Kangra is the most populous district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Dharamshala is the administrative headquarters of the district.
History
Kangra is known for having the oldest serving Royal Dynasty in the world, the Katoch. In 1758, Raja Ghamand Chand was appointed nazim or governor of Jullundur Doab under the Afghans. Ghamand Chand was a brave and strong ruler who restored the prestige of Kangra. As he was unable to capture Kangra fort, he built another fort at Tira Sujanpur on the left bank of the Beas, almost opposite to Alampur on a hill overlooking the town. He died in 1774 and was succeeded by his son, Tegh Chand, who died too soon in 1775. Kangra was annexed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Sikh Empire in 1810. Kangra became a district of British India in 1846, when it was ceded to British India at the conclusion of the First Anglo-Sikh War. The British district included the present-day districts of Kangra, Hamirpur, Kullu, and Lahul and Spiti. Kangra District was part of the British province of Punjab. The administrative headquarters of the district were initially at Kangra, but were moved to Dharamshala in 1855.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 478,364 | — |
| 1911 | 469,046 | −0.20% |
| 1921 | 469,251 | +0.00% |
| 1931 | 494,658 | +0.53% |
| 1941 | 563,163 | +1.31% |
| 1951 | 570,643 | +0.13% |
| 1961 | 657,232 | +1.42% |
| 1971 | 800,863 | +2.00% |
| 1981 | 990,758 | +2.15% |
| 1991 | 1,174,072 | +1.71% |
| 2001 | 1,339,030 | +1.32% |
| 2011 | 1,510,075 | +1.21% |
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According to the 2011 census Kangra district had population of 1,510,075. The district has a population density of 263 inhabitants per square kilometre (680/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 12.77%. 5.71% of the population lives in urban areas. Kangra district has a sex ratio of 1012 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 85.67%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 21.15% and 5.60% of the population respectively.: 18
District highlights of 2011 Census
- Kangra district has the highest number of 3,869 villages among the 12 district of the state.
- Kangra district stands 1st position in terms of its working force having total workers of 675,170 persons against 3,559,422 working persons of the state.
- Kangra district occupies 1st rank among the districts of the state in terms of literate population. It has a literate population of 1,152,640 persons.
- The economy of Kangra district is mainly depends on agriculture. It has returned 303,007 persons as cultivators and holds the 2nd position among the districts of the state
- All the inhabited villages of the district enjoy the facility of electricity and potable drinking water.
- Kangra district is also known for its attractive tourist destinations. Dharamsala, Kangra, Palampur, Baijnath, Jawalamukhi and Masroor are the famous places of tourist interest in the district. McLeodganj in Dharamsala is a seat of the Dalai Lama has become a place of international fame since 1966.
- Central University of Himachal Pradesh at Dharamsala in Kangra district was established on 20 March 2009 under the Central University Act 2009(No.25 of 2009) of Indian Parliament.
The native people are the Kangri people and the native language is Kangri, which is very similar to Dogri. The majority of the people are Hindu, although many Tibetans and others who follow Buddhism have also settled here recently. There are also other minorities such as Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians.
Jhamakda is a folk dance of Kangra. It is exclusively performed by women. It features percussion instruments and songs.
Religion
| Religion | Population (1941): 42 | Percentage (1941) | Population (2011) | Percentage (2011) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hinduism  |
846,567 | 94.13% | 1,461,140 | 96.76% |
Islam  |
43,249 | 4.81% | 19,797 | 1.31% |
Sikhism  |
4,809 | 0.53% | 8,929 | 0.59% |
Christianity  |
590 | 0.07% | 3,023 | 0.2% |
| Others | 4,162 | 0.46% | 17,186 | 1.14% |
| Total Population | 899,377 | 100% | 1,510,075 | 100% |
Language
Languages of Kangra district (2011)
At the 2011 Census, 70.88% of the population in the district spoke Kangri, 14.92% Pahari, 5.55% Hindi, 2.64% Gaddi and 2.06% Punjabi as their first language.
Politics
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Education
- Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya
- Central University of Himachal Pradesh
- College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah
- Government College of Teacher Education Dharamshala
- Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education
- Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology , Palampur
- National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kangra
Schools
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Kangra
- Mount Carmel High School, Gaggal, Himachal Pradesh
- Sacred Heart Sr. Sec. School (Sidhpur)
- Sherab Gatsel Lobling School
Notable people
- Anuj Sharma – Singer, second Indian Idol runner-up
- Chander Kumar – Indian politician
- Dalai Lama- Spiritual and religious leader of Tibetans
- G. S. Bali – Indian politician
- Karnail Rana – Himachali folk singer
- Kishan Kapoor – Indian politician
- Captain Saurabh Kalia – Indian Army
- Shanta Kumar – Indian politician
- Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa – Indian Army officer, recipient of Maha Vir Chakra, known as “Hero of Skardu”
- Shriya Sharma – Film actress
- Shivya Pathania – Television actress
- Major General Siri Kanth Korla, DSO, MC, PVSM – Indian Army
- Major Somnath Sharma – Indian Army officer
- Sudhir Sharma – Indian politician
- Captain Vikram Batra – Indian army officer, recipient of Param Vir Chakra