What is Thandiani?
{{nosources|date=November 2012}} '''Thandiani''' (meaning 'Very Cold') is a hill station, or resort in the Galyat hill area of [[Abbottabad District]], [[Hazara]], [[Pakistan]]. [[File:Snow in hazara galyat hills.jpg|thumb|right|200px|View of Thandiani in winter]] ==History== Thandiani was originally granted as a leasehold to some members of the famous [[Battye]] family in [[British India]]. They were [[Christian]] missionaries and soldiers who fought in many famous military campiagns of the [[British Indian Army]]. They gifted the location to the church authorities, where a [[Sanatorium]] and various other facilities were set up, mostly for the convenience of missionaries, [[Anglican]] church personnel and officers stationed at the neighbouring cantonment of [[Abbottabad]]. It also contained some private European houses, a camping ground, a small bazaar, and the small seasonal church of [[St Xavier in the Wilderness]] (under the jurisdiction of [[St Luke's Church, Abbottabad]]) which were occupied only during the summers. ==Location== Thandiani is in the south of Abbottabad District at 34°13'60N 73°22'0E and is about 31 kilometres from Abbottabad city in the foothills of the [[Himalayas]]. To the east beyond the [[Kunhar River]] lies the fabulous snow covered [[Pir Panjal Range]] of mountains of [[Kashmir]].The hills of Thandiani are about 9,000 feet above sea level. Most of the people of residing here belong to the Qureshi, [[Gujar]], and [[Karlal]] tribes. ==Tourism== Thandiani has excellent weather and lush greenery in the summer months, and snow-covered views and hills in the winter. Many tourists from all over Pakistan visit here, especially in the summer season. ==Forests and wildlife== The mountains around Thandiani are still quite thickly forested, compared to most other hill stations in the locality, which have suffered deforestation. The local wildlife includes [[leopards]], [[deer]], [[monkey]]s, several kinds of [[pheasant]]s, the [[marbled polecat]] and the increasingly rare [[flying squirre