Situated in the heart of western himalayas, Himachal is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir in the North, Uttar Pradesh in the South-East, Haryana is in the South and Punjab in the West. It is a mountainous state with altitudes ranging from 350 to 7000 meters above the sea level. Shimla, a beautiful city, is the state capital. Most of the people in Himachal depend on agriculture for livelihood.

After Indian Independence, a Union Territory of Hill states was created. It primarily consituted of hill states around Shimla. Himachal Pradesh became a full fledged state of the Republic of India on January 25, 1971 .

Ninety percent of the people of Himachal live in villages and small towns. The villages are mostly self-contained with a few shops to take care of basic necessities of life. Most villages have a temple, where people congregate for worship. In many parts of the Himachal the village Gods are carried on palanquins to village fairs. On Dussehra the largest congregation of village Gods takes place at Kullu. The folk songs of Himachal Pradesh are full of charm. They are usually based on a religious or a romantic theme. People gather in a circle in village fairs and dance to the tune of these songs. The dancing is usually spontaneous during a village fair and is symbolic of the peace and joy of the people.

Himachal Pradesh has a varied topography, climate and forest cover and is endowed with a vast variety of flora and fauna. From times immemorial, this tract is known for its wilderness, landscapes, beautiful forests and wildlife. In Himachal Pradesh, out of the total geographical area of 55,670 sqkm, the forest area as per legal classification is 37,691 sq km. At present there are 32 Sanctuaries, 2 National Parks and 3 Games Reserves.

Himachal was known since the earliest of times as "Devabhoomi", the abode of the Gods. The splendid heights of the Himalyan ranges, with its great scenic beauty and aura of spiritual calm seem the natural home of the Gods. Two thousands or more temples all over the State, reiterate this fact. Being a State full of isolated valleys and high ranges, several different styles of temple architecture developed and there are temples with carved stone shikharas, pagoda style shrines, temples that look like Buddhist Gompas or Sikh Gurudwaras etc. Several of them are important places of pilgrimage and each year attract thousands of devotees from all over the country.