Nahan नाहन
—  town  —
Nahan नाहन Location of Nahan नाहन in Himachal Pradesh and India
Coordinates	30°33′N 77°18′E / 30.55°N 77.3°E / 30.55; 77.3Coordinates: 30°33′N 77°18′E / 30.55°N 77.3°E / 30.55; 77.3
Country	India
State	Himachal Pradesh
District(s)	Sirmaur
Population	26,053(4th) (2005[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 932 metres (3,058 ft)

Nahan नाहन is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District.

Geography[link]

Nahan is located at 30°33′N 77°18′E / 30.55°N 77.3°E / 30.55; 77.3.^[1] It has an average elevation of 920 metre

Demographics[link]

As of 2005^[update] India census,^[2] Nahan had a population of 34,632. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Nahan has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 77%. In Nahan, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Nahan Town[link]

The Fort of Nahan, the capital of princely-state of Sirmur, c.1850

Stamp of Sirmour in 1800s

A well-laid out picturesque town, Nahan is situated on a hill top in the Shiwalik Hills, overlooking green hills. Traditionally, saints and princes are linked with the origin of Nahan. The city was founded as a capital by Raja Karan Prakash in 1621. He was very fond of flying kites and he started a tradition of flying kites on rakshabandhan day - a tradition followed till today. Another version recalls a saint who lived with a companion named Nahar on the site where the Nahan palace now stands. "Nahar" means Don't kill and the town probably takes its name from an incident when a king was trying to kill a lion and the saint said Nahar, that is do not kill it. The name of the saint was Baba Banwari Das.

At an altitude of 932 m, Nahan is a good base for visits to the surrounding areas such as Renuka Lake, Paonta Sahib, Trilokpur temple and the Suketi Fossil Park. It has a pleasant climate throughout the year and is watered by a man-made lake and decorated with temples and gardens. Nahan has got the crown to organize the second Municipal Corporation in India, after Kolkata.

Underground sewerage system in this town is unbeatable and hence it bears the title to be a neat and clean town. Well planned streets make all the long distances calm and traffic free. The narrow fields are used by the pedestrians to move fast on foot to avoid traffic.

The Municipal Corporation Office is also situated near to the Pakka Tank only. The Sirmour district has been extensively criss-crossed by rivers and the streams and most of them having perennial water flow of considerable volume. With the result, fishing on the rivers and streams has been a pretty old past time in the district. The mulle, Masheer, Gid and Mirror cap varietiesare found on large scale, helping in the economic well being of the people.

Industrially, Sirmour district was not much advanced. The first such unit was set up in 1875, which was taken over by the govt.

In 1964 A.D. The Chief items of this foundry were cane crusher, cast iron and black sheet panes flour mills, centrifugal pumps mono-block pump sets and other agricultural implements and accessories. This Foundry was over taken by the Britishers During the British Rule in INDIA. This foundry is situated near famous Kalisthan Temple. Also there is a house opposite to Nahan Foundry which was constructed by Britishers for the general manager of the foundry in 1945, currently in possession of government as Sessions House where the District & Sessions Judge of Nahan resides.

Places of interest[link]

The gentle level walks of Villa Round and Hospital Round(Chakkar Ke Sadak) are evocative of the city's past. The hub of Nahan's activities is Chaugan. The Mall Road is one of the favourite place of the youngsters after the college campus to walk along, specially in evening. Evening walk is one of the most common habit found in the citizens of Nahan. People regularly go for evening walk in the market and on The Mall. People like to meet in market and also visit the homes of friends on regular basis, mostly during this evening walk. Gift shops, Rosin & Turpentine factory and local temples are among the other major attractions. Other places of visit include Markanda ( 8 km from Nahan ), Jamta where,there is situated one Tri-star Hotel named "Grand View Resort" & one Five-star hotel named "The Sirmaur Retreat" where you can "Rest,Relax & Rejuvenate" (10–12 km) and Renuka Ji Lake (35 km) . In the heart of Nahan town is Rani Tal, where a large temple and a water pond from the days of ex-rulers of Sirmaur state can be seen. Ducks and cranes could be seen playing in the Ranital pond, and Ranital Garden further adds to the charm. Pakka Talab is one of the other ponds which has been renovated. A big fountain adds up to the beauty of the Pakka Tank, and the garden seats are being installed. Pakka Tank is also the place to celebrate two most important festivals of the town, that is BamanDwadshi Fair and Gugga Peer Fair. Pakka tank is also well known for its whole sale vegetable market, which is under operation in all the mornings,and recently shifted to Kanshiwalla. The one and only Railway reservation centre of Nahan is also situated in the Panchayat Ghar, Pakka Tank.Gunnu Ghat is the center of the Nahan City. All short-cuts leads to everywhere from this center point.Historical Miyan Ka mandir is very popular and gets good gathering on Krishna janam Ashtmi. In Nahan you can visit one more beautiful place called Shanti Sangam and Tallon and can admire natural beauty.

Famous religious places[link]

• Shiv Ji Temple Saltevni
• Kalisthan Temple
• Jagannath Temple
• Rani Tal Shiv Temple
• Gurudwara Dashmesh Asthaan Nahan
• Shri Krishna Temple, Cantt.
• Miyan Madir
• Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Upper Stre
• Shudh Dhar Shiv Mandir the Famous Place of Sirmour
• Nainidhar Shiv Mandir
• Bhagnari Shiv Mandir
• Sanatan Dharam Mandir
• Mata Balasundari Temple,Hospital Round
• Mehlat

Nearby Places[link]

• Paonta Sahib: 42 km
• Baila : 40 km
• Neherla 20 km
• Kala Amb: 17 km
• Suketi: 21 km
• Trilokpur: 23 km
• Dhaulakuan : 24 km
• Giri Nagar: 27 km
• Renuka: 45 km
• Kotla-Molar: 55 km
• Palnoo: 50 km
• Yamunanagar : 65 km
• Chandigarh  : 90 km
• Sarahan  : 37 km
• Sadhaura : 31 km
• Mandhara : 35 km
• Jamta : 13 km
• Surla(Sirmaur): 17 km
• Kaulanwalabhood: 28 km
• Badaban: 16 km
• Shimla: 135 km

Suketi Fossil Park[link]

Fibre glass life size model of extinct Giant Turtle of Siwalik Hills

Suketi Fossil Park, also known as Shivalik Fossil Park, at a distance of 21 km from Nahan, displays lifesize fiber reinforced plastic(FRP) models of pre-historic animals whose fossil skeletons were unearthed here. The park is the first of its kind in Asia to be developed at the actual discovery site of fossils. The Park is located on the left bank of the Markanda river and is approachable by a link road 4 km from highway from Haryana. Located on upper and middle Shiwaliks, consisting mainly of soft sandstone and clay rocks, the park at present has six sets of life-size models, of Stegodonganesa, Sivatherium, Hexaprotodon sivalensis, Colosschelys atlas, Paramachaerdus and Crocodilia, Mesozoic animals which once thrived in the region.

On October 30, 2010, Senior lecturer of commissioned Interns of Department of Geological Survey, found around two and half feet long ivory, buried in Sand soil. The age of the ivory is being told as around 150,000 years, on bases of carbon dating done in the region in the past.

Trilokpur Temple[link]

Raja Dip Prakash built Trilokpur Temple in 1573 and it is situated at a distance of 23 km from Nahan and 6 km from Kalka-Ambala highway, the gateway to Nahan from Haryana. Trilokpur is a place of great religious importance. The temple of the goddess Mahamaya Bala Sundri is very famous and attracts lakhs of devotees from all over northern India, especially from Haryana and Himachal. A fair is held twice a year during the Navratra in April and October when a large number of devotees visit this temple and pay their respects to the goddess.

Dhaula Kuan[link]

Dhaulakuan - On the road to Paonta Sahib 20 km from Nahan, it is worth while to stop and see a sprawling orchard consisting of citrus plants and mangoes and a fruit canning factory of various kinds of juices, jams, pickles and canned fruits. A little away from Dhaula Kuan is Kastasan Devi temple where Raja Jagat Singh defeated the advancing army of Rustam Qadir Rohilla in a great battle. Their victory is commemorated in the Devi Temple, built in gratitude by the Raja. Dhaula Kuan also has a research station of H.P., KVV where useful research on tropical fruits is carried out.

Giri Nagar[link]

Situated at a distance of 5 km from Dhaula Kuan,Nahan- Paonta Sahib main highway, this town has a power house of 60 MW capacity, constructed after diverting the Giri river through a 6 km long tunnel. This town situated on the Giri river so called GIRI NAGAR.It has a power house of 60 MW capacity and supply the power to the Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Transport infrastructure[link]

Air[link]

The nearest airport is Chandigarh, with Dehradun as an option.Shimla Airport is also not too far.

Rail[link]

The nearest railway stations are Barara,Ambala, Chandigarh and Kalka, which are connected by a regular bus service. Yamunanagar is another rail station close to the town

Road[link]

Nahan is approachable from many directions by road: via Baila from Rajban, via Dehra Dun through Paonta Sahib; via Panchkula-Naraingarh-Kala Amb from Chandigarh, via Yamunanagar -Hathanikund from Haryana and via Solan- Kumarhatti from Shimla. There are regular bus services linking it to the other towns like Shimla, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Delhi and Haridwar. If you are coming from Delhi, the best and shortest route option is to take the road via Saha. For Saha, take a right exit from NH1 after crossing Shahbad and then the bridge on River Markanda.

Fairs and Festivals[link]

Bawan Dwadshi[link]

Nahan celebrates Bawan Dwadshi towards the end of the monsoon, when fifty-two cult images of local gods are carried in procession to Jagannath temple, where they are floated ceremoniously in a pool and are restored at midnight to their niches.

Gugga Peer Fair[link]

A fair is celebrated in Nahan to mark the honour of Gogaji (गोगाजी) also known as Gugga (is a folk deity of Rajasthan state in India). He is an eminent warrior-hero of the region. Hindus and Muslims alike honor him. He is also venerated as a saint and even as 'snake-god'. He is known as Goga among the Hindus and Jahar Peer among the Muslims. The Kaimkhani Muslims claim descent from him and regard him as a peer (saint).

Jamta Fair[link]

A Fair is organised by the Gram Panchayt in the village Jamta every year two days before the "DUSSHEHRA"(Vijaydashmi) and is famous as "JAMTA MELA" or "ASHTMI KA MELA". First of all there is done worship of Goddess "BALA SUNDARI" after that there is organised a "Kabaddi" Championship and the very old and famous "Kushti" championship consisting players of various states all over India. Various state teams or District teams take part in the Kabaddi championship. Many people across the State come to visit the sacred place and Cheerful fair. At the night time, there is organised many cultural programmes in which participate the students of the local schools nearby. Since last 5 years the Panchayat Committee is organising the cultural programmes with the help of various Pahari artists who sing, dance & act the whole night to make that one day, the special day of the villagers.

Education facilities[link]

Recently, quite a few schools have sprung up in this small hilly town. The absence of an integrated plan resulted in a sum of Rs 133.53 crore, received under various schemes and projects in Sirmaur district, remaining unspent and services in health and education sectors suffering.However the more reputed ones are ""'Carmel COnvent SchoolArmy school nahan'",A.V.N. Senior secondary school, D.A.V. School, More than 200 Years Old Government Shamsher Senior Secondary School for boys and Government Girls Senior Secondary School. A.V.N. School also provides Hostel Facility to the students. Also many coaching institutes have started offering guidance to students preparing for entrance examinations. Along with this Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalay is the boarding school available in judda ka johar which is about 7 km from the main town. Students from distant places come to get education in this institute.

One of the five Sanskrit Colleges of Himachal Pradesh is in Nahan which provides a dual degree course .Shastri as well as B.A. degree can be availed from this college .The College has its Own building and provides a hostel for the boys.

Govt. Post Graduate College is the only centre for the Graduation and Post Graduation Courses of H.P University. Students from distant places come here for there higher education. The college provides the Hostel Facility to the girls.

Near to this town three engineering colleges namely IITT KalaAmb (20 km),Himalayan group of professional institutes kala amb (www.himalayaninstitutions.com) and Green Hills Engg College, Kumarhatti (About 60 km) are available.

Himachal may have been ranked amongst the best in the country with regard to health and education but the picture in the district of Sirmaur in this regard does not seem to be too rosy.Sirmaur district for the last five years from 2004 to 2009.

The report clearly points out that several developmental schemes like Vikas Mein Jan Sahyog and works undertaken with funds provided to MPs and MLAs were neither planned nor completed within the specified time limit

Town also has number of Computer Education centres. Other schools available are

• Carmel Convent School
• Army School
• A.V.N public school
• D.A.V Public School
• Sirmour Public School
• Holy Heart Public School (for primary classes)
• Silver Bells School (For primary classes)
• S.V.N Public School
• MRP public school
• Model Primary School
• Shamsher Senior Secondary School
• Cantt Primary School
• Mandir Primary School
• Parangat Primary School

References[link]

External links[link]

• http://www.himachaltourism.nic.in/sirm.htm
• http://www.shamsherseniorsecondary.com