Kullu Valley

 Kullu is a famous tourist destination in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Earlier known as Kullantipeetha, the town of Kullu has its several references in Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Hindu scriptures. Kullu is regarded as the oldest state valley after Kashmir and Kangra valley. According to Mythology Manu landed at a place in the Kullu region and lived there the next some days. That particular place of his abode is presently known as Manali which is believed to be come from the name Manualaya which literally means the home of Manu.

Kullu valley was once a significant place for Buddhist. It once contained a Buddhist Stupa built by Ashoka. The region also was home to twenty Buddhist monasteries with more than one thousand monks. There were also some fifteen Hindu temples which suggest that the people of both communities were coexisting there peacefully.

Prior to the rule of British the region was under the control of Pal dynasty who revered the goddess Hidimba. Presently the goddess is worshipped as the main deity of the region. It was in 1846 that the region was annexed to British kingdom. British continued to rule the region until India got independence in 1947. After the independence Kullu earlier was the subdivision of Kangra district. In the year 1963 Kullu was made a separate district. Kullu was earlier in Punjab state and it was in the year 1966 that Kullu was included in the state of Himachal Pradesh.