The difficult terrain and isolation of Himachal has made it largely untouched by the modern and western influences of the world. Although technology has promised to change the state for good, but the old charm of Himachal is still intact. A state filled with mountains, Himachal and its culture is unique and different from others. Stats have revealed that almost 90 percent of the populations have a home in the village or small towns .With a sloping roof, the houses in the villages also boast of extended terraced lawns. With only a few shops for necessities, the villages in Himachal are usually self sustained. Every village has a temple where the gods are often brought in palanquins.

The daily activities of the locals depict the rich and varied culture of Himachal. Famous for their friendly and warm culture, the Himachali people with their illustrious bodily characters and colorful dresses have an untouched austerity which makes the state of Himachal even more beautiful.

Ethnicity

With almost a 90 percent Hindu Population, The major communities within them include Brahmins, Rathis, Rajputs, Kannets, and Kolis. The Gaddis, Gujjars, Kinnars, Pangawals and Lahaulis are the major tribes in the region.

People

Himachali People depend largely on a simple life in the villages. Devoid of shops, Himachal Villages are self sustained and usually have a twin storey house with a terraced farm. Depending on agriculture to ensure livelihood, more than 90 percent of Himachalis live in the villages. Each village has a temple.

Full of charm and Melody, the Folk songs of Himachal are often based on religion and romantic ideas. In village fairs, People form circles and sings these songs. The spontaneous dancing is also a symbol of the jolly nature. Honest, ingenuous, soft and good humored are some of the traits in Himachali people.

Religion

Although Majority of the population is Hindu, Himachal also has a good number of Buddhists. The practice of Hinduism in Himachal is similar to the practices in Northern plains.
Himduism has a different form in the upper hills though. Larger Hindu beliefs have amalgamated with the local beliefs which have given rise to a different system. Naturally, the temples and its designs have also been affected by the geographical terrain of the state. Made of wood, the Upper hill temples have the style of a Pagoda.

The areas bordered with china house a considerable number of Buddhists.

Arts and Craft

Another specialty of Himachal is the thapada which is a long shawl with embroidery. A wall hanging called Kohana, blouses; pillow covers and finely embroidered caps are other famous products. The caps particularly of the Kulu, Kinnaur , Lahaul and Sirmair regions are always in great demand. The shawls, Carpets and Woolen rugs depict the similar pahari design despite being from different regions in the state. Gorgeous pieced together quilts, Dolls and several other stuff toys are made here and find a place in the bride’s repertoire. Byangi wool is widely used to make woolen stuff. Another traditional craft is the printing and dyeing of fabrics which is done by the Farahada and Chibba peole.

Fine household products of the Dom Tribe are usually made in Bamboo and are later colored in bright hues. The boxes, baskets, sofas, chairs, racks are some of the products they make. The craft of leather is also worthy in Himachal. The Chamba region manufactures slippers and shoes that are in fashion. The Himachal Pradesh region also houses a rich culture of clay sculpturing. The Himachali people make products like bowls, cups, lamps platters and pots of various shapes. Golu clay is further used to decorate them. Himachal’s Metal ware boasts of striking utensils, sacred and ceremonial vessels, idols as well as silver jewellery. The jewellery worn by the locals of Himachal can make any women envious.

Dance and Music

The dancing and Musical culture of Himachal Pradesh is heavily influenced by the religion as locals use dance and music to invoke gods since times immemorial. The Rakshasa (dem0on) dance, the Bakayang dance, the Kayang Dance, the Jataru Kayang dance, the Chohara dance,Bnayangchu dance, Shand and Shabu dances are some of the famous dance forms of Himachal.

Ranasingha, Flute, Ektara, Karna, Turhi,  Kindari, Ghariyal, Manjara, Jhanjh, Chimta and Ghunghru are some of the major musical accompaniments to the dances.

Fairs & Festivals

Other than the usual festivals of India, Himachal also has its own set of festivals and fairs that make the state a truly unique one. It is during these festivals that the faith, belief and love of people can be felt and seen. The Himachali people celebrate the festivals with their families and dress up in colorful clothes to exhibit joy and happiness. The fairs and Festivals include Kullu Dussehra, Minjar Fair at Chamba, Shivratri Fair at Mandi, Mani Mahesh Chhari Yatra at Chamba, Lavi Trade Fair at Rampur,Renuka fair at Sirmaur,Jwalamukhi Fair at Jwalamukhi, Vrajeshwari fair at Kangra, Holi Fair at Sujanpur, etc.

Cuisine

The daily eating habits of the Himachali people are extremely uncomplicated and echo the tastes of the entire north India. The Himachalis prefer having simple dal-chawal-subzi-roti. The Non Vegetarian cuisine is also very popular in this region. Traditionally, The Cuisine of Himachal was laden with potatoes and turnips, however, now progressively the green vegetables have also made a foray in the Himachali kitchen. Himachal also has a range of Dishes unique to them like Pateer, Chouck, Bhagjery and chutney of Til. Moreover Kangra Region is famous for a sweat dish called Nasasra while Indra is cooked with Urad dal Poldu in Shimla region.

Language

The culture of Himahcl is vivacious and so are their Languages that differ from one valley to another. Hindi, Kangri,Pahari, Kinnauri, Dogri, Punjabi and Gojri are some of the commonly spoken languages.