Jogindernagar - City of Powerhouses
Jogindernagar is a town in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. What makes this town notable is the 163 km of narrow gauge railhead that extends to the Kangra Valley and has Jogindernagar as a terminus. This railway junction of Jogindernagar forms an important gateway for tourists visiting Shimla, Pathankot and other parts of Kangra Valley. It also has the distinction of being the only town in the Asian subcontinent to have three hydro-electricity generation stations. Jogindernagar is also nicknamed as the Electric City by the residents.
About Jogindernagar
Jogindernagar, renamed after Maharaja Joginder Sen, is an urbanized place now. The expansion of Sukrahatti village and narrow gauge rail track from Jogindernagar to Pathankot brought this town into the limelight. This town has an elevation of 1, 010 meters above sea level and is part of the Jogindernagar Valley. This valley comprises the main town and several other small villages. The most important feature of visiting this valley is the Dhauladhar range. It forms a spectacular backdrop. Jogindernagar Valley is a hot spot for camping, trekking and rock climbing, bringing in adventure tourists throughout the year. The Winch Camp has an altitude of 8,000 feet. While trekking up this camp, you will come across a forest famous for Rhododendron, medicinal herbs.
Location of Jogindernagar
Jogindernagar town is situated in the north eastern part of the Jogindernagar Valley. It is a 56 km drive from Mandi town and the nearest airport is at Gaggal, 60 km away. Shimla to Jogindernagar is a distance of around 210 km.
Places to see in Jogindernagar
There are several cultural attractions in this valley:
Haulage Way - The Haulage Way system is a unique railway track that is exclusive to this valley. In this transportation system, the cable car is connected by wire that runs on railway tracks. It is popularly known as Haulage Trolley. The trolley runs from 4300-8,000 feet in Jogindernagar Valley. The last stop is at the Winch Camp.
- Winch Camp - The highest camp of this valley, it is located at 2400 meters or 8,000 feet above sea level. The Haulage system connects this place from Barot (4300 feet). This camp offers clear views of the Mandi district and Kangra Valley. There is heavy snowfall here during the winters and you can see the majestic Dhauladhar - Himalayan mountain range from here.
- Jogindernagar narrow - gauge railway - Just like the Shimla-Kalka rail, this site also has a nomination at the UNESCO list of cultural places.
- Lakshminarayan Temple - This temple located in the heart of the town is believed to be constructed by the Pandavas. Lord Lakshminarayan is the principal deity here.
- Bassi Power House - One of the three hydro-electricity stations situated in Jogindernagar. It is well known for being the power house with the cheapest generation cost. The Bassi colony is also a residential complex.
Excursion from Jogindernagar
Two places close to Jogindernagar are :
Baijnath Temple - This prominent Hindu shrine is situated around 20 km away from Jogindernagar town. Lord Shiva is the main deity at the shrine and thousands of tourists visit it on Shivaratri.
Gaddwali Mata Temple - Originally a fort situated at an elevation of 1456 meters above sea level, the beauty of the temple is its surrounding greenery. You can get clear views of the Jogindernagar Valley. This temple is around 13 km drive from Jogindernagar town.
