Karsog is a town and municipal area (Nagar Panchayat) in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.
Folklore
According to local folklore, the Pandavas spent their Vanvas here. There are many stories about them and many temples said to be built by them.
History of Shikari devi
According to the related stories, many years ago hunters worshiped a goddess on the mountain and prayed to get success in their hunt. The temple was built by the Pandavas and they stayed there at that period of time. People in the valley say that during heavy snowfall, you can see snow everywhere in the valley but not on the top of the temple.
Tattapani is known for its hot springs and is about 52 km from Shimla on the way to Karsog valley. This place is also a famous tourist spot, with a view of Satluj River flowing through the mountains.
Geography
The total area of Karsog is 524 km2. Karsog has a population of 93,126 people. The geographical position of Karsog is 31.3813° N, 77.2046° E.
Karsog is a town in Karsog sub-division of Mandi District in Himachal Pradesh State in India. Distance of Karsog from various places:
Mandi-Karsog = 125 km
Shimla-Karsog = 108 km
Karsog-Pangna = 25 km
Karsog-Kelodhar = 14 km
Karsog-Seri Banglow = 19 km
Karsog-Churag = 18 km
Karsog-Sorta = 18 km
Karsog-Kamaksha = 07 km
Karsog-Bhurti = 19 km
Karsog-Mahunag = 34 km
Karsog-Mumail = 2 km
Karsog-Chamba = 391 km
Karsog-Kinnaur = 208 km
Karsog-Kullu = 183 km
Karsog-Solan = 153 km
Karsog-Leh = 681 km
Karsog-Gholog = 5 km
Weather
The climate remains mild most of the time during the year. Due to cold weather in the 7–8 months in the year dhatus, shawls and woolen jackets are the main clothing of most of people in the valley.
Located in the Himalayas, Karsog goes through vast drought seasons during the winter and is burdened by flooding and hail every spring. March, June, September, and November, are usually cool and dry.
Agriculture
Karsog is land of farmers, a variety of crops are grown up there and land is very fertile. Apples, wheat, Rajma, corn, pomegranates, rice, potato, peas and vegetables are the main crops. Apple growing is the main source of income for many people in the valley. Recently new apple cultivars like jeromine,redvelox, gala, adom, and other vegetables like celery, broccoli, and red capsicum have been introduced.
Languages
Pahari and Hindi are widely spoken languages in the region.
Education
Karsog Town has many institutions that offer education to local students, including Govt post-graduate College, industrial training institute (for vocational courses), BEd. College. G.S.S.S Karsog, SVM Karsog, Root Model Public school, B.L. Central School and Day star school.
Government departments located in Karsog
Education Department - There is a senior secondary school, a college and a middle school. They have been authorized by government. There are a number of schools which are run by the people of Karsog. Forest dept law department police station - There is one police station in Karsog. [municipal department - Karsog is run by a nagar panchayat. There are talks of running Karsog through a municipal corporation. BSNL - The telephone exchange of Karsog is in Baral. It is about one kilometre from the main bus stand. transport department (HRTC depot Karsog) hospitals tourism department - Karsog valley is famous for its climate, mountains, hills, and temples. The Mamleshwar Resort in Chindi is about 15 kilometres from Karsog. Agricultural department Block Development office Banking - There are four public-sector and two state co-operative banks. Post office - An Indian Post Office is located near Bus Stand Karsog. jal shakti vibhag karsog (irrigation cum public health dept.)
Cultural significance
The area is of historical significance to Hinduism because of its many temples. The name Karsog is believed to have derived from a myth in the Mahābhārata, Which tells the story of a town being terrorized by a cannibal Rakshasa. This led to the name Karsog as an amalgamation of the Hindi words 'Kar' and 'Shok', Creating a word that loosely translates to 'Daily Mourning'.