Solan

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Solan is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of Solan district.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is located Template:Convert south of the state capital, Shimla. Solan has an average elevation of Template:Convert.<ref name="Solan travel and Tourism Guide">Template:Cite web</ref> The city is situated between Chandigarh (joint capital of Punjab and Haryana) and Shimla (state capital) on the Kalka-Shimla National Highway-5. The narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla railway passes through Solan. Located on the Punjab-Himachal Border, Solan is nestled in the Shivalik hills of the Himalayas.

Solan was originally the capital of the princely state, Baghat.<ref name="Bhagat state">Capital of Bhagat state Template:Webarchive</ref> A defining feature of Solan, is its ancient temples<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and monasteries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Shoolini Mata Temple and Jatoli Shiv Temple are popular attractions for tourists. One of the most famous monasteries in this region is the Yundung Monastery. The hill-town is named after the Hindu goddess Shoolini Devi ~ who is a manifestation of Goddess Durga in Her warrior aspect. Shoolini, when translated literally, means 'the goddess wielding the spear'. Every year in June, a fair venerating the Goddess is held, featuring a 3-day melā at the central Thodo ground.

Solan is known for the production of quality mushrooms,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as a result of the vast mushroom farming in the area, as well as the Directorate of Mushroom Research (DMR) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> situated at Chambaghat. Due to this fact, Solan is also known as the "Mushroom City of India". Solan is also called the "City of Red Gold", due to the bulk production of tomatoes in the area.<ref name="Solan travel and Tourism Guide" />

The city has one of the oldest breweries in the country, and also has a 300-year-old fort located at the top of a hill.

Solan is fast becoming a top weekend getaway destination in Himachal, due to improved road access and rising investment in resorts and wellness tourism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Historical evolution

The history of Solan goes back to the era of Pandavas. According to local folklore, Pandavas lived here during their exile.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1815, British won the Baghat state (now Solan) from the Gurkhas. Gurkha fort, or Arki Fort, is still standing tall on a mountain near to the city of Solan, and it is one of the historic tourist attractions of Solan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city has been a capital of the princely Baghat State. The word Baghat is derived from Bau, or Bahu, meaning "many", and Ghat, meaning "pass". Initially, the state headquarters of the Baghat State was located at Bhoch in the Bhuchali pargana. The headquarters of the state was shifted to Solan, after the construction of cantonment in the city; the railway was set up in 1902.<ref name="Historical Evolution Solan City">Template:Cite news</ref> The evolution of Solan city can be understood in the following order or sequence:

  • Establishment of a cantonment area at Solan by Brits.
  • Establishing a brewery in Solan in 1855, due to availability of excellent quality mineral water.
  • Shifting of the headquarters of Baghat State from Bhoch to Solan.
  • Start of Kalka-Shimla rail line in 1902.
  • Start of transportation activity on Kalka-Solan-Shimla road.
  • The urban local body, i.e. Municipal Council Solan, came into existence in 1950.
  • Solan became an independent district on 1 September 1972, and the town of Solan became the district headquarters.<ref name="Historical Evolution Solan City"/>

Heritage

Solan's history is intertwined with that of the erstwhile princely state of Baghat. The Solan cantonment is still the best, and the most well planned part of the area, hence buildings are made in a planned manner. The church in Solan cantonment is a heritage building, with wooden and stone carvings. It has sloping roofs and arches, reminiscent of British architecture.Template:Citation needed

The list of heritage buildings in Solan town is as follows:-

  • Shoolini Devi temple.
File:CHRIST CHURCH, KASAULI.JPG
Christ Church, Kasauli
  • The Church in Solan cantonment.
  • The Solan railway station.<ref name="Solan Railway Station">Template:Cite web</ref>
  • The Barog railway station.
  • Hari Mandir, a famous Lord Krishna temple.
  • The railway station and the railway rest house at Salogra.
  • The DC residence on Shilly road.
  • Anees villa, ancestral home of Salman Rushdie Shilly road near DC residence.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Heritage">Template:Cite news</ref>
  • S.E., PWD office which used to be a durbar hall of Baghat State.
  • Old guest house in the palace of Baghat state.
  • Khalifa lodge (now the JBT college running in it).
  • Kishan Niwas and Hill View on circular road.<ref name="Heritage"/>
  • Jatoli Temple (5 km. far from Solan on Rajgarh Road).
Asia's tallest Temple devoted to Shiva in the Hills of Solan
Jatoli Temple, Solan
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Solan railway station
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Bon Monastery Dholanji, Solan
Majestic Hills with houses built all across the Mountains as seen From Rabon
Panoramic View of Solan City
Thousands of Shining lights like stars studded on hills seen at Solan from Night
View of Solan at night

Geography

Solan is located at Template:Coord.<ref>Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Solan</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It has an average elevation of 1502 metres (5249.34 feet). The highest point is atop Mount Karol, at 2280 metres. Pandava's cave, where Pandavas believed to have meditated during their 12-year exile, is located at the mountain top. Solan gets occasional snowfall during winters.<ref name="Solan Town Planning Report">Report page:8 Template:Webarchive</ref>

Climate

Situated at an altitude of 1600 metres on average, Solan can be considered an average temperature hill station. Solan is neither as cold as Shimla, nor as hot as Kalka, as the temperatures hardly rise more than Template:Convert. That is why it is considered as an ideal station, from a residential point of view. During winters, Solan experiences light snowfall. Temperatures typically range from Template:Convert to Template:Convert over the course of a year, with record high temperature of 39 °C (102.2 °F).

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Snowfall 2013, Solan
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Hills of Solan city in fog during winters
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Solan during monsoon

<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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Municipal Corporation and District administration

Municipal Corporation Solan is spread over an area of 33.43 km2 with a residential population of 39,256.<ref name="censusindia.gov.in"/> It is the third largest Municipal Corporation of Himachal Pradesh.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Indian census, Solan has a population of 39,256,<ref name="censusindia.gov.in">Template:Cite web</ref> making it the second largest city in Himachal, after Shimla. Solan had an average literacy rate of 85.02%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Solan is a Municipal Council city. It is divided into 17 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. The Solan Municipal Council has population of 39,256, of which 21,182 are males, while 18,074 are females, as per report released by Census India 2011.

Population of children with age of 0–6 is 3,524, which is 8.98% of the total population of Solan (M Cl). In Solan Municipal Council, the female sex ratio is of 8:53, against state average of 9:72. Moreover, child age ratio in Solan is around 886, compared to Himachal Pradesh state average of 909. Literacy rate of Solan city is 93.02% higher than the state average of 82.80%. In Solan, male literacy is around 94.01%, while female literacy rate is 91.86%.

Solan Municipal Council has total administration over 9,803 houses, to which it supplies basic amenities, like water and sewerage.

Solan Work Profile Out of total population, 15,640 were engaged in work or business activity. Of this 12,147 were males, while 3,493 were females. In census surveys, 'worker' is defined as a person who does business, jobs, services, cultivation, and labour activity for profit. Of total 15,640 working population, 93.31% were engaged in main work, while 6.69% of total workers were engaged in marginal work.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

City area Solan Planning Area covers 3,343 hectares = 33.43 km2 of land (2nd Largest city area in Himachal Pradesh).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:HPPWD Solan.JPG
HPPWD Solan rest house and parking
File:Solan city south view.jpg
Solan city
File:Solan city at night.jpg
Twinkling hills of solan city at night

Flora and fauna

The Solan planning area contains Chil, Ban, and Kail, mainly deodar cedar and pine trees in the city. Oak forests are also at higher elevations around moist locations. Places like Chail is the most predominant one for different species of vegetation. Besides the indigenous vegetation, there are ornamental and alien plantations too. It consists of silver oak, jhakranda, bottle brush, weeping willows, kachnar, grasses, etc.<ref name="Solan Town Planning Report"/>

Due to variations in altitude, there is a variety of fauna in the region. The Himalayan black bear & panther, Leopard are the carnivores typically found in the area, whereas the Ghoral and the barking deer are the herbivores, found in and around the Solan planning area. Other animals include the jackal, mongoose, the Jangli Billi, monkeys & langurs, etc. Game birds include jungli murga, kabutar, ghughi, dhaula teetar and kolsa etc.<ref name=Fauna>Report page:9 Template:Webarchive</ref>

Notable sites

File:Sharvilla.jpg
Sharvilla Health resorts Solan
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Hill Ranges of the Solan area looking south

Sports

As of 2018 an indoor stadium was planned.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Education

Private universities

Shoolini University and Jaypee University, were ranked '100-150' among Universities in India in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2019<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Media

Notable people

References

Template:Reflist <ref>Jatoli Shiva Temple Tallest Shiva Temple Of Asia Retrieved 03 July 2025. </ref>

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