Kullu district () is a district in Himachal Pradesh, India. It borders Shimla district to the south, Mandi and Kangra districts to the west, Kinnaur to the east and the Lahaul and Spiti district to the north and east. The largest valley in this mountainous district is the Kullu Valley, which follows the course of the Beas River, and ranges in elevation from at Aut to at the Atal Tunnel South Portal, below Rohtang Pass. The town of Kullu, located on the right side of the Beas River, serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district. The Kullu district also incorporates several riverine tributary valleys of the Beas, including those of the Parvati, Sainj, and Tirthan rivers, and thus some regions somewhat distant from the Kullu valley. The economy of the district relies mainly on horticulture, agriculture, tourism, and traditional handicrafts. Kullu district is part of the geographical, historical and cultural Mahasu region.
History
The ancient seat of the kings of the kingdom of Kullu was the Naggar Castle, about 12 km north of the present-day town of Kullu, and was thought to have been built in the late 15th century. Raja Jagat Singh (who ruled Kullu between 1637–72) moved the capital in the middle of the 17th century from Naggar to Sultanpur, within today's Kullu town.
Kullu ended being an independent kingdom upon the invasion by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839. Following, in turn, the takeover of the Sikh Empire by the British Empire, Kullu was ceded by the Sikhs to the British in 1846, whereupon it became a tehsil of the British-administered Kangra district (in turn a part of the Punjab Province, British India). The head of Kullu's royal family had been granted the Waziri Rupi by the Sikh emperor along with the title 'Rai', and this continued throughout the British period. Naggar Castle was exchanged by Raja Gyan Singh of Kullu for a rifle with Major Hay, the first Assistant Commissioner of the then-newly acquired British territory of Kullu. The Rupi Palace in Sultanpur is still used as home by the descendants of Kullu's royal family.
Upon the Independence of India, until 1960, Lahaul and Spiti continued being parts of the Kullu tehsil, as had also been the case during the British rule. In 1960, Lahaul and Spiti became a separate district. Kullu became a district of Punjab in 1963, and on November 1, 1966, it became a district of Himachal Pradesh, through the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966.
Since the British times, the various government offices and other government institutions built around the Dhalpur grounds, in the heart of the Kullu town, have formed the nerve centre of the district administration in Kullu district.
Demographics Population According to the 2011 census Kullu district has a population of 437,903, roughly equal to the nation of Malta. This gives it a ranking of 553rd in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 14.65%. Kullu has a sex ratio of 942 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 80.14%. 9.45% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 28.01% and 3.84% of the population respectively.
Language At the time of the 2011 census, census, 44% of the population in the district declared Kullui as their first language, 23% opted for Pahari, 10% chose Seraji, 7.8% – Hindi, 3.2% – Mandeali, 2.5% – Nepali, 2.3% – Lahauli, 0.92% – Punjabi, 0.87% – Kangri, 0.84% – Kinnauri, and 0.41% – Tibetan.
Religion
Administrative The administrative headquarters of the Kullu district lies at Kullu. The Kullu district has the following administrative divisions: Development Blocks: Kullu, Naggar, Banjar, Anni, Nirmand and Bhuntar Tehsils in Kullu: Kullu, Banjar, Manali, Anni, Nirmand, Bhuntar(Kullu) and Sainj(Banjar) Sub-Tehsils in Kullu: Jari(Kullu) and Nithar(Nirmand) Panchayat Samities: Kullu, Naggar, Banjar, Anni & Nirmand Gram Panchayats: 70 in Kullu tehsil, 40 in Naggar tehsil, 36 in Banjar tehsil, 32 in Anni tehsil, 26 in Nirmand tehsil. Zila Parishad: 1 (Kullu) Nagar Parishad: 2 (Kullu and Manali) Nagar Panchayats: 2 (Bhuntar and Banjar)
Politics Electorally, at the State level, Kullu contains four of the 68 assembly constituencies of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, namely Manali, Kullu, Banjar, and Anni.
At the Central level, Kullu is a part of the Mandi Lok Sabha Constituency, one of the four such constituencies that represent the state of Himachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha.
Transport
By road The main highway running through the Kullu district is the National Highway 3, formerly known as National Highway 21. The segment of this highway through the Kullu district begins at Aut and ends at the Atal Tunnel. This highway runs in a roughly south-north direction. To evade the usually heavy traffic between Kullu and Manali, one can take the road along the left bank of the Beas River at Kullu, so as to arrive in Manali via Naggar.
By air The Kullu district has an airport at Bhuntar, capable of accommodating small aircraft. There are helipads at Manali, Palchan, Kullu (Dhalpur ground), and Naggar.
By railway The Kullu district is not connected through railways.
Economy Agriculture and horticulture are the predominant sources of livelihood in the Kullu district. Wheat, maize, vegetables, and garlic are the main crops grown. Most agriculture in this mountainous district is done in the form of terrace farming. Most of this agricultural activity is subsistence level. Horticulture, particularly apple farming, has been more profitable in Kullu district. But both these activities are being negatively influenced by climate change. Cannabis farming has also been a lucrative though illegal source of income in the district, particularly since the 1980s. Forests play an important role in securing local livelihoods in the Kullu district, in the form of timber and various non-timber forest products. The district is also rich in medicinal herbs. No major minerals are found in the district. However, the district is rich in hydroelectric potential, and has several major hydroelectric projects, including the Parbati hydroelectric project. Some valleys in the district contain historic seasonal migration routes of the Gaddi and Gujjar transhumant communities. Tourism is a major source livelihood at many places in the Kullu district, in the form of hotels, homestays, restaurants, travel agencies, shops, dhabas, guiding services, cooks, porters, and taxi services. Tourism has had a major ecological footprint in the district. The handloom-based production and sale of Kullu shawls is also important in some parts of the Kullu district. Service sector industries, in field such as tourism, education, floriculture, and livestock and poultry farming have a good scope of growth in the district. There is no large-scale industry in the Kullu district. Geographic constraints and difficulty of access inhibit the growth of industries in the Kullu district.
Institutions for Himalayan knowledge [This section does not cover the schools, colleges, and universities of Kullu district.]
The Kullu district is rich in both ecological wealth and cultural and historical heritage. At the same time, Kullu is not far from regions such as the Trans-Himalayas and Tibet, and lies on an important historic trade route from Punjab to Ladakh and Central Asia. In modern times, these features of the Kullu valley have drawn many researchers, scientists, artists, and seekers of other kinds to it.
The Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute was the first institution in the Kullu region, dedicated to research on various sciences and mysticism in the Himalayas. The Roerich family established this centre in 1928 at Naggar upon their return from their Central-Asian Expedition. By World War II, the institute had become defunct. Nonetheless, the site of the former institute, a part of the Roerich estate in Naggar, continues to operate a library and some exhibitions.
The Himalayan Institute of Cultural and Heritage Studies (HICHS), founded by Dr. Sonali Gupta, was based in Katrain village, 30 km north of Kullu, until early 2023. This institution used to offer curated heritage walks in the Kullu valley; conducted on-site and online courses related to Himalayan cultures, religions, iconography, and architecture, and hosted weekly online talks by scholars and artists from India and around the world whose work featured the Himalayas. In 2023, the institute relocated to Bigri village near Dhami, Shimla district.
At present, there are two institutions in Kullu that are active in generating and preserving Himalaya-specific knowledge:
Himalayan Regional Centre of the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development - This institution is based in Mohal, about 6 km south of Kullu. It was established in Kullu in 1992, and shifted to Mohal in 1993. This government institution conducts research and informs policy on various issues related to climate change, mountain ecology, traditional ecological knowledge, and rural livelihoods. Himachal Pradesh Craftsmanship and Design Innovation Institute NORTH - This institute is based in Naggar, 22 km north of Kullu. It was established in 2017. This institution works to preserve Kullu's traditional kathkuni architectural style.
Attractions
Particularly since the onset of the unrest in Kashmir in the 1980s, the Kullu region has gained in significance as a tourist destination. The Kullu valley is known as the "Valley of the Gods" or "Dev Bhumi" because almost every village in the valley has a local deity and annual festivities around them. The following is a non-exhaustive list of historical, cultural, religious, scenic, and ecological places of interest in the Kullu district.
Places of interest Basheshwar Mahadev Temple - This Shiva temple at Bajaura is made completely out of stone in the Shikhara style, and is renowned for its intricate sculpture art. Archeologically, the temple is dated to around the early 9th century A.D. In local belief, this temple is believed to have been built by the Pandavas. Bhuti Weavers Co-operative Society - This society is involved in the Kullu shawl industry. It was set up in 1944. Its main office and showroom are located at the Bhutti Colony in Shamshi, about 8 km south of Kullu. Bijli Mahadev Temple - It is located at 2,435 meters from sea level and is about from Kullu. The staff of the temple is 60 feet high and can be seen from the Kullu valley too. It is the highest point around Kullu from where there are views of the whole town. Chaini Kothi - A 35 meters-high tower built in the Kathkuni style, built originally as a defensive structure and from later on used as a temple for a Jogini. It dates to the 17th century. It is located in the Tirthan valley near Banjar. Dagpo Shedrup Ling monastery - This Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Gelug school is located in village Kais, 8 km north from Kullu. It was inaugurated in 2005 by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. This monastery is a continuation of the Dagpo Dratsang monastery in southeastern Tibet, which was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Dechen Choekhor monastery - This Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Drukpa Kagyu school is located in village Sarabhai, 13 km south from Kullu. Its construction was started in 2000 and completed in 2017. It is a continuation of a monastery of the same name in Tibet, which was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) -This national park is spread over in Banjar sub-division of Kullu District. The park is drained by the Sainj, Tirthan, Jiwa Nala, and Parvati rivers. It is home to many different and often rare kinds of birds, mammals, insects, and vegetation. The park was created in 1984 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. Entering the Park requires permits.