Q. Which Pass connects Kinnaur district with China?
Shipki La
Description: Shipki La is a mountain pass and border post with a dozen buildings of significant size on the India-China border. It is located in Kinnaur district in the state of Himachal Pradesh and Tibet, China. The pass is one of India’s border posts for trade with Tibet.
The river Sutlej, which is called Langqên Zangbo in Tibet, enters India (from Tibet) near this pass. The pass is close to town of Khab.
Q. Which Pass connects Parbati valley on the Kullu side with the Pin valley on the Spiti side?
Pin Parbati Pass
Description: The Pin Parbati Pass is a mountain pass in Himachal Pradesh at 5,319 meters. Pin Parbati Pass connects the fertile and lush Parbati valley on the Kullu side with the Pin valley on the Spiti side.
Q. Suraj Tal Lake is located in which district?
Lahaul Spiti
Description: Suraj Tal Lake is a sacred body of water lies just below the Bara-lacha-la pass (4,890m) in the Lahaul and Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh. Suraj Tal Lake is the third highest lake in India, and the 21st-highest in the world.
Suraj Tal Lake is the source of Bhaga River which joins the Chandra River downstream at Tandi to form the Chandrabhaga River in Himachal Pradesh territory, and as it enters Jammu and Kashmir it is renamed as the Chenab River. The Bhaga River (a tributary of the Chandrabhaga or Chenab) originates from Suraj Taal.
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. 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.