ABSTRACT
India's cultures have their ultimate origins in the rural hearths. Chandigarh Dun in the sub-Himalaya is a part of the Hindu or India culture region, but the diversity of culture groups within it and their associated cultural landscapes and rural settlements is not widely realized. Different culture groups occupying a historical folk region, such as Dun in the Lower Himalaya, adjust or adapt distinctively to their localized, isolated, and differentiated ecological niches. One important expression of cultural adaptation to environment is religion. Although much of the western and central Dun has been under Rajput rule, their influence on the culture evolution of the other groups was only marginal. The persistence of a Punjab plains culture is of paramount significance. Chandigarh Dun is endowed with a cultural diversity unusual for its small size. It is peopled by four culture groups: Rajputs, Kanets, Gujars, and Sikh Jats, each possessing a distinctive life style.
