Exposure to innumerable races, which have settled in Himachal Pradesh from early times, has made the culture of this picturesque state very diverse. Besides being a multicultural state HP is also multilingual.  The vibrant hues of the heritage are exhibited by the locals through their attire, music and dance, celebrations, art and handicrafts and above all their simple but rich lifestyle.

Although Hindi is the official language, usage of Pahari is prevelant on a large scale. It has many dialects for instance; Mandiali(in Mandi), Kulvi(in Kullu), Chameali(In Chamba) and many more. What is common for all the dialects is that they all are of Sanskritic origin.

Costumes of each community are different, be it the Hindus, Rajputs or the tribals like Gaddis, Kinnars, Gujjars, Pangawals and Lahaulis. You get to see men in Dhoti Kurta,coat, waistcoat, turban(Pagri), Sherwani- Churidar pyjamas, long coat, starch stiffened turban. Women wear kurtas, Ghagra- lehenga- choli, rahide(crimson headscarf decorated with golden fringes). Western influence is visible in the dressing style of the youth.

Music and dance are an integral part of a Himachali’s existence. Music is not of classical genre but religion oriented wherein gods are invoked through songs. These mesmerizing songs are known as samskara songs and they use combination of only five notes namely: sa, re, ma, pa, ni.

Festivals, local fairs, social events and gatherings call for taking time off labour and losing oneself to the steps of dancing. Few of exclusive dance forms of HP are: Naati of Kullu, Karthi- a harvest dance, Burah—a martial dance, Kayang of Kinnaur, Sih and Bura -masked dance dramas narrating romantic and satirical topics.

Each month in the entire calendar year hosts one or the other fair or festival held either in honour of the deities worshipped in HP, or pertaining to sports or trade. To say it wisely; Life is celebrated every month by the locals.

Being geographically isolated has given an impetus to the process of evolution of Himachal’s unique tradition of art, architecture and handicraft. The list of specialization is endless; fine woodwork, traditional embroidery, engraved metalware, carpets and shawls depicting pahari designs, the beautiful Kohana-a wall hanging, brightly coloured bamboo household articles and not to forget the exquisite world famous pashmina shawl.

Crosscurrents of cultural and style exchange in hand with art being innovated locally can be viewed in the monuments of this abode of gods. These monuments emphasize on utility and beauty. The temple architecture is based on the availability of construction material. Hence the temples in the upper reaches of Himachal are made of wood and its design has a striking resemblance to Pagodas.

Besides Hinduism, Buddhism is practiced on a large scale here. Farming and livestock are the main occupations of Himachalis. Life here is mainly rural and full of challenges. Villages are mostly self-sufficient. Local shops take care of basic necessities of life.

What we as tourists see, is the commercial exploitation of the ethereal identity of the mountains. Life lies beyond it.