Day 43 - Manali

Day 43

A picturesque hill station encircled by snowy mountains and dense pinewoods with the meandering Beas River, Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh is famed for its aesthetic beauty. Lying at an altitude of 6260 feet, Manali is the premier hill station in the Kullu valley, whose splendor lies in the ever flowing Beas river with conifer gradients and crop orchards hiking up to the snow clad knolls of Himalayas. This awe inspiring hill resort is sandwiched between the imposing peaks of Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar. A land, which is the holy abode of numerous goddesses and gods, this gorgeous hill resort is puffed up with colourful festivals, fairs and pretty shrines. As per the legends One day, Varvasvata, the seventh incarnation of Manu found a tiny fish in his bathing water. The fish told him to look after it with devotion as one day it would do him a great service. The seventh Manu cared for the fish till the day it grew so huge that he released it into the sea. Before departing, the fish warned Manu of an impending deluge when the entire world would be submerged and bade him to build a sea worthy ark. When the flood came, Varvasvata and seven sages were towed to safety by Matsya, the fish which is regarded as first avatar of Lord Vishnu. As the water subsided the seventh Manu's ark came to the rest on a hill side and the place was named Manali after him.


How to reach here:


By Air: Bhuntar, which is 50 km away from Manali, is the nearest airport.

By Rail: Joginder Nagar is the nearest railway station to Manali, which is nearly 50 km away. Joginder Nagar is a narrow gauge railway station.



Best time to visit: October to May



Languages spoken: Pahari, English and Hindi.



Must eat : Khatta Kaddu, Mal Puda,  Siddu Ghee.



Famous Restaurants: Adarsh, Apple Blossom, Alchemy, Blue Elephant cafe.


Places you must visit:


Beas Kund (Chandratal Lake) is a  historic place, and it is believed that Sage Vyas had performed his daily bath. Beas Kund is regarded as sacred by the Hindus. The originating point of the Majestic River Beas, Beas Kund is sheltered by an igloo like stone formation.A typical rocky terrain, this place is devoid of vegetation and is only reachable through trekking. Apart from its religious importance, Beas Kund offers tremendous defying activities like trekking and camping for adventurous enthusiasts.





Hadimba Temple or Dhungri Temple is the patron-deity of the Rajas of Kullu, located 2 km from Manali, has an over flowing history dating back to the epic era.This temple is dedicated to Hadimba a 'Rakshashi’, and was built in the year 1553. A Pagoda styled shrine in the midst of a deep cedar forest, Hadimba temple resembles the Naggar Temple. A four-story structure, with exquisite woodcarvings has a huge Shikhara that towers over the shrine. Beautiful carving of Goddess Durga embellishes the doors of the temple. A windy conduit through forests and dells of sighing Deodars sets an imposing atmosphere to this lovely temple. These wooded surroundings would definitely rejuvenate one’s mind.

Vashisht Baths is situated on the banks of the majestic River Ravi, Vashisht is bestowed with natural springs and fabulous sand stone temples. Just about thirty minutes’ walk brings oneself to this sleepy hamlet. Situated at the suburbs of the town (6 km), Springs of Vashisht are very significant for their medicinal value.The gushing waters of the hot brooks are excellent ailments for skin diseases. Large number of people visits these springs to have a dip. The Vashistha temple has two springs flowing below the temple and is free to use, but they can get dirty. Besides these gurgling streams, Vashisht also houses pretty old shrines dedicated to lord Ram and his kula guru, Sage Vashisht. These stone temples have excellent and exquisite carvings on woods. The interior of the temple is getting blackened by the continuous use of oil lamps and other incenses. Placed on the banks of the majestic river, these temples present a serene and tranquil ambience to the visitor.

Rahala Falls is a popular picnic spot in Manali. At an altitude of 2,501 m, this pretty waterfall is an aftereffect of the dribbling of water from precipitous rocks and imposing glaciers.It exhibits the exceptional beauty of the environment around. The entire area is bounded with the thick deodar forest, and lofty birch trees, which creates an unspoilt and pungent atmosphere.The amazing spectacle of a cascade in the backdrop of magnificent snow clad mountain peaks is really worthy for a watch and offers a wonderful experience that one cannot forget for a lifetime. Kothi, Marhi and Gulaba camp are few nearby attractions to visit.

Kothi Gorge is a picturesque town located at a distance of 16 km from Manali, enroute to Rohtang pass.The place is known for offering magnificent views of the deep gorge serving as the mouth of Beas River.The village is located at an altitude of 2500 m above sea level and tourists need to indulge in a steep 1 hour trek from the road in order to reach the gorge.Thermal springs oozing out of the rocks make a pretty picture and tourists can enjoy a picnic at this spot as well. This place serves as an excellent base for paragliding. 

Jamula Temple is the main attraction of Malana. Dedicated to the Jamula Rishi Devta (a sage who inhibited this place), the temple is highly revered by the people of Gaddi tribes.

Manu Temple is believed to be the abode of Manu, Manali houses a lovely shrine dedicated to this ancient law giver of India. The popular belief is that this place is closely connected with the seventh incarnation of the great sage. Mythology says that he saved the Vedas and the seven sages from this inundation. It is assumed that subsequent to the great flood, Manu landed at Manali and then lived here. The tranquil and serene surroundings of this sacred place give devotees peace of mind and solace.

Basheshwar Mahadev Temple is a beautiful temple in Bhuntar, known for its stone carvings, flat shikharas and sculptures. The temple is located 4 km from the Bhuntar airport.Also called as Visveshvara Mahadev, the temple is believed to have been built in the 8th century and is the largest of all the stone temples.

Jagatsukh is a small village located 6 km south of Manali and is known to serve as excellent base for trekking. The place is also well known for old temples with Shikhara style built Shiva temple being its main attraction. The Jagatsuk Shiva Temple is an ancient temple built during the 8th century.

Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa, is one of the finest attractions in Manali. This renowned Buddhist monastery was built in the year 1960. A large number of refugees from the neighboring Tibet have made this their home town and constructed this monastery. his lively and pleasing monastery is well known for its pagoda-style yellow roof. Gorgeous wall paintings illustrating the ideology of Buddhism embellish the Gompa. Gadhan Gompa depicts an image of Buddha.The monastery also enlists the names of people who were killed in the Tibetan occupation. This shrine also houses petite shops in its premises for the sale of Tibetan Handicrafts and carpets. It is through this sale and donations from good Samaritans that the temple activities take place.

 

Keylong is Situated at an altitude of 3350 m. It is the headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. The region is strange, exciting, primitive mountainous and delightful. Rudyard Kipling said of the region "Surely the God live here this no place for men." The route to Lahaul takes a traveler over Rohtang Pass (3980 ml), Koksar (1st village of Lahaul) Sissu, Gondla and crossing the river Chandra Bhaga at Tandi.




Mrikula Devi Temple is situated in Udaipur and is famous for wood carvings.




Triloknath temple is Sacred both for Hindu and Buddhist.