Q. Who designed Vice Regal Lodge or Indian Institute of Advance Studies?
British architect Henry Irwin
Description: The Vice Regal Lodge was designed by British architect Henry Irwin. Majestic building was built in the Jacobethan style during Lord Dufferin’s tenure as Viceroy. Its construction started in 1880 and was completed in 1888. Lord Dufferin occupied the lodge on 23 July 1888
Q. Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary located in which district?
Chamba
Description: Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the lap of Bhandal Valley in Chamba district. The northern area of the sanctuary shared boundary with Jammu and Kashmir. Gamgul Siyabehi Wildlife Sanctuary is considered only sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh where the endangered species of Kashmir Stag is found.
Q. Who was the last ruler of Bhagat state?
Raja Durga Singh
Description: Baghat was a princely state in Solan district. The first capital of the state was Jaunaji. It was shifted in 1875 to Solan.
The founder of the Bhagat state is recorded as Basant Pal or Hari Chand Pal from Dharánágri in the Deccan region. It’s believed that Basant Pal had captured a small place in the hills of the Keonthan pargana of Patiala, which he subsequently named Basantpur, and which later came to be called Bassi. This settlement was inherited by his son Bakhsh Pál, who later annexed the parganas of Básál, Bhocháli and Bharauli from Patiála. The 8th rana, Bhawáni Pál, annexed the Bachhráng pargana and the territory of the Rana of Kasauli.
After the Gurkha- British war, British annexed considerable part of Bhagat estate and in 1839 state was lapsed into British territory as its ruler Rana Mahinder Singh died without issue.
However, in 1842, upon the request of Ummed Singh, a grandson of the late rana Dalel Singh, Lord Ellingham restored the state of Baghát to Bije Singh, the younger brother of the late rana. However, in 1849, he too died without leaving a direct heir, and the state again was deemed lapsed and was annexed according to the doctrine.
Ummed Singh then established a claim to the throne for himself, and pleaded his case before the Court of Directors. It was initially rejected, but eventually in 1861, upon the recommendation of Lord Canning, the claim was recognised by the court.
The last ruler of Baghát was Durga Singh, who succeeded his father in 1911 as a minor. In June 1928, he was accorded the hereditary title of Raja. Raja Durga Singh acceded his state to the Union of India on 15 April 1948.
Q. What is area-wise rank of HP in India?
17th
Description: Prior to India’s independence from the British, Himachal comprised the hilly regions of Punjab Province of British India. After independence, many of the hilly territories were organized as the Chief Commissioner’s province of Himachal Pradesh which later became a union territory. In 1966, hilly areas of neighbouring Punjab state were merged into Himachal and it was ultimately granted full statehood in 1971.
Q. Where is Roerich Art Gallery located in Himachal?
Naggar (Kullu)
Description: Nicolas Roerich (Nikolai Roerich) was a Russian painter, who made Naggar his home for the last few years of his life. He travelled extensively through Tibet and the Himalayas. Nicolas Roerich lived in Naggar from the late 1920s till 1947. Now his home has been converted into the Roerich Museum.