The dwellings in the lap of the Himalayas

They open their windows to the cool, refreshing sight of great Himalayas. The homes of Himachal Pradesh, nestled in the beautiful landscape, are remarkable for their traditional charm and are specimens for the indigenous folk architecture of the state.

There are many architectural styles of house building followed in the state.  The Kathkuni or Kathkundi Style is one among them. In this, a mesh of interlocking horizontal cedar sleepers are created and in this dressed or raw stone is packed. With inherent elasticity, the design has an enormous seismic response - there have been instances when tremors have dislodged the stones from the frame, and later, have been hammered back into the intact mesh of wood Houses and temples in the style are present in the districts of Shimla, Kinnaur and Kulu.

Shimla, the state capital, is also rich with many British colonial structures.