Куллу: Округ в штате Химачал-Прадеш, Индия

District of Himachal Pradesh, India

Kullu is a district in Himachal Pradesh, India. It borders Shimla district to the south, Mandi and Kangra districts to the west, Kinnaur to the east and the Lahaul and Spiti district to the north and east. The largest valley in this mountainous district is the Kullu Valley. The Kullu valley follows the course of the Beas River, and ranges from an elevation of 833m above sea level at Aut to 3330m above sea level at the Atal Tunnel South Portal, below the Rohtang Pass. The town of Kullu, located on the right side of the Beas River, serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district. The Kullu district also incorporates several riverine tributary valleys of the Beas, including those of the Parvati, Sainj, and Tirthan rivers, and thus some regions somewhat distant from the Kullu valley. The economy of the district relies mainly on horticulture, agriculture, tourism, and traditional handicrafts.

The ancient seat of the kings of the kingdom of Kullu was the Naggar Castle, about 12 km north of the present day town of Kullu, and was thought to have been built in the late 15th century. Raja Jagat Singh (who ruled Kullu between 1637–72) moved the capital in the middle of the 17th century from Naggar to Sultanpur, within today's Kullu town. Kullu ended being an independent kingdom upon the invasion by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839. Following, in turn, the takeover of the Sikh Empire by the British Empire, Kullu was ceded by the Sikhs to the British in 1846, whereupon it became a tehsil of the British administered Kangra district (in turn a part of the Punjab Province, British India). The head of Kullu's royal family had been granted the Waziri Rupi by the Sikh emperor along with the title 'Rai', and this continued throughout the British period. The Rupi Palace in Sultanpur is still used as home by the descendants of Kullu's royal family. Kullu became a district of Punjab in 1963, and on November 1, 1966, it became a district of Himachal Pradesh, through the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966.

According to the 2011 census Kullu district has a population of 437,903, roughly equal to the nation of Malta. This gives it a ranking of 553rd in India (out of a total of 640).

Electorally, at the State level, Kullu contains four of the 68 assembly constituencies of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, namely Manali, Kullu, Banjar, and Anni. At the Central level, Kullu is a part of the Mandi Lok Sabha Constituency, one of the four such constituencies that represent the state of Himachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha.

The main highway running through the Kullu district is the National Highway 3, formerly known as National Highway 21. The segment of this highway through the Kullu district begins at Aut and ends at the Atal Tunnel. This highway runs in a roughly south north direction. To evade the usually heavy traffic between Kullu and Manali, one can take the road along the left bank of the Beas River at Kullu, so as to arrive in Manali via Naggar.

The Kullu district has an airport at Bhuntar, capable of accommodating small aircraft. There are helipads at Manali, Palchan, Kullu (Dhalpur ground), and Naggar.

The Kullu district is not connected through railways.

Agriculture and horticulture are the predominant sources of livelihood in the Kullu district. Wheat, maize, vegetables, and garlic are the main crops grown. Most agriculture in this mountainous district is done in the form of terrace farming. Most of this agricultural activity is subsistence level. Horticulture, particularly apple farming, has been more profitable in Kullu district. But both these activities are being negatively influenced by climate change. Cannabis farming has also been a lucrative though illegal source of income in the district, particularly since the 1980s. No major minerals are found in the district. Some valleys in the district contain historic seasonal migration routes of the Gaddi and Gujjar transhumant communities. Tourism is a major source livelihood at many places in the Kullu district, in the form of hotels, homestays, restaurants, travel agencies, shops, dhabas, guiding services, cooks, porters, and taxi services. Tourism has had a major ecological footprint in the district. The handloom based production and sale of Kullu shawls is also important in some parts of the Kullu district. Service sector industries, in field such as tourism, education, floriculture, and livestock and poultry farming have a good scope of growth in the district. There is no large scale industry in the Kullu district. Geographic constraints and difficulty of access inhibit the growth of industries in the Kullu district.

Particularly since the onset of the unrest in Kashmir in the 1980s, the Kullu region has gained in significance as a tourist destination. The Kullu valley is known as the "Valley of the Gods" or "Dev Bhumi" because almost every village in the valley has a local deity and annual festivities around them. The following is a non exhaustive list of historical, cultural, religious, scenic, and ecological places of interest in the Kullu district.

Kullu Dussehra The Kullu region is known for its unique celebration of the Dussehra festival in the Dhalpur grounds. The origins of Kullu's version of Dussehra lie in the mid seventeenth century. It typically takes place in the month of October, which overlaps with the traditional period of the white lunar half of the month of Ashvin. It includes a rath yatra, a week long congregation of deities from all parts of the Kullu region (including distant parts such as Banjar and Nirmand), a series of cultural performances, and a large fair that lasts several weeks. Pipal Jatar This is a spring festival celebrated towards the end of April every year, with a large fair held in Kullu's Dhalpur ground.

Angling/Fishing The Kullu valley has numerous places for trout fishing. These include Katrain, Raison, Kasol and Naggar, then along the river Tirthan near Larji, in the Sainj Valley and in the Hurla khud. Mountaineering People interested in mountaineering can take basic to instructor level training at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports. The district has several peaks popular with mountaineers, such as Hanuman Tibba, Papsura, and Indrasan. Paragliding Paragliding is offered at certain sites in the Kullu valley, such as Dobhi and Solang valley. However, there have been several fatal accidents in this sport in Kullu valley. Rafting White water rafting is popular as a tourist activity on the Beas river. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports also offers courses in rafting and kayaking. Rock climbing and bouldering In recent years, several places near Manali, such as Sethan and Aleo, have emerged as popular rock climbing and bouldering sites. Skiing, heli skiing, and snowboarding These winter sports are possible in areas near Manali, such as the slopes of Solang valley and Hamta. Trekking The district possesses numerous trekking routes, with possibilities ranging from single day hikes to multi day treks. Some popular multi day treks are the Bhrigu Lake trek; the Chandrakhani Pass to Malana trek, and the Pin Parvati Pass trek. The Great Himalayan National Park also has several moderate to strenuous trekking routes.