Barot - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Bir is a village located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Mostly referred as “Paragliding Capital of India”, Bir is also a noted centre for ecotourism, spiritual studies and meditation. Bir is also home to a Tibetan refugee settlement with several Buddhist monasteries and a large stupa. While Billing is the takeoff site for paragliding and Bir village is for landing; collectively it is known “Bir Billing”.

Baijnath Temple Complex is a cluster of 18 Hindu temples that are situated in the town of Baijnath. These temples are renowned for possibly being one of the very few temples in the world where Parvati is depicted with her husband Shiva. It is a cluster of 18 stone temples situated on the left bank of the Gomati river. There are 102 stone images, some of which are under worship, while others have been preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Palampur is a green hill station and a municipal council in the Kangra Valley in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, surrounded 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.

The temple of Gauri Shankar is situated immediately below the Naggar Castle in Naggar. Dating back to 12th century AD, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is believed to be the last monument of the Gurjara-Pratihara traditions. This Shiva temple is a protected monument. The temple is famous for its splendid Shikhara Style architecture. The temple features a dome shaped top while the base is present in square shape.

Bijli Mahadev Temple is one of the ancient and sacred temples in India. As the name suggests, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is very popular for trekking. It is said that the Bijli Mahadev Temple houses a Shiva Linga which was broken into pieces by lightning, that was brought back together and bounded by a temple priest using butter. The word around is that this repeats itself every year.

The Great Himalayan National Park offers a stunning experience of the Himalayan range. The landscapes are breathtaking, the ecosystems are well preserved and it shelters many ayurvedic plants and rare Himalayan animals like the Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Tahr, rare Himalayan Brown Bear, and the Phantom of the Mountains - the Snow Leopard. The colourful Western Tragopan (Jujurana) and the Monal Pheasant represent the birdlife.