Pragpur - प्रागपुर

The core area of Pragpur is notified as a "Heritage Village", and, along with the nearby village of Garli, the surrounding area is a Hertitage Zone. The Soods are a special community laying claim to being Agnivanshis - born of a sacred fire - with references to them in ancient Hindu texts like the Rig Veda. At the time when Simla was the summer capital of the British Raj the Soods from around Pragpur owned more than half of it, and they still continue to be the dominant community.

Pragpur lies in the shade of the Dhauladhar mountains - the white ranges - and is said to be so located as to receive the astral benefic influence of prayers that have been offered for thousands of years at three nearby ancient Shakti (Primordial Energy) Temples of Bajreswari (Kangra), Jwalamukhi and Chintpurni.

Founded about 3 centuries ago Pragpur has held onto the essence of an earlier era - unchanged shops, cobbled streets, ornamental village tank, mud plastered and slate roofed houses. By a notification dated 9th December 1997 the State Government has classified Pragpur as a "Heritage Zone."