Culture of Himachal Pradesh becomes rich, extravagant and traditional. Due to this rugged terrain the culture and tradition of the Himachal Pradesh thus, remains unscratched by foreign invasions. Its ethnicity and originality are retained.
Culture of Himachal Pradesh is not only exuberant in the physical attires of the Himachalis but also in their festival celebrations, musical melodies, rhythmic dance forms and simple lifestyle. Culture of Himachal Pradesh is applauded for its exclusive pieces of arts and handicrafts which are an undeniable part of the culture of Himachal Pradesh.
Pashmina shawl and the colourful Himalayan caps are in demand in overseas also. Threading, pictures, wooden potteries, carving are part and parcel of Himachal region. The metal wares include the attractive utensils, ritualistic vessels, silver jewellery, idols. Woman of Kulu, Sirmaur, Kinnaur, Pangwati and Bharmor region wear attractive jewellery. Wide variety of architectural works, temples, objects, museums, shops, galleries chastised every tourist. The Himachalis are fond of dance and music. They are mainly spiritual and mainly used to invoke gods and goddesses during festive seasons.
Festivals of Himachal Pradesh
Festivals and fairs form an integral part of the culture of Himachal Pradesh. These festivals are full of religious rites and cultural practices that the Himachalis assert in the best of their abilities. It is the time of fun and frolic; people wear colourful dresses and engross themselves in dancing and singing. Apart from celebrating all other Indian festivals , few local festivals too are observed with the same vividness and festivity. Some heralds the arrival of seasons. Sukh festivals namely Baisakhi and Lohri and few festivals of tribal communities are celebrated here.
Culture of Himachal Pradesh incorporates zestful festivals and fairs. The tourists from all over the world participate in the festivities. In the second week of December, the International Himalayan festival is held in Dharamshala. Diwali is feted throughout the state. The Lavi fair is famous in Himachal Pradesh and it is observed for three days on the Sutlej riverbanks. At Sirmaur, the figure of Parasurama is plunged in the Renuka Lake. The people of Himachal Pradesh, especially Shimlaites are celebrating Christmas since the British domination. Lahaul observes a special festival called Cheeshu. The Lahaul Festival is also held near Keylong. Haryali is a famous festival observed in Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh and Sirmaur. Shravan Sankranti takes place in Nahan in July. The renowned Naina Devi fair, in Bilaspur also occurs during the month of August.
Music and Dance of Himachal Pradesh
The Himachalis are fond of dance and music and these are key elements of culture of Himachal Pradesh. The songs and performing dances are spiritual in nature and mainly used to invoke gods and goddesses during festive seasons. Himachal Pradesh is racy in folk music and till date no classical music has initiated. However, a special kind of songs namely Samskara song are grounded on ragas ehich belong to the genre of Indian classical music. Famous dance styles are Naati, Kharait, Ujagjama and Chadhgebrikar (Kullu), Shunto (Lahaul & Spiti), and Dangi (Chamba). In Sirmaur and Mahusa regions a woman dances in high spirits and the whole lot of audience are totally entralled by her vivacious performance.
Cuisine of Himachal Pradesh
No discussion about culture is complete without giving due mentioning of its cuisine Himalayan cuisine follows the North Indian style. It is noteworthy unlike all the states of the North India; vegetarian`s dishes are no less significant. Dal-chawal and sabzi-roti are savored by a huge populace along with rice, lentils. Vegetables like potatoes, turnips, drumstick, and gourds are items enlisted as the favourite eatables for the Himachalis. Gradually, green vegetables are creating their grandness felt by the veggies. The people of Himachal Pradesh prefer non- vegetarian dishes. Pateer, Chouck, Bhagjery are the delicacies developed by the locales. Like any other North Indian foodies , pickles and chutneys are inevitable in any Himachali meals and the chutney especially those prepared from Til actually gives a boost to the appetite of the people.
Lifestyle of Himachal Pradesh
Due to the cushioning of the region with rugged Himalayan mountains , rivers , forests , it is free from any cultural imperialism .The culture of Himachal Pradesh is nicely shaped by the simplicity and traditional customs of the people and the way they lead lives. However, the amazing scenery meets the satisfaction of the visitors and they fall in love with the place and its people. Tourism industry has flourished in leaps and bounds over the decade. The hill tops are jammed with numerous hotels and restaurants. People of Himachal Pradesh belong mainly to the agrarian communities and lead a simple , hassle free life. With the changing times the locales are getting proper education and are therefore shifting to other professions. Hindi is the state language. However many people speak Pahari. Pahari itself has numerous dialects and these had their origin in the Sanskrit language. Other languages spoken by the people are Kangri, Kinnauri, Hindi, Punjabi, Pahari and Dogri.
Handicrafts of Himachal Pradesh
The Himachal is applauded for its exclusive pieces of arts and handicrafts. Pashmina shawl and the colourful Himalayan caps are in demand in overseas also. A tribe specifically Dom is proficient in developing bamboo items like boxes, sofas, chairs, baskets and rack Threading, pictures, wooden potteries, carving are part and parcel of Himachal region. The metal wares include the attractive utensils, ritualistic vessels, silver jewellery, and idols. Wood is used in Himachal in the construction of temples, homes, idols etc. Wide variety of architectural works, temples, objects, museums, shops, galleries chastised every tourist. Woman of Kulu, Sirmaur, Kinnaur, Pangwati and Bharmor region wear attractive jewellery .In fact Himachali women are not adorable and beautiful , they are hard working also. With lots of enthusiasm, they participated in making pottery and men in carpentry.
Culture of Himachal Pradesh is unique and down the ages the people took the pains to preserve their own ethnicity and tradition along with adding the requisite alterations, not loosing the spirit and vibrancy in the manifesting of its cultural elements.
