Taragarh Palace, Palampur

Taragarh Palace is situated on a 15 acre forested estate surrounded by tea gardens in the Kangra valley, one of the most scenic and unexplored areas of Himachal Pradesh. It was built in 1931 by the Nawab of Bahawalpur who wanted a large European-style summer residence.  He laid out lush gardens, built a glass pleasure pavilion and a mosque and christened his country palace Al Hilal (The Crescent Moon).

Getting There

Air : Delhi – Kangra, airport is 58km from the Palace 

Rail : Amritsar Swarn Shatabadi to Jalandhar, thereafter a drive of 195 km which is about 4 1/2 hrs. Delhi – Chandigarh and thereafter by road. Delhi – Pathankot by Kangra Queen, thereafter a 11km drive from the railway station to the Palace which takes 15 minutes. Pathankot to Taragarh is 125 km which is about a 3 hrs. drive 

Road : Delhi – Taragarh, 530 km. You can drive via Chandigarh – Ropar – Nangal – Una – Kangra – Palampur or via Chandigarh – Kiratpur Saheb – Bilaspur – Mandi – Joginder Nagar – Baijnath 

Some important road distances. 

Delhi           530  KMS
Ludhiana     300  KMS
Palampur      11  KMS
Chandigarh 270  KMS
Pathankot   125  KMS

International Airport: New Delhi-520 kms
Domestic Airport: Chandigarh-270 kms
Railway Station:Chandigarh-270 kms
Bus Depot:Palampur-11 kms
City Center:Dharamshala-60 kms

Things to do

Dharamsala: This hill resort, once very popular with the British, is today the residence and headquarters of His Holiness the Dalai Lama who set up his government in exile at Mcleodgunj. The town rises in levels up the hill from 1250 m to 2000 m with the dramatic peaks of the Dhauladhar rising above. In the colourful Tibetan township are the newly-built Gelugpa monastery and a school for Tibetan culture with an excellent library. The little shops sell Tibetan crafts and there are several restaurants that serve Tibetan food. A little higher up the ridge is the pretty church of St. John with beautiful stained glass windows and the grave of a former Viceroy Lord Elgin in its churchyard.

Around Dharamsala, there are a number of lovely walks with a marvellous view of the mountains – some of these lead to picturesque picnic spots.

Tashijong monastery : With a commanding view of the Kangra valley, this monastery is one of the several built after the Dalai Lama settled here. Tashijong also promotes arts like carpet weaving, tankha painting and block printing and runs a school for young Tibetan children.

Tea gardens : For the nature lovers there are interesting walks through the tea gardens on the slopes of the surrounding hills where one can see the cheerful hill people at work.

Sobha Singh Art Gallery : Sobha Singh, a Sikh artist lived here in the 1950s and 60s and later became known for his paintings of the romantic legends of Sohni Mahiwal and Hir Ranja and other religious paintings. Most of his original work is still displayed here.

The Andretta Pottery Society : Specialises in ethnic clay pottery and holds classes for students.

Baijnath temple : This ancient Shiva temple is one of the oldest in the country and is believed to date back to the epic Mahabharata. It has a tall shikhara, fine sculpture and carved pillars.

Jwalamukhi temple :A popular centre of pilgrimage for several centuries, this picturesquely located temple is considered among the most sacred in northern India. There is no idol in this temple, and the constantly burning flame is considered a manifestation of the goddess.

Chamunda Devi temple : Located on the banks of the Baner river, with the backdrop of the Dhauladhar mountains, is the temple dedicated to Goddess Chamunda who, it is believed, has the power to grant the wishes of those who worship here. Behind the temple is a cave where a natural stone 'lingam' is worshipped as a manifestation of Shiva.

Adventure activities:
Trekking: Treks of varying intensities ranging from 6 to 17 days can be organised on the following known routes:
Taragarh-Bir-Jatingri-Taragarh (6 days)
Bir-Billing-Plachak-Thamsar Jot-Base-RajGundha-Billing-Bir (9 days)
Kangra-Kulu (12 days)
Kangra-Manali via Barabanghal (17 days)

Hang gliding: Billing is said to be one of the finest sites for hang gliding in the world. It is the site for the international hang gliding and para gliding competitions held every year organised by Himachal Tourism.

Jungle camp: For the traveller with a budget, there are six fully furnished Swiss tents with attached bathrooms and running water designed as camps in the wilderness. The guests here have the use of all the facilities of the hotel. Open seasonally from: 1st October to 30th June 

Eating

Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines are served.

Facilities

Conference Facilities
Sauna
Gym
Doctor on call
Multi cuisine Imperial Dinning hall
Swimming Pool
Tennis
Telephone
Television
Tea/Coffee Maker
Badminton
Carom
Bridge and cards table