Kullu

Kullu Valley

Kullu, also spelled Kulu, formerly Sultanpur, town, central Himachal Pradesh state, northwestern India. It lies on the Beas River about 60 miles (100 km) north of Shimla, the state capital, with which it is linked by road.

The town is an agricultural trade centre. Hand-loom weaving is the principal industry, notably the production of Kullu caps, shawls, handkerchiefs, and scarves. Tea, fruit, wheat, barley, and other crops are grown in the surrounding area, much of which is forested. In medieval times the region was part of a strong state of the Rajput rajas. Kullu is famous for its festivities during Dussehra (September–October), when the story of the epic poem Ramayana is reenacted. The town is a gateway to the scenic Kullu Valley, which extends northward to the source of the Beas River at Rohtang Pass. Pop. (2001) 18,306; (2011) 18,536.