About Kangra

Extraordinary places to visit

Kangra takes pride in being home to the Katoch dynasty as one of the oldest surviving royal dynasties in the world. Spread out over the western region of the state, Kangra is by far the largest region of Himachal Pradesh. In the shadow of the majestic Dhauladhar ranges, the valley is also one of the most diverse and picturesque one. The people are gentle, hardworking and very hospitable. Recorded history of Kangra dates back to more than 3,500 years. The prosperous land was subject to many invasions, but the strategically located strong fort of Kangra held out, foiling plans of most invaders.

The fort in 1615 AD did even withstand a siege laid by Mughal armies of emperor Akbar. The fort’s defences in thousands of years of its history was but rarely broken into.   The natural beauty of the land gave refuge to arts and artists who fled many royal courts after the Mughal empire declined in the 17th century. A synthesis of local art forms gave rise to the famous Kangra school of painting. Masterpiece miniatures of this unique art style are on display in many reputed galleries around the world.