The grassy meadow of Khajjiar is situated at a distance of approximately 22 km from Dalhousie and 23 from Chamba. 1.5 km long and 1.0 km broad, this tiny town is shaped like a saucer and has seven emerald-turf meadows surrounded by dense pine and deodar and high mountains. It even has a small lake that is fed by streams flowing through the spongy green carpet of Khajjiar. Often known as 'Gulmarg of Himachal Pradesh', it has been aptly described by Hutchinson as - "Khajjiar is a forest glade of great beauty, 6,400 feet above sea level".
In 1992, Mr. Willy T. Blazer, Vice Counselor and Head of Chancery of Switzerland in India, named Khajjiar 'Mini Switzerland of India' and put a signboard of a yellow Swiss hiking footpath that displays the distance of Khajjiar from the Swiss capital 'Berne' as 6,194 km. With this, Khajjiar became one of the 160 locations in the world that resemble the topography of Switzerland and one of its stones became the part of the stone collage around the Swiss Parliament, which represents Khajjiar as the 'Mini Switzerland of India'.
Khajjiar was a part of the erstwhile state of the Rajput rulers of Chamba. In the 6th century, it served as the capital of the Chamba rulers. Thereafter, it was taken over by the Mughals, from which the rule passed over to various Sikh kingdoms. Finally, British control was established over Khajiar and with the independence, the hill station became a part of the state of Himachal Pradesh. The picturesque beauty of the place, along with its nine-hole golf course, has given a boost of its travel and tourism industry.
Places to See:
Khajinag Temple (Golden Devi Temple)
The town of Khajjiar has been named after its ancient temple of Khajinag. Situated near the famous Khajjiar Lake, this temple dates back to as far back as the 12th century. The temple stands adorned with a golden dome and spire, which has led to the temple often being called as the 'Golden Devi' temple. It has wooden sanctum with intricate carvings. The 'mandapam' of Khajinag Temple has images of the Pandavas and the defeated Kaurvas, seen on the roof of the circumambulatory path of the temple. The temple attracts many devotees and tourists alike.
Khajjiar Lake is a small lake, surrounded by saucer-shaped lush green meadow and a floating island. The dense growth of weed called 'vacha' has made its earth spongy. Now the banks stand covered by a thick layer of earth, formed by the years of dust settling down on the weeds.
Golf Course
One of the major attractions of Khajjiar is its huge nine-hole golf course. People visiting the valley of Chamba make sure to visit Khajjiar and enjoy the sport for a while............
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