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Sikh Pilgrimage in Himachal Pradesh
The Sikhs came to the Shivalik Hills, in Himachal Pradesh in
1695, at the invitation of the ruler of Sirmaur, to help him
fight the Mughals. Guru Gobind Singh with his army, settled in
Paonta Sahib in the foothills. During the reign of Maharaja
Ranjit Singh, at the end of the 18th century, many of the
western hill states also came under Sikh sovereignty. |
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Manikaran
The serene location and the seemingly mysterious hot springs
made Manikaran in Kullu, a place of pilgrimage in earlier
times. Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs, visited this
place to spend time in meditation. A Gurudwara that was built
to commemorate his visit, is now a place of pilgrimage for the
Sikhs.
Christian Pilgrimage in Himachal Pradesh
Christianity made a late appearance in Himachal Pradesh, after
the arrival of the British. The churches here are not more
than 150 years old. Tall churches-the relics of the Raj, are
found mainly in the small hill stations that the British
created as summer retreats.
Kasauli
Still unspoiled and very much as the British left it fifty
years ago, Kasauli (Solan) has a fine old church. The Christ
Church, is a typically Anglican structure of the period. Its
foundation stone was laid in 1844. Well proportioned, its
spires, buttresses and gothic arches are framed against the
stately deodars.
Shimla
The Christ Church, with its tall spire dominates the ridge in
Shimla. This imposing structure is visible from as far away as
Tara Devi, 8 km away. It was built in 1844, when Shimla was
slowly coming into its own as the premier hill station of
India. The Christ Church was designed to accommodate the
entire Shimla congregation. Various memorials and stained
glass windows fill the somber interior with colour and light.
The first Catholic edifice of Shimla, St. Michael's Church,
was built in 1850, at the western end of the Lower Bazaar.
Later additions have made it an unusual piece of architecture.
Inside the church are five marble altars, all brought from
Italy in 1855 and fine stained glass windows.
Dharamshala
The stone church of St. John lies on a motorable road between
Mcleodganj and Forsyteganj, about 8 kms. from Lower
Dharamshala (Kangra). It has a monument of Lord Elgin, one of
the viceroys of India, who died in Dharamshala and was buried
here.
Dalhousie
Dalhousie is another hill station with a number of old
churches. The church near the G.P.O. looks untouched by time.
It has an angular roof of inter-leafed hexagonal slates. The
Catholic church of St. Francis, built in 1894, is set against
a backdrop of tall pines overlooking the Subash Chowk. |
