Black and White Picture of Raja Ugar Singh of Hindur, 1840-1850 (from Archer's book on Punjab Hills Paintings) Picture the year: 1795. The foothills of the Shivaliks are tense, echoing with the tramp of armed men and the grinding pressure of regional rivalries. Down in the valleys, Raja Ram Saran Singh Handuriya of Handur (modern-day Nalagarh) is caught in a grinding political bind. For years, Handur has ridden the coattails of Kangra’s aggressive campaigns against its bitter historical rival, Bilaspur (then known as Kahlur). But looking out across his contested borders, Ram Saran Singh faces a heavier, more haunting question: Does he continue serving as a satellite to Kangra’s ambitions, or does he break away, side with Maha Chand and Bilaspur, and reclaim a fractured sense of Rajput honor? The friction between Handur and Bilaspur was rooted in continuous struggles over strategic border zones, crucial river-crossing points, and the Satgarha (seven forts) territory. Because Handur...
The Rock Cut Temple Complex of Masrur Rock cut monoliths are an interesting and rare feature in India. Himachal Pradesh, curiously, houses one such set. Only four monolith temple structures are known in India in places as far away from each other as one can imagine. Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu and Ellora in Maharashtra are globally famous, carrying a reputation of their own. The monoliths are not restricted to just the south though - Dhamnar in Rajasthan, and Masrur in Himachal Pradesh are the other two sites of India. Masrur in Guler, Kangra district, in fact is the highest in terms of altitude, located 2500 feet above sea level. As per Professor N P Singh , the local legend of Masrur is linked directly to the Pandavas of the Mahabharata. This is not surprising, given that this is located in the old Jalandhara/Trigarta kingdom which also apparently fought on the side of the Kauravas in the war. The temples, as per legend, were built by the Pandavas during their agyatvas ...