The Gaddis of Kangra lead a simple and unsophisticated life, with a few needs and fewer worries, they are content with their lot. The Gaddis are Hindus and have permanent villages in the valley bottoms, where they are engaged in agriculture. The Gaddi women remain in the villages while the men roam with their sheep and goats in the higher meadows during summer. Here, they live a hard and adventurous life, often having to scare away Leoparsds and Bears who prowl arround to attack their sheep. Cheerful and courageous, they add colour to the region. The main approach to the town in from pathankot.

South of Triund, lies the ancient town of Kangra, 17 km from Dharamsala and overlooking the gushing torrent Ban-Ganga, reached after passing through beautiful valley that has the luxuriant and luminous quality of a Kangra painting. Former capital of the great hill state, it is the home of the exquisite Pahari and Rajpur miniature paintings which flourished under the unstinted patronage of Raja Sansar Chand II.

Artists had started to migrate to the Himalayas after the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739, the influx reached its peak during the reign of the Raja who held court for 25 years, in the fortress he built for himself in the Oudh-Mughal syle of architecture. The fort is still there but due to repeated seige, is partially in ruins. Under its shadow is the resplendent temple to the Goddess Brajreshwari, its golden dome spreading lustre for miles around.

Situated in Kangra town, this temple was once filled with a legendary fortune in diamonds and pearls. Hearing the wealth of this temple. Mahmud Ghazni plundered in the 11th century. Feroz Tughlak clearned out the restored fortune three centuries later. Final sack was carried out by Timur the lame before Mughals who followed and restored the shrine to its glory.