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About Arki

Located on the Siwalik foothills of the Himalayas, Arki is a small town in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. As the city is positioned at a high altitude, it is a remarkable hill station for tourists worldwide. It is also called as the Sunny Place of Himachal Pradesh. The city not only boasts of its scenic beauty but also of its ancient temple caves. Arki is also renowned for its fort. The small town can be easily approached from Shimla, Bilaspur and Solan by road.

Arki Hill Station

History of Arki

The hill station has great historical significance. According to historians, it was the capital of Baghal, the land of leopards. The princely hill state was founded in 1643 by a Panwar Rajput called Rana Ajai Dev.  In 1650, Arki was made the capital of the state by Rana Sabha Chand. It is believed that the town was well planned and developed under the rule of Raja Krishan Singh. The wise ruler had settled many skilled artisans, scholars and businessmen in Arki by offering them tax free lands. Later, the Baghal state became a part of the Himachal Region.
 

Climate of Arki

Arki has a sub tropical climate. It experiences cold winters, temperate monsoons and pleasant summers all around the year. Owing to its high altitude, the place enjoys moderate day temperatures in summer. Winters are quite chilly. Temperatures in winter vary between 4 °C and 8 °C. On the other hand, moderate rainfall occurs in the monsoon season. Most of the rainfalls happen in July and August. The moderate climate of the region enables tourists to visit Arki in any season of the year.
 

Fruit Cultivation in Arki

Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of the region. People cultivate cash crops like wheat, rice, barley and maize. Owing to the hilly areas, less food crops are grown here. The region is renowned for citrus fruits especially apples. Cultivation of fruits like apricot, peach, walnut, kiwi and pear is prominent in the fertile Kunihar Valley. 

Temples and Historical Monuments in Arki

Arki Fort


Arki is renowned for its beautiful cave temples. These shrines are famous for their Shikhara style of architecture. Luturu Mahadev Temple is one of them. It is situated on a rugged hillock. Other temples that are prominent for their Shikharas are the Durga Temple, Shakhni Mahadev Temple and the Jakholi Temple. The Bhadrakali Temple is one of the holy Shaktipeeths of Himanchal Pradesh. Apart from these temples, the city is famous for Arki fort and Arki Palace. The ancient fort built by Rana Prithvi Singh is festooned with lovely paintings that relate the Pahari style of art.

On the other hand, the elegant Arki Palace has beautiful frescoes that are carved in the Arki Kalam style. However, the palace has been refurbished into a Heritage Hotel. The Diwan-i-Khas also known as the Audience Hall is another prominent monument in Arki that is famous for numerous paintings and frescoes.

Fact File of Arki

Latitude in decimal degrees - 31.150
Longitude in decimal degrees - 76.967
Elevation - 1045 meters
Population (2011) - 163,630
Literacy Rate - 89%
Main Languages - Hindi and Pahari

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