Nahan Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In Nahan

Rani Tal is a popular tourist destination with a royal heritage. It is located at Nahan in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is known as “Queen’s lake” which was a retreat for the royal family that used to rule the region of Nahan. Recently it has been converted into a beautiful picnic spot since the royal family does not any more rule the masses.

People come here to spend time in the tranquil lap of nature and for leisure purposes. This lake has walking zones along with food centres in its surroundings. Visitors can easily travel from Nahan to Rani Tal by comfortable buses.

Surrounded by green lawns, travellers can enjoy boating in the lake. There is a temple devoted to Hindu God Shiva in the vicinity of the lake, which is visited by many devotees every year. According to Hindu mythology Lord Shiva is regarded as the destroyer of evil.

Suketi Fossil Park is a renowned destination for tourists, which is located at Nahan in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Travellers can easily arrive at this park, as it is 25 km away from Nahan. The park was built by the Geological Survey of India and Himachal Pradesh Government. It has been carefully maintained and looked after.

This is the first park in Asia where fossils were discovered. A lot of students and scholars visit the park for research work. Life size models of pre-historic animals made of Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) are exhibited in the park.

Situated on the serene banks of river Markanda, the park at present has six sets of life-size models of Stegodonganesa (extinct grand elephant), Sivatherium, Colosschelys Atlas (giant land tortoise and chelonia), Paramachaerdus (Sabre Toothed tiger), Hexaprotodon-Sivalensis (hippopotamus with six incisors) and Crocodilia.

All these fossils and skeletons are uncovered by archaeologists, and they are preserved very carefully to study the biodiversity of the pre-historic era. The park is located on the middle and upper levels of Shivaliks, a mountain range of the Himalayas, consisting of soft sandstone and clay rocks.

Jagannath Temple is a prominent tourist destination located in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh. This historic temple was built by Raja Budh Prakash in the year 1681. This temple is dedicated to Lord Neel Madhav. According to the legends, the Lord himself came in Raja Budh Prakash’s dream and conveyed the message that he should be shifted to a proper temple from the base of a Peepal tree.

Thus, the king built this temple that represents an architectural style similar to that of the original Puri Temple. Bawan Dwadshi is celebrated in Nahan at the end of the monsoon season when 52 idols of local gods are carried to Jagannath temple in a procession. During this festival, the idols are ceremoniously floated in a pool of water and then at midnight, they are restored to their niches.

Simbalwara Wildlife Sanctuary is a tourist hotspot located in Nahan, allowing travellers to observe the indigenous flora and fauna of Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by sal forest, this wildlife sanctuary is a favourable destination of the migratory birds, so one can spot rare species of birds in this sanctuary that are found all over the world.

Known as the most scenic natural zone of Shivaliks, visitors can witness the criss-crossing of water streams along with alluring lush surroundings. Wild animals like Sambhar, Chittal and Goral are frequently spotted while trekking on the walking trail of the sanctuary.

In addition to this, the Simbalwara Wildlife Sanctuary is a perfect destination to observe barking deer, wild boar, leopard and avian-fauna which includes red jungle fowl and partridges. As Haryana Kalesar National Park is also located near the wildlife sanctuary, it offers abundant opportunities to the visitors to explore the wildlife of this region.

Ranzor Palace is a premier tourist destination, which is located at Nahan in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is also known as the Royal Palace of Nahan featuring unique architectural styles. Researches are going on to renovate this palace which is now open for visitors.

Renuka Wildlife Park is a popular tourist destination near Dadahu, a small town of Sirmaur District, located approximately 15 km away from Nahan. Sprawling over a wide area of 402.80 hectares of land, which includes the Renuka Lake, this wildlife park is home to many indigenous flora and fauna of the region.

Exotic animals like lion tailed macaques, Asiatic lions, red-jungle fowl, Indian antelope, sambar, chital and Himalayan black-bears are found here. A colourful population of birds, including black-pheasant, peacocks and various species of aquatic birds can be found here.

Recreational activities like lion safaris, boating and trekking are offered in the park. A mini zoo is also present inside the wildlife park. Cafeteria and tourist bungalows are also present for the convenience of tourists visiting the wildlife park. There is a temple close to the Renuka Wildlife Park, which is an added attraction for the tourists.

Rajbans is a prominent tourist destination, which is located in Nahan. These are ruins of an old city popularly known as Sirmouri Tal. This place is considered to be full of curses and counters with an amusing story of treachery, guile and deceitfulness of its king. The place is said to be cursed by a courtesan who was betrayed and killed by the king, which led to a widespread flood that swept the whole kingdom.

Pakka Talab is a prominent tourist destination located at Nahan, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This is a calm location where visitors can go for fishing as various species of fishes are found in the pond. In addition to this, there is a magnificent fountain in Pakka Talab, which adds to the charm of the place.

However, the place is still in a development process; there are sufficient facilities for visitors to sit on the comfortable garden seats and enjoy the view. The most exciting fact about this place is that, it is the location for two of the most famous festivals of the region, namely Gugga Peer Fair and Baman Dwadshi Fair.

Moreover, a wholesale market for fresh vegetables can be explored near this destination. The only railway reservation centre in Nahan is also located here.

Jaitak Fort is a famous tourist destination located on top of the Jaitak Hills in Himachal Pradesh. Visitors can easily get to this fort as it is only 25 km away from Nahan. Historically, it is one of the oldest forts in Nahan, which was built in 1810.

The Gorkhs leader Ranjor Singh Thapa and his followers attacked the Nahan Fort and constructed this fort on the top of Jaitak Hills with the remains collected from the ruins of the Nahan Fort. The beautiful location of this fort gives an alluring view of the surroundings from the top of Jaitak Hills.

Renuka Lake, situated at a distance of 40 km from Nahan, is one of the popular tourist destinations of Himachal Pradesh. With a length of 672 m, Renuka Lake is considered as the largest lake of Himachal Pradesh. According to a legend, Sage Jamadagni, one of seven great sages of Hindu mythology, in a fit of anger ordered his son Parsurama to kill Renuka, his wife.

Being an obedient son, Parsurama killed his mother. The two realised their mistake and repented. In remorse, the two created a lake in the shape of a sleeping Renuka in her honour. The best time to visit this lake is in the month of November when a grand fair is organised here.

Visitors can also enjoy boating is this large lake having a boundary of 3214 m. An added attraction of the place is the Renuka Temple, located on the banks of the lake.

Jamu Peak is a renowned tourist destination located near Nahan in Himachal Pradesh. Visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of the Renuka Lake and its lush green surrounding from Jamu Peak as it is around 8 km away from the lake.

According to local beliefs, Sage Jamadagni used to meditate in the small temple located on the peak. According to Hindu mythology, Jamadagni is one of the seven great sages (saptarishis) and his youngest son, Parshurama was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Visitors can visit this peak, as a small footpath leads to it. Located at an elevation of 932 m, this peak gives a trekking opportunity to its visitors. The best time to visit this peak is from the month of December to March as the weather stays comfortable and cool.

Renuka Temple is an exotic tourist destination situated at Nahan in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Renuka. The temple is located near the Renuka Lake. According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Renuka was the mother of sage Parshurama. It is believed that she was killed by her own son to obey his father’s order, Jamadagni, one of the seven great sages.

It is also believed that the temple was built in one night by the Gurkhas during the 19th century to honour Goddess Durga. Renuka Fair is held every year on the banks of Renuka Lake, in the month of November, to honour Goddess Renuka.

Other than religious faith, the fair includes music, street markets, exhibitions, dance performances and many other activities. According to an old ritual, people exchange their turbans, caps and even share water with each other to spread the message of brotherhood.

Trilokpur Temple is a popular destination located in the Trilokpur town near Nahan. This temple is situated at a distance of 23 km from Nahan and 6 km from Kalka-Ambala highway. The temple was built by Raja Dip Prakash in 1573. Dedicated to Goddess Mahamaya Bala Sundri, this temple attracts visitors across Northern India and especially from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

During Navratras, in the months of April and October, a fair is held in the temple premises. During the fair, many devotees come to the temple to worship Goddess Mahamaya Bala Sundri. According to Indian mythology, she is the goddess of energy and power.

Dhaula Kuan is a major tourist destination situated on Paonta Sahib Road. This place is famous for numerous orchards of citrus plants and mangoes. A fruit processing factory is also present here which is renowned for processing superior quality juices, pickles, jams, and canned fruits.

Along with this, Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University has a research centre in Dhaula Kuan, for conducting effective research on tropical fruits of the region. The temple of Katasan Devi is also located near this place where King Raja Jagat Singh fought a war against Rulam Qadir Rohilla.

Fishing is a popular activity among the tourists visiting Nahan. There are various lakes and ponds that are home to various kinds of fishes likes Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and Mahaseer. Among ponds Pakka Talab is an eminent destination for fishing. Visitors need to pay a small amount, which is around INR 100 per rod, to the authorities.