Dagshai is one of the oldest cantonment towns in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Now this place is a domestic place for the residents of Himachal Pradesh, but the well planned city is denoted as the tourist attraction in Solan District.
Location of Dagshai
Dagshai is situated on top of a 5689 feet, which is a high hillock that stands sphinx-like astride the Kalka-Shimla Highway at a point about 11 km from Solan District. Dagshai is located at 30.88 degree north to 77.05 degree east. It has an average elevation of 1,734 metres (5,689 ft).
History of Dagshai
According to the mythological legend, it was derived from Daag-e-Shahi. During the Moghul era a Daag-e-Shahi (royal mark) was put on the forehead of the criminals and sent packing to the then Dagshai village. Dagshai was founded in the year 1847 by the British East India Company by securing free of cost five villages from Maharaja of Patiala as known as Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. The names of these villages were Dabbi, Badhtiala, Chunawad, Jawag and Dagshai. The new cantonment of Dagshai was named after the last named village, as it was the largest and most strategically located.
Demography of Dagsai
It is stated according to the Population Census in the year 2001; Dagshai had a population of 2751. Males constitute 62% of the population and females 38%. Dagshai has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 88% and, female literacy is 73%. In Dagshai, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Tourism in Dagsai
Dagsai was built by the British as a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients. It has a British era graveyard overlooking a valley. It is on the same height as Lawrence School Sanawar near Kasauli, and is a short drive from Dharampur on the Chandigarh Simla highway. It is some 65 kilometres from Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh. Unlike Kasauli, it is to the right of the highway while driving towards Shimla. There are two roads up, both steep. And after snow, snow chains are a must to drive up to Dagshai or getting down from it.
There is a very small civilian town, and the two schools take up most of this hilltop station. From some spots in Dagsai, one can see the entire Panchkula Range and Chandigarh lights at night. Also, one is able to see Timber Trail Heights and Timber Trail Resorts, Parwanoo.
Visiting Information
There is a railway station on the Kalka Simla line at Kumar Hatti, from where Dagshai is about 1.5 kilometers uphill. The next towns in the direction towards Shimla are Barog and Solan. Solan is some 11 km from Kumar Hatti by road, and Dagshai is some 3 km from Kumar Hatti. From Kumar Hatti there is also a road to Sarahan and Nahan.
