Solan
Encyclopedia
Solan is a town and a municipal council
in Solan district
in the India
n state
of Himachal Pradesh
. It is located 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of state capital Shimla
. The place is named after the Hindu goddess Shoolini devi
. Solan was the capital of erstwhile princely state
, Bhagat. It is known as the "Mushroom city of India" because of the mushroom centre situated at Chambaghat, and the vast mushroom farming in the area.
The town is situated between Chandigarh
(joint capital of Punjab
and Harayana) and Shimla
(state capial), on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway-22. The Kalka
-Shimla narrow gauge heritage railway line, built by the British passes through Solan.
s (4812 feet). The highest point is atop Mount Karol from where the transmission tower at Kasauli
is visible. Pandava's
cave, where Pandavas believed to have meditated, is located near the mountain top. Solan gets light snowfall in the winters.
The town is surrounded by high hills. The eastern side of the town is covered by Matiul peak which is approximately 1986 metres (6,516 ft) high. The 2000 metres (6,562 ft) high Karol peak is located on the Northern side of the town. Since Solan town has abundance of hill formations, only some 30 to 40 percent area is suited for building activity. Steep slopes, forested area, nallah formations, loose and sinking sites forms rest of the area.
Solan is a base station for the nearby tourist destinations including Chail, Dagshai
, Subathu, Kandaghat
and Churdhar peak.
, Solan had a population of 34206. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%, with a sex ratio of 801. Solan has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 80%. In Solan, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
(2 hours journey by bus) and 48 kilometers from Shimla
(1 hours journey by bus). There are a total of 44 railway tunnels up to Solan.
The Kalka-Shimla Railway
was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the World Heritage Site Mountain Railways of India
Kalka Shimla rail journey is breath taking experience and one should experience it.
on July 7, 2008.
of Solan known by the name of Nalagarh is also known as the Pharma Hub as after the introduction of Special Subsidies by the Prime Minister of India in the year 1999. Many major Indian companies came and established their units out here.
Solan is also developing as education hub of Himachal Pradesh.
-Nalagarh
-Barotiwala Industrial areas which belong to Solan District
and the well known Mohan Meakin Breweries, the Solan town itself is home to many important industries namely, Himachal Futuristic Communication Ltd, Base terminal Batteries, HFCL (Exicom), Shivalik Bimetal
Controls Ltd., Himalyan Pipe Industries and many more. Solan is home to a large number of Pharmaceutical units too.
Besides the Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry
at Nauni
, other places of interest in Solan include the Shoolini Mata temple, the Jatoli Shiv temple and the Yungdrung Tibet
an Monastery, also near Nauni known as Dolanji approximately 3 k.m. from oachghat .
The picturesque town of Kasauli
is a popular hill-station holiday destination with popular temple devoted to the Hindu god
Shiva
. It is also home to an Army and Air Force base
.
There is also a three hundred year old Gurkha
fort at Nauni, which dates back to the time when the region was ruled by the Gurkhas of Nepal
. The fort is in ruins, but it is strategically located atop a mountain point providing a panoramic view of the entire area.
The proposed ropeway between Chambaghat and Karol is expected to contribute more to the tourism industry of the town.
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
in Solan district
Solan district
Solan district is one of the twelve districts of Himachal Pradesh state in northern India. Solan town is the administrative headquarters of the district...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
. It is located 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of state capital Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
. The place is named after the Hindu goddess Shoolini devi
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
. Solan was the capital of erstwhile princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
, Bhagat. It is known as the "Mushroom city of India" because of the mushroom centre situated at Chambaghat, and the vast mushroom farming in the area.
The town is situated between Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
(joint capital of Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and Harayana) and Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
(state capial), on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway-22. The Kalka
Kalka
Kalka is a town in the Panchkula district of Haryana, India. The name of the town is derived from the goddess Kali. The town is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and is a gateway to the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. It is on the National Highway 22 between Chandigarh and Shimla,...
-Shimla narrow gauge heritage railway line, built by the British passes through Solan.
Geography
Solan is located at 30.92°N 77.12°E. It has an average elevation of 1467 metreMetre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s (4812 feet). The highest point is atop Mount Karol from where the transmission tower at Kasauli
Kasauli
Kasauli is a cantonment and town, located in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The cantonment was established by the British Raj in 1842 as a Colonial hill station, from Shimla, from Chandigarh, and from Panchkula, and lies at a height of .-Demographics:According to the...
is visible. Pandava's
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
cave, where Pandavas believed to have meditated, is located near the mountain top. Solan gets light snowfall in the winters.
The town is surrounded by high hills. The eastern side of the town is covered by Matiul peak which is approximately 1986 metres (6,516 ft) high. The 2000 metres (6,562 ft) high Karol peak is located on the Northern side of the town. Since Solan town has abundance of hill formations, only some 30 to 40 percent area is suited for building activity. Steep slopes, forested area, nallah formations, loose and sinking sites forms rest of the area.
Solan is a base station for the nearby tourist destinations including Chail, Dagshai
Dagshai
Dagshai is one of the oldest cantonment towns in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is situated on top of a 5689 feet high hillock. That stands sphinx like astride the Kalka-Shimla Highway at a point about 11 Km from Solan...
, Subathu, Kandaghat
Kandaghat
Kandaghat is a small town on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway No. 22 in the Solan District of Himachal Pradesh.Kandaghat is located at Latitude : 30.983 Longitude : 77.117. It can be located at . Situated at a height of 1425 metres Kandaghat enjoys moderate climate. The road to the famous tourist...
and Churdhar peak.
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Solan had a population of 34206. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%, with a sex ratio of 801. Solan has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 80%. In Solan, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Transport
Solan is easily accessible by road as well as train. It is 68 kilometers from ChandigarhChandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
(2 hours journey by bus) and 48 kilometers from Shimla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
(1 hours journey by bus). There are a total of 44 railway tunnels up to Solan.
The Kalka-Shimla Railway
Kalka-Shimla Railway
The Kalka–Shimla Railway is a narrow gauge railway in North-West India travelling along a mostly mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla. It is known for breathtaking views of the hills and surrounding villages.- History :...
was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the World Heritage Site Mountain Railways of India
Mountain railways of India
The Mountain Railways of India refer to the five railway lines built in the mountains of India in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, during the British Raj, which are run even today by the Indian Railways...
Kalka Shimla rail journey is breath taking experience and one should experience it.
on July 7, 2008.
Economy
Solan is an industrial hub of Himachal Pradesh. Tourism also contributes to the economy of Solan. One the tehsilTehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
of Solan known by the name of Nalagarh is also known as the Pharma Hub as after the introduction of Special Subsidies by the Prime Minister of India in the year 1999. Many major Indian companies came and established their units out here.
Solan is also developing as education hub of Himachal Pradesh.
Industry
Solan is a fairly Important Industrial town. Apart from the well known BaddiBaddi
Baddi is an industrial town and a Nagar panchayat in the Southwestern Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, a hill state of northern India. The town lies on the border of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana states in the Shivalik Hills, around 35 kilometres west of Solan...
-Nalagarh
Nalagarh
#REDIRECT Target page nameNalagarh is a city and a municipal committee in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj, and known in medieval period as the state of Hindur. It was founded by the Chandella Rajputs in...
-Barotiwala Industrial areas which belong to Solan District
Solan district
Solan district is one of the twelve districts of Himachal Pradesh state in northern India. Solan town is the administrative headquarters of the district...
and the well known Mohan Meakin Breweries, the Solan town itself is home to many important industries namely, Himachal Futuristic Communication Ltd, Base terminal Batteries, HFCL (Exicom), Shivalik Bimetal
Bimetal
Bimetal refers to an object that is composed of two separate metals joined together. Instead of being a mixture of two or more metals, like alloys, bimetallic objects consist of layers of different metals...
Controls Ltd., Himalyan Pipe Industries and many more. Solan is home to a large number of Pharmaceutical units too.
Tourism
Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry
Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in district Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India is the first university of its kind in Asia with an exclusive mandate of education, research and extension in horticulture and forestry. People usually use the short form of the university...
at Nauni
Nauni
Nauni is a small village on the Solan-Rajgarh Road about 15 km from the town of Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. The Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry campus is situated there. The ruins of an old Gorkha fort on the hill can be found overlooking the campus and can be...
, other places of interest in Solan include the Shoolini Mata temple, the Jatoli Shiv temple and the Yungdrung Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an Monastery, also near Nauni known as Dolanji approximately 3 k.m. from oachghat .
The picturesque town of Kasauli
Kasauli
Kasauli is a cantonment and town, located in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The cantonment was established by the British Raj in 1842 as a Colonial hill station, from Shimla, from Chandigarh, and from Panchkula, and lies at a height of .-Demographics:According to the...
is a popular hill-station holiday destination with popular temple devoted to the Hindu god
Hindu deities
Within Hinduism a large number of personal gods are worshipped as murtis. These beings are either aspects of the supreme Brahman, Avatars of the supreme being, or significantly powerful entities known as devas. The exact nature of belief in regards to each deity varies between differing Hindu...
Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. It is also home to an Army and Air Force base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
.
There is also a three hundred year old Gurkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
fort at Nauni, which dates back to the time when the region was ruled by the Gurkhas of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. The fort is in ruins, but it is strategically located atop a mountain point providing a panoramic view of the entire area.
The proposed ropeway between Chambaghat and Karol is expected to contribute more to the tourism industry of the town.