whom the area derives its name. Kalatop place commands a beautiful and grand panoramic view of the surrounding landscape and eye travels wide over hill and dale, field and forest, smooth and ruggedness, till in the direction of Jammu and Kashmir, it meets a horizon of snow peaks. A motorable road to Kalatop Rest House leads from the Dalhousie - Khajjiar - Chamba road at the point named Lakkar Mandi. The track from Lakkar Mandi to Kalatop Rest House is plain and the walk through the dense forest is amazingly refreshing. To obtain permission to ply the vehicle and stay in Rest House, one can contact Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife, Chamba.
Flora: Mixed blue pine and Deodar forest with some green oak and the Phododendron
Fauna (Mammals): Himalayan Black Bear, Brown Bear, Leopard, Cat, barking Deer, Goral, Jackal, Langur, Marten, Serow, Kashmiri and common giant flying Squirrel
Location: Khajjiar is situated in district Chamba which is situated in the western Himalayas between north latitudes 32°10' and 33°13' and east longitudes 75°45' and 77°33'. Khajjiar is 16 km from Dalhousie and 22 km from Chamba.
Climate: Summers are fairly pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 12° C to 25° C. Winters are extremely cold, with temperatures dipping as low as 2° C to 10° C.
Best time to visit: You’ll see snow during the winter months in Khajjiar, while summers months are pleasantly delightful. April to October is the best time to visit Khajjiar.
How to Get There:- Delhi to Sonipat- Karnal- Kurukshetra- Ambala- Ludhiana-Jullander- Bhogpur- Mukerian- Damtal- Pathankot- Chakki- Dhar- Nainikhad-Banikhet- Dalhousie- Khajjiar.
Delhi to Sonipat- Karnal- Kurukshetra- Ambala- Ludhiana-Jullander- Bhogpur- Mukerian- Damtal- Pathankot- Chakki- Nurpur- Jot -Khajjiar.
Air and Train Route:-The nearest Airport is is Gaggal (Kangra) 115 km., Pathankot (104km.), Jammu (230 km.) and Amritsar (220 km.) and The nearest Railway station is at Pathankot/ Chakki Bank Railway Station (104 km.), Amritsar(220km.), Jullandhar(185km.).
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