Parwanoo is an industrial town in Himachal Pradesh. It is situated adjacent to Kalka, the two towns separated only by a river bed. Kalka and Parwanoo, along with Pinjore, fall on the same Chandigarh to Shimla highway. Parwanoo has a railhead known as Taksal through which the Kalka Shimla Heritage rail track passes. Chandigarh is just 35 km from Parwanoo and Panchkula is about 20 km. Another route, which is 18 km long, runs from Parwanoo to Kasauli. Because of these aspects, Parwanoo has become a convenient location for exploring the whole region on long trips, despite it being an industrial center. The place is surrounded by woods and scenic locations and hence you can stay back at this place during your itinerary of the region. You would find a good accommodation in hotels in Parwanoo at a relatively more reasonable tariff that in places like Kalka and Shimla. Tourists circuit the Shimla-Kalka region throughout the year. Parwanoo remains a significant place in their itinerary as this place is well-connected to the nearby tourist locations. Reaching Parwanoo, you can visit Shimla, Kalka, Panchkula, Kasauli, Dharampur — all in a single trip and bring back a number of good memories to cherish. This belt is also nice for hiking and night camps. Hence, Parwanoo and its surrounding attractions are a nice destination for a holiday plan that includes your family and friends. Group trips and bike expeditions are other ways to experience the adventure around these places.
There are many attractions in and around Parwanoo which you can explore. Some of those are:
Timber Trail – This is a beautiful place-cum-resort that offers cable car service for the visitors. You can experience a nice ride along the Shivalik Hills which is a delighting experience. The cable car offers a nice view of the valley from a height of 5,000 ft. The ride is about 2 km long.
Kalka – Coming to Parwanoo and not visiting Kalka would be a sore miss. This town has a lot of attractions and the famous Kali Mata Mandir which, according to folklores, was visited by the Pandavas.
Dagshai – This place is perched at a height of 6,000 ft. and it is one of the oldest military settlements of the British period. It is worth exploring for a quick glance back into the gone times.
Subathu – About half an hour from Parwanoo, this place has the famous Gurkha Museum as this town is the center for Gurkha Regiment.
Mansa Devi Temple – Best time to visit this place is during the Navratri, but visiting this auspicious site for blessings anytime during the year is always a good idea. Situated on National Highway 22, this temple is about 20 km from Parwanoo.
Shri Balaji Temple – This is another Hindu temple worth a visit for the devotees. It was built in 1988.
Fruit Orchards – This attraction can be explored right in Parwanoo as there are many fruit orchards within the town. The fruits gathered from here are taken to the factories to be processed and made into jams and other such products. You can tour the orchards and the processing plants for a closer and learning experience of the whole process.
Reaching Parwanoo is easy as you can take the road route from Chandigarh. If you are coming from the north, you can take the Delhi to Chandigarh flight to save time and then hire a taxi or board a bus to Parwanoo.
Martin Wynn
