In this article, we provide comprehensive information about the geography, history, population, and top tourist destinations of Palampur. Palampur, a beautiful hill station in Himachal Pradesh, is renowned for its lush tea gardens, pine forests, and breathtaking views of the Dhauladhar range.
| About: | Palampur, located 35 km from Kangra, is a serene town perched on a plateau, framed by the stunning Neugal chasm and the Bundla stream that flows along one edge. Surrounded by green tea estates and forests of pine and deodar, Palampur has several interesting trekking trails. Many of these routes, which lead into the hills, are frequently traversed by the Gaddis – the region’s nomadic shepherds. With a variety of intriguing spots nearby, visitors can enjoy angling in the Bundla river or paragliding at Bir-Billing, just 35 km away. Palampur is a state legislative constituency in Himachal Pradesh. Lala Kanhiya Lal Butail, was the first representative of Palampur. Palampur is the hometown of the senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar. Congress and the Bhartiya Janata Party are the dominant political parties. BJP leaders from Palampur include Ch. Sarvan Kumar, Praveen Sharma and Shiv Kumar. For Congress, the Butail family has been significant. Kunj Behari Lal Butail served as an MLA for over a decade and was the first Pradesh Congress Committee President. The current MLA is Ashish Butail. |
| History: | Palampur got its name from the word Polum which means abundant water. It was earlier part of the local Sikh Kingdom of Jalandhar but later came under British rule during the Colonial era. The town was established when Dr. Jameson, the Superintendent of Botanical Gardens, introduced the tea bush from Almora in 1849. The tea bush flourished, leading to the town’s growth as a hub for European tea estate owners, with the notable exception of the Wah Tea Estate, which was owned by Nawab Muhammad Hayat Khan and his descendants until 1947. Since then, Kangra tea from Palampur has gained international recognition. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, visited Palampur in 1941 while it was still under British rule. To commemorate this visit, there is a Nehru Chowk in Palampur. |
| Geography: | Palampur is at 32.12°N 76.53°E, at a height of around 1300 metres, above sea level. It is in the northwestern region of Himachal Pradesh in north India and is 213 km from the hill station of Shimla. |
| Country : | India |
| State: | Himachal Pradesh |
| District: | Kangra |
| Language: | Hindi |
| Population: | 40,385 (2011) |
| Literacy rate: | Literacy rate of Palampur city is 91.33 % higher than state average of 82.80 %. In Palampur, Male literacy is around 92.96 % while female literacy rate is 89.64 %. |
| Major Attractions to Visit: | Tea Gardens Tashi Jong Monastery Baijnath Temple Saurabh Van Vihar Andretta Artist Village Neugal Khad Chamunda Devi Temple Bir-Billing Kangra Fort Dhauladhar National Park (Gopalpur Zoo) Bundla Stream Laxmi Narayan Temple |
