Palampur is a green hill station and a municipal council in the Kangra Valley in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, surrounded on all sides by tea gardens and pine forests before they merge with the Dhauladhar ranges. Palampur is the tea capital of northwest India but tea is just one aspect that makes Palampur a special interest place. Abundance of water and proximity to the mountains has endowed it with mild climate.
Palampur, a pleasant hill station surrounded by old British tea plantations, is in Kangra district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is 30m south-east of Dharamshala and stands at a height of 1260m. Set on the rising slopes of Kangra Valley before they merge with the Dauladhar ranges, Palampur is crisscrossed by streams and brooks.
Also known as the ‘Tea Capital of North India’, the town has derived its name from the local word ppulum’, meaning lots of water. Earlier Palampur was a part of the local Sikh kingdom and later it came under the British rule.
Dense oak and deodar forests surround Palampur, making it ideal for long walks. Behind this town stands the high ranges of Dhauladhar Mountains, whose peaks covered with snow most part of the year. This hill station is not only known for its numerous tea gardens but also known for its colonial architecture and temples. Palampur and places around it are popular for adventure sports like hang-gliding and trekking also.
St. John Church
It is the landmark of Palampur which has a splendid artistic construction style. Constructed in 1929, the church has several memorial tablets.
Temple of Bundlamata and Neugal Khad chasm
It is a five centuries old temple and close to this temple is the 300-metre-wide Neugal Khad chasm through which flows the tiny Bundla stream.
Andretta
Located 13kms from Palampur town, Andretta is a small and a charming village. Also known as the Artist’s Village, it is spread below the thickly wooded hill and sprawling plains of Kangra Valley. It has been the home of famous writer and dramatist Ms. Norah Richards known as the ‘nani’ of Punjab Theatre. It has an open air theatre where students of Punjabi University at Patiala arrive every year to stage plays on her birthday. Andretta also has been the home other notable artists like Sobha Singh and B. C. Sanyal. In Sobha Singh’s home, now an Art Gallery displays several of his notable works. Also, there is a Pottery and Crafts Society and Terracotta Museum.
Neugal Cafe is most visited place in the palampur. it is one of the great attraction in the palampur from where you can view the dhauladhar hills and also can get the view of Neugal khad.
Sourabh Van Vihar is also one of the nice place to visit, here you can find a green park.
Famous Devi Latti Jakhni’s temple situated at the top of Chandpur village is a place to feel the beauty of DhaulaDhar from very close.
When To Visit
Palampur has mild temperate climate around the year and can be visited anytime. However, the best time to visit would be in the summer from March to June when the temperatures are cool. The daytime temperature can hit the mid 30 degrees Celsius but the nights are very pleasant.
How to Reach
Air : Nearest airport is Gaggal airport located 39 km. from Palampur.
Rail : Nearest broad gauge railhead is Pathankot 110km from Palampur. A narrow gauge railway line between Pathankot and Jogindernagar passes through Kangra.
Road : The main bus station is south of Main Bazaar and the Himachal Road Transport Corporation is running its buses covering the whole state.
