Солан қаласы: Үндістанның саңырауқұлақ және қызыл алтын қаласы

A city in Himachal Pradesh, India

the town in India

Solan is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of Solan district. It is located south of the state capital, Shimla. Solan has an average elevation of The city is situated between Chandigarh (joint capital of Punjab and Haryana) and Shimla (state capital) on the Kalka Shimla National Highway 5. The narrow gauge Kalka Shimla railway passes through Solan. Located on the Punjab Himachal Border, Solan is nestled in the Shivalik hills of the Himalayas. Solan was originally the capital of the princely state, Baghat. A defining feature of Solan, is its ancient temples and monasteries. The Shoolini Mata Temple and Jatoli Shiv Temple are popular attractions for tourists. One of the most famous monasteries in this region is the Yundung Monastery. The hill town is named after the Hindu goddess Shoolini Devi ~ who is a manifestation of Goddess Durga in Her warrior aspect. Shoolini, when translated literally, means 'the goddess wielding the spear'. Every year in June, a fair venerating the Goddess is held, featuring a 3 day melā at the central Thodo ground. Solan is known for the production of quality mushrooms, as a result of the vast mushroom farming in the area, as well as the Directorate of Mushroom Research (DMR) situated at Chambaghat. Due to this fact, Solan is also known as the "Mushroom City of India". Solan is also called the "City of Red Gold", due to the bulk production of tomatoes in the area. In 1815, British won Baghat state (now Solan) from the Gurkhas. Gurkha fort, or Arki Fort, is still standing tall on a mountain near to the city of Solan, and it is one of the historic tourist attractions of Solan. The town has been a capital of the princely Baghat State. The word Baghat is derived from Bau, or Bahu, meaning "many", and Ghat, meaning "pass". Initially, the state headquarters of the Baghat State was located at Bhoch in the Bhuchali pargana. The headquarters of the state was shifted to Solan, after the construction of cantonment in the city; the railway was set up in 1902. The evolution of Solan city can be understood in the following order or sequence:
Establishment of a cantonment area at Solan by Brits. Establishing a brewery in Solan in 1855, due to availability of excellent quality mineral water. Shifting of the headquarters of Baghat State from Bhoch to Solan. Start of Kalka Shimla rail line in 1902. Start of transportation activity on Kalka Solan Shimla road. The urban local body, i. e. Municipal Council Solan, came into existence in 1950. Solan became an independent district on 1 September 1972, and the town of Solan became the district headquarters. The Barog railway station. Hari Mandir, a famous Lord Krishna temple. The railway station and the railway rest house at Salogra. The DC residence on Shilly road. Anees villa, ancestral home of Salman Rushdie Shilly road near DC residence. S. E., PWD office which used to be a durbar hall of Baghat State. Old guest house in the palace of Baghat state. Khalifa lodge (now the JBT college running in it). Kishan Niwas and Hill View on circular road. It has an average elevation of 1502 metres (5249.34 feet). The highest point is atop Mount Karol, at 2280 metres. Pandava's cave, where Pandavas believed to have meditated during their 12 year exile, is located at the mountain top. Solan gets occasional snowfall during winters. Solan is a base station for the nearby tourist destinations, including Chail, Dagshai, Sabathu, Kandaghat, Kasauli, Rajgarh, Salogra and Churdhar peak.

Situated at an altitude of 1600 metres on an average, Solan can be considered an average temperature hill station. Solan is neither as cold as Shimla, nor as hot as Kalka, as the temperatures hardly rise more than 35 °C (95 °F). That is why it is considered as an ideal station, from a residential point of view. During winters, Solan experiences light snowfall. Temperatures typically range from 4 °C (25 °F) to 34 °C (93 °F) over the course of a year, with record high temperature of 39 °C (102.2 °F).

Solan is a hub of horticulture produce marketing. Tomatoes, plums, apricots, kiwi, apples, and seasonal vegetables constitutes major economic activity for the town. There is a large complex on Saproon bypass, which houses a vegetables and fruits market. Mushrooms are widely grown in town, and contribute to the economy of the inhabitants. Tourism contributes to the economy of Solan. People from other places visit Solan to use the health, educational, commercial and other infrastructure available. They contribute in the economy of the city.

Salwar suit is the main ethnic wear all over Solan District. Other common dresses are also worn by ladies, whereas men have no specific traditional dress. Ghaghra choli is a traditional dress for women in Solan. However, it is not as common, and it can be seen only during specific cultural dance events. When it comes to traditional ornaments, women wear 9 Ladi Haar (a nine strand necklace), Chaak (a golden ornament worn on the head), and gajru (heavy silver bracelets). Pahari giddha, or paruhan, is the traditional dance of the Solan district. This dance is originally from Kunihar, a small town in the Solan district, which can be considered a cultural village of the Solan district. This dance is performed by group of women, to fast paced traditional songs. A historical dance, called Thoda, is also performed during the Shoolini melā every year in the month of June. The Thoda dance is a dance performed based on archery; bows and arrows are used in this dance. People also perform Nati, which is the traditional dance form of most of the Himachalis. People wear the cultural outfits rejta and dhaatu while performing Nati.

The Solan planning area contains Chil, Ban, and Kail, mainly deodar cedar and pine trees in the city. Oak forests are also at higher elevations around moist locations. Places like Chail is the most predominant one for different species of vegetation. Besides the indigenous vegetation, there are ornamental and alien plantations too. It consists of silver oak, jhakranda, bottle brush, weeping willows, kachnar, grasses, etc.