Nahan is a picturesque, clean and dust free town situated on an isolated ridge in the Shiwalik hills, overlooking greenfields. The city was founded as a capital by Raja Karan Prakash in 1621. There is a story of a saint who lived amicably with a ‘Nahar’ meaning lion, on the site where the Nahan palace now stands, and hence the name of the town. Nahan situated at an altitude of 932 meters, and makes a good base for visits to the surrounding areas – Paonta Sahib, Trilokpur temple, and Dhaula Kuan.
The hub of Nahan’s activities is Chaugan, Bikram Bagh and Khadar-Ka-Bagh. Gift shops, Rosin & Turpine factory and local temples line the place. Bawan Dwadashi is an important festival in Nahan when towards the end of the monsoon, fifty two idols of the local gods are carried in procession to Jagannath temple where they are floated ceremoniously in a pool and worship is offered. In the heart of Nahan town is Rani Tal, where a large temple and a tank from the days of ex-rulers of Sirmaur State can be seen. Birds like ducks and storks are seen playing in the Ranital Tank, and the Ranital Garden further adds to the charm.
Another place worth visiting is Trilokpur, which was built in 1573 by Raja Dip Prakash. It is situated at a distance of 23 km from Nahan and 6 km from Kala Amb, the gateway to Nahan from Haryana. Trilokpur is a place of great religious importance, housing the temple of the goddess Mahamaya Balasundri which is very famous and attracts lakhs of pilgrims from all over Northern India. A fair is held twice a year during the Navratri in March/April and September/October when a large number of devotees visit this temple and pay their respects to the goddess.
Dhaula Kuan, 20 km from Nahan, prides itself with a sprawling orchard of citrus plants and mangoes, and a fruit processing factory manufacturing various kinds of juices, jams, pickles and canned fruits. Kastasan Devi temple, a little away from Dhaula Kuanwas built in gratitude by Raja Jagat Singh to commemorate his victory over the army of Rulam Quadir Rohilla in a great battle. Dhaula Kuan also has a research station of HP Agricultural University where useful research on tropical fruits is carried out.
Paonta Sahib is a sacred town built in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. The name of the city ‘Paonta’ is derived from the fact that the Sikh Guru had set foot on that soil. Paonta Sahib is a bustling township with growing industries. It is one of the important holy places for the Sikhs. It retains tangible memories of Guru Gobind Singh in the form of his weapons and a majestic Gurudwara.
Best time to go: Throughout the year
Distance from Delhi: 272 km