A picturesque hill station in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, Kasauli is a cantonment as well as a town established by the British Raj in 1842 as a Colonial hill station. The tranquil and beautiful hill-station of Kasauli has a Pastur Institute that produces the anti-rabies vaccine against mad dog-bite as well as provides treatments to victims who have fallen prey to the dead disease, Hydrophobia. This institute was established in the year 1900 and is the oldest in India, taking care of pet, police and army dogs as well as their masters. It is one of the most frequented hill stations of North India and a prominent weekend gateway. Geography and Climate Situated at a height of 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) above the sea level, Kasauli lies situated at a distance of 77 km from Shimla, 65 km from Chandigarh, and 50 km from Panchkula. The coordinates of the city are 30°54'1"N 76°57'42"E and features a moderate climate. Winter temperature is approximately 2[SUP]0 [/SUP]C with summer temperatures rarely exceeding 32[SUP]0 [/SUP]C. The general wind direction is south-west to north-east. Total rainfall for the year is 1020 millimetres, with humidity at 90% in September and 28% in April. Demographics According to the 2001 India census, Kasauli had a population of 4994. Males constituted 56% of the population, and females 44%. Kasauli had an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the then national average of 75.5%; male literacy was 84%, and female 76%. 10% of the population was under 6 years of age. History of Kasauli The name Kasauli came from Kausalya, a mountain stream which flows between Kasauli and Jabli. The serene place of Kasauli has been mentioned in the epic Ramayana. As per the legends, Kasauli came in to origin when Lord Hanuman stepped here on his way to Sanjeevani Hill to procure the medicinal herb 'Sanjeevani' in order to save the life Lakshmana, who was severely wounded. Till the 17th century the history of Kasauli remained vague and ambiguous and in the 17th century, some Rajput families ran away from their homes in Rewari the present-day Haryana, due to troubled political conditions. They took refuge in Kasauli village, situated in the foothills of the Dhauladhar Ranges of the lower Himalayas, near a fresh water spring. In 1814, Lord Amherst, the Governor-General of the British East India Company, decided to uphold Shimla Hills as the gateway to the British establishments in India and consequently, Col. Tapp who was a political person at Sabathu Fort, a rejuvenating place for the British, came to survey the area of Kasauli. Kasauli became a prominent part of the Gurkha expansion during 19th century after the negotiations done by some local rulers and the British. Kasauli became a major battalion town of the British Raj and many locals joined the British Army. During the First Battle of Indian Independence, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, which took place in 1857, Kasauli witnessed an upsurge among its soldiers and about 80 Indian soldiers, who were stimulated by the movement, decided to join hands with the rebels in the Gurkha Regimen. However, they were left alone when the rebels from the Gurkha regimen backed out after negotiations with the British. The British authorities easily crushed the rebel movement in Kasauli and the soldiers were given severe punishment. Culture of Kasauli As the city has British roots, Kasauli offers a glimpse of colonial structures and overall ambience. As it is a small town, the place is less populated with people who are closely knit as a society. People in this hill town are warm hearted and friendly. The hamlet has a rich culture like other cities of Himachal Pradesh and celebrates different festivals with grandeur and zest. Tourist Destinations in India Kasauli is one of the small towns developed by the British during the halcyon days of the empire, which can be reached by a branch road from the Kalka-Shimla road. The hill-station is quite famous among both nature lovers and peace lovers. Set amidst the beauty of nature with snow-capped mountain as its backdrop, which lures the tourists from various parts of the World. Besides natural beauty, the city has a number of tourist attractions. Some of these travel destination are: Christ Church Dagshai Central Research Institute The Mall Baptist Church Timber Trail Resort Sunset Point Monkey Point Kasauli Club Kasauli Brewery Baba Balak Nath Temple Krishna Bhavan Mandir Mughal Garden Sunrise Point Gurudwara Shri Guru Nanakji Garden of Char Minar Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara Jyeshtheshvara Temple Transportation Kasauli can be reached by air, road as well as by trains, although the hill station does not house a railway station or an airport. The nearest airport is Chandigarh Airport and the rest of the journey from Chandigarh can be covered by buses as well as taxis that are available from the city. 40-km from Kasauli, the nearest railhead is Kalka in Haryana and 44-km from Solan, which is connected with narrow gauge railway line from Kalka. Solan and Kasauli are well connected by road buses, coaches and taxis are also easily available from Chandigarh and Delhi.
