Pragpur - Himachal Pradesh
Pragpur, a village in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh sits at a modest altitude of about 1,800 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Himalayas. What sets Pragpur apart from the hundreds of other villages dotting the Himalayas is the fact that it is still very much as it was a century ago.
Pragpur and Garli have been, since the 1600’s, the stronghold of a clan known as the Kuthiala Soods. In the 19th century, the Kuthiala Soods headed out of the area. Being enterprising, many made their fortunes at other destinations, especially Simla. They, however, did not forget their roots. At Pragpur they built elegant havelis, mansions and Italianate buildings that are interspersed amongst lovely mud-plastered and slate-roofed houses which lie alongside streets paved with dressed cobbled stone. Their magnificent buildings - some decaying and crumbling have largely remained unspoiled, giving Pragpur a medieval ambience. Recognizing that this unspoiled traditional area could contribute to rural heritage tourism, in December 1997 the Government of Himachal Pradesh notified Pragpur as a Heritage Village.
The ambience of the Heritage Zone of Pragpur is zealously protected by the local residents. In their endeavour that Pragpur retains its unique character, panchayats preserve their heritage buildings and advise on new construction. The main street of the village, which snakes through the main market, is where almost all of Pragpur’s main sights are clustered. One of the most picturesque is the Pragpur Taal, a water tank dating back to the 1880’s, and surrounded by stunning red-and-cream painted buildings.
The houses around the Taal are typical of Pragpur. You’ll see elements of hill architecture (bluish-grey slate tiles on sloping roofs; mud-plastered walls; door and window frames of dark wood, often lightly carved; and shallow arched niches in walls for lamps). You’ll also see how the people of Pragpur incorporated elements of colonial architecture in the buildings they erected: there are gables, wrought iron balconies, semi-circular arches and square columns—and the Taal has Manchester-manufactured steel pipes.
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