Himachal
Pradesh has a rich history that has laid a strong foundation for the
state it is now. The origin of Himachal Pradesh goes back to the era of
the first ever human settlement that took place in India - Indus Valley
Civilization. The flourishing civilization affected the foothills of the
Himalayas, the place where present day Himachal Pradesh is located.
According to evidences studied by historians, it is clear that the
influence of the Aryans in this region dates back to the time period
preceding the Rig-Veda.During the pre-historic times, Himachal Pradesh was mainly inhabited by tribal groups like Koilis, Halis, Dagis, Dhaugris, Dasa, Khasas, etc. As time passed, Himachal Pradesh came under the control of the ruler of Kashmir, Sankar Varma around 883 A.D. During 1009 A.D, Himachal Pradesh was invaded by Mahmud Ghazni and most temples and riches were plundered during this invasion. Himachal Pradesh then went under the rule of the Rajputs during 1043 A.D.
After being ruled by the Rajputs till 1773 A.D., Himachal Pradesh was attacked by Maharaja Ranjit Singh around 1804 that literally crushed the reign of the Rajputs. The Gorkhas, who were a tribe from Nepal, also tried to capture this region but could not have a firm foothold against Ranjit Singh. However, they managed to spread their territory towards the south of this state. Due to this, they came into direct conflict with the British, which led to the Anglo-Gorkha war. The Gorkhas were no match for the British and were forced to leave, while the British emerged victorious.
The people of Himachal Pradesh remained loyal to the British. During the freedom struggle, many services were rendered to the British by the people here. After Indian gained Independence in 1947, 30 princely states were merged together to form Himachal Pradesh on 15th April 1948. For some time, Himachal Pradesh was declared to be a Union Territory on 1st July 1954. Finally, on 25th January 1971, it was declared the eighteenth state of the Indian union.
