कांगड़े दा टीला ओ माता, गर्वे सिंघे घेरिया। अकबर कांगड़े चढ़ आया ओ मेरी माँ। सुत्ती ऐ की जाग दी तू, जाग अम्बे रानिये। गर्वे ने पाई लिया घेरा ओ मेरी माँ। A very famous bhajan from Kangra of Mata Bajreshwari Devi, remembered often across north-west India today, talks of the Kangre da Tilla or the Mound of Kangra, referring to the place where Bajreswari Devi is present. She is popularly also know as Kangra Mata, and the legend is that the place was set up by burying the kaan or ear of an asura who was killed by the Pandavas on the orders of the Devi. There are such bhajans for other major temples in the region as well, but as a history enthusiast, this one often draws my attention. The story of Kangra is as much the story of the civilizational wounds that the plains experienced; or perhaps it was worse, given how many times temple desecrations were made a conscious strategy. This song, at some level, seems to pass on the memory of one such gory experience that was witnessed by the peopl...
Himachal Pradesh since its present formation in 1967 has distinguished itself with significant progress on the human development indices unlike several hill states, even Himalayan countries, on many fronts. The state scores well on several indices. It is just behind Kerala on the Sustainable Development Goals Index of NITI Aayog for the year 2020. It has an 82.80% Literacy rate, which is well ahead of the national average at 74%. The district hospitals in the state successfully meet the requirement of the necessary ratio on a per lakh basis. While there are genuine concerns around the public debt and the high unemployment rate, by and large the state performs rather well on most socio-economic indicators. However, that was not the case at the time of the birth of the present Himachal Pradesh state. Remotely situated populations, lack of income for people and widespread poverty and abysmal education and healthcare facilities had created a situation that if not addressed suitably would h...