Nurpur is a city and a municipal council in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It was formerly ruled by the Pathanian clan of Tomara Rajputs since 11th century AD. The capital of the kingdom was at Pathankot formerly known as Paithan which is now located in Punjab. Nurpur has a population of 9054 and an average literacy rate of 78%.

History

Nurpur (originally known as Dhameri) was a princely state ruled by Pathania clan of Rajputs for more than 8 centuries before India won its independence. The story behind the name of this fort is very interesting. The fort was originally named as Dhameri and later changed to Nurpur after the visit of Noorejahan, the Queen of Mughal King Jahangir. Noorejahan visited Dhameri and instantly fell in love with the natural beauty of the place and wished to build a palace there.

The then ruler Raja Jagat Singh was not happy with the decision because he did not want his freedom to be curtailed by the Mughal domination and politics. So, he made up a story that the climate of the place was not good and caused disease like Goiter. The Queen was horrified with the story and dropped the idea of building a palace in the town. To honor her love for the place, the ruler changed the name of the town and the palace to Nurpur in 1622.

The town has many attractions and one of the main attractions is the Nurpur fort. The fort was originally known as Dhameri fort, built before the 10th century. It was the main seat of the Pathanian kings, which was destroyed partially by Britishers and Earth quake in April 1905 AD. The famous Brij Raj Swami temple was built in the fort in 16th century. The historical temple of Lord Krishna is also a home for the local deity. It is said that Meera Bai used to worship the statue of Lord Krishna in this temple and the statue was a return gift to the king of Nurpur by the Maharana of Chittorgarh. The temple is famous as a tourist attraction and it is the only temple in the world where idols of Lord Krishna and Meera Bai are worshiped.

The fort has a huge tree of Moulsary and has a story to it. Once the king of Nurpur brought a Moulsary (fruit bearing plant) sampling which dried on the way back to the palace. The sampling was brought to life by pooja and chanting of mantras. This sampling has now grown into a huge tree that bears no fruits but grows dozen of flowers.

Visitors can learn the past of this fort from the paintings painted inside the temple. Nurpur fort is almost destroyed but there are some noticeable carved sculptures that tell a lot about its history.

Nurpur's Specialty

Various fruits are grown in Nurpur like Mangoes, Oranges Lychee and Amla. Poultry farming is one of the major occupations of the locals. Apart from this, Nurpur is also famous for its Silk and Pashmina shawls.

Places to Visit in Nurpur

The Nagni Mata Temple

The Nagni Mata temple is recommended to the tourist for its magical powers. This temple is especially famous among the locals as the healing center of snake bites. When people in this town are bitten by snakes, they are taken to the Nagni Mata temple. They believe that drinking the water flowing under the temple and rubbing the soil on the wound heals the snake bite.

Brij Raj Swami Temple

This temple is located in the fort and was built in 16th century. It is famous for its Krishna and Meera Idols.

Modes of Transport

The Nurpur town is just 25 km from Pathankot and 66 km from Dharamshala. There are various ways to reach Nurpur.

By Air

Flights to Chandigarh, Jammu and Dharamshala are available. There are taxi's available at the airport that will directly go to Nurpur. Advance booking for taxi is advised.

By Bus

The distance between Nurpur to Chandigarh is just 314 km, from Dalhousie its 86 km, McLeod Ganj 57 km, Dharamshala 56 km and Jammu 124 km, so commuting by bus is a convenient option. Buses are available at regular intervals for Nurpur.

By Train

There are passenger trains to Pathankot. Further taxi is advisable because the distance is barely 25 km and will take only 30 minutes to reach Nurpur.

Hotels Around Nurpur Fort

Hotels that are nearest to the Nurpur Fort are located in Pathankot. There are many budgeted hotels available in Pathankot like

• Venice Hotel Pathankot - It is ranked number one out of the 13 hotels available in Pathankot. It provides with all the facilities in budgeted rate.
• Abhi International Hotel Pathankot – It has great reviews and ranking. It provides all basic facilities at nominal cost.
• New Metro Hotel Pathankot – It is the most cost effective hotel in Pathankot. It provides decent facilities and comfort at a cheap rate.