Nahan

Nahan is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District. It is also the location of the Indian Army Special Forces Training School. It was the capital of the former Sirmur princely state. Nahan sits amidst the Shiwalik mountain range at an average elevation of 932 meters above sea level. Nahan is known for its picturesque surroundings and marvelous views of the Himalayan Mountains. It is also the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Sirmaur under the British and was a largely agricultural town till 1857 when a foundry for manufacturing agricultural tools was setup here. The foundry was then taken over by the British East India Company following the Anglo-Gurkha war and the town played a key role in the Anglo-Sikh and Anglo-Afghan war.

Nahan has its past spun around many tales and legends. Founded by Raja Karan Prakash in 1621 as a capital, it is believed that this town derives its name from a sage named Nahar who lived at the same site where this town stands today. As per another version, the town gets its name from an incident where the king who was trying to kill a lion was stopped by a saint named Baba Banwari Das who said Nahar meaning 'don't kill'. The quaint town today, is dotted with gardens, temples and