Manali, (altitude- 6,398 ft) in the Beas River valley, is an important hill station in the Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India, near the northern end of the Kullu Valley. It is administratively a part of the Kullu District. The population is approx. 30,000. The small town was the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh and from there, over the Karakoram Pass on to Yarkand and Khotan in the Tarim Basin. Manali and its surrounding areas are of great significance to the Indian culture and heritage as it was the home and abode of the Saptarshi or seven sages. The ancient cave temple, Hidimba Devi Temple, is not far from town Manali is named after the Brahmin lawmaker Manu. The word Manali literally means “the abode of Manu”. Legend has it that sage Manu stepped off his ark in Manali to recreate human life after a great flood had deluged the world. Manali is known as the "Valley of the Gods". The Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu.
Manali is famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, para gliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking, and mountain biking. It also offers hot springs, spectacular religious shrines and temples, Tibetan Buddhist temples, and trekking in the surrounding mountains.
In ancient times, the valley was sparsely populated by nomadic hunters known as "rakshas". The next arrivals were the shepherds who arrived from the Kangra valley and settled to take up agriculture. Some of the earliest inhabitants of the region are the 'naur' or 'nar' which is a caste unique to the Kullu valley. Only a few naur families are known to exist now. A naur family in the village Soyal near Haripur on the west bank of Manali was famous for the vast land they owned and their practice of having 'rakshas' as their labourers.
The British were responsible for introducing apples and trout which were not native to Manali. It is said that when apple trees were first planted the fruits were so plentiful that often branches, unable to bear the weight would collapse. To this day apple along with plum and pear remains the best source of income for the majority of its inhabitants.
Tourism in Manali received a real boost after the rise of militancy in Kashmir in the late 1980s. Once a quiet village, Manali has transformed into a bustling town with hundreds of hotels and restaurants.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
The summer is mild but during winter, the temperature often drops to below freezing point. The best time to visit is from April to mid-July and from mid –September to mid-November.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Foreign currency can be exchanged at the Delhi International Airport or at the banks in Shimla.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Manali is among the most popular adventure sports destinations in India. Manali offers opportunities for mountaineering, skiing, trekking, paragliding, white water rafting, river crossing and mountain biking.
Yak skiing is a sport unique to this area. Manali also featured in Time magazine's "Best of Asia" for its "Extreme Yak Sports".
Skiing is a major pastime in Manali. Facilities for skiing is available at Solang Nullah from January to March and at Rohtang La during the summer. The Mountaineering Institute at Solang Nullah is a good training institute. Heli skiing is possible at the deep snowfields. Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Skiing at Manali
Image By Wikipedia User Saurc zlunag Image is in Public Domain
Manali can be reached by travelling up to Shimla and proceeding onwards by road through the picturesque hilly terrain.
Domestic Flights
The nearest airport is at Bhuntar which is about 50 kms from Manali. Visitors are recommended not to take the aerial route as the service provided by the only private airline in that region is of poor quality.
International Flight:The nearest international airport is at Delhi from where flights operate to all the major cities around the world.
Road Travel
Manali is well connected by road to Delhi through NH-21 which goes on to Leh and is the world's highest motorable road. Leading up to Manali from New Delhi are the towns of Panipat and Ambala in Haryana, Chandigarh(Union Territory), Ropar in Punjab, and Bilaspur, Sundernagar, and Mandi in Himachal.
Train Travel
Manali is not easily approachable by rail. The nearest broad gauge railheads are at Chandigarh (315 km.), Pathankot (325 km.) and Kalka (310 km.). The nearest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar (135 km.)
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Naggar Fort south of Manali is a reminder of the 1500 year old Pal Dynasty. Made from rocks, stones, and elaborate wood carvings, it is an ensemble of the rich and elegant artworks of Himachal. The castle was later converted to a rest house and luxury hotel.
The often visited site in Manali is the Dhungri or Hadimba Temple. Erected in 1533, this temple is dedicated to the local deity Hadimba, wife of the Pandava prince, Bhim. A major festival is held here in the month of May.
Manali is known for its shiny gompas or Buddhist monasteries. With the highest concentration of Tibetan refugees in the entire Kullu valley, it is famous for its Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa built in 1969. The monastery is maintained by donations from the local community and through the sale of hand-woven carpets in the temple workshop
The smaller and more modern Himalayan Nyingamapa Gompa stands nearer the bazaar, in a garden blooming with sunflowers.
The Museum of Traditional Himachal Culture, near the Hadimba temple, is worth a visit, which houses artifacts of folk art of the entire Kullu valley.
Shopping:
Since Manali is a popular tourist destination, it is lined with shops selling souvenirs, wooden handicrafts, shawls and traditional Himachal outfits.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Where To Eat:
Café Jardin, a part of Ambassador Resorts, is the largest coffee shop in town serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Where to Stay:
Ambassador Resorts has 50 rooms in 8 distinct categories and is one of the best accommodations available. It has 4 in house restaurants including Café Jardin for snacks, De Jong, which offers authentic Chinese cuisine, Bar-be-Que for kebabs and Kiber, the frontier restaurant with the theme of an old fort.
Honeymoon Inn has comfortable Regent, Deluxe and Super Deluxe Rooms.
Dining here poses no problem at all as Zodiac offers a multi-cuisine spread and The Vegetarian’s Paradise provides mouthwatering dishes.
Amongst the other accommodations at Manali are Snow Valley Resorts, Hotel Classic and Glacier Resort.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Rohtang Pass, at an altitude of 13,050 feet above sea level, is another adventure tourist site where it can be cold even on a summer day. It is the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road.
Beas Kund, the source of river Beas, is also nearby. In winter, the road of Rothang Pass is closed.
Rahala waterfalls: About 16 kms from Manali at the start of the climb to the Rohtang Pass, is the beautiful Rahala Falls at an altitude of 2,501 m.
Rani Nala - 46 km from Manali, it is the glacier point where snow is available throughout the year.
Vashisht Hot Water Springs and Temple: Around 3 kms from Manali across the Beas River is Vashisht, a small village with natural Sulphur springs. Modern bathhouses are now closed, due to a conflict with the elders of the village and the Manali Council.
Vashisht, a sage, narrated Yoga Vashisht an ancient scripture to Rama. This extremely huge scripture covers all the topics that relate to the spiritual study of a seeker.
Vashisht also boasts a pair of old stone temples, opposite each other above the main square. Dedicated to the local patron saint Vashisht, the smaller of the two opens on to a partially covered courtyard and is adorned with elaborate woodcarvings lining the interior of the shrine, blackened by years of oil-lamp and incense smoke. In this ornate quadrangle is the resting place of the local and transient sadhus, drinking chai (tea), and smoking chillums with whoever will join them in reverence to the Lord Shiva and Guru Vashisht. The temple baths are separated into male and female and the water is often unbearably hot from underground hot-water/sulfur springs.
Solang valley, popularly known as Snow Point, is 13 kms northwest of Manali and famous for its 300-meter ski lift. It is a picturesque spot and offers splendid views of glaciers and the snow-capped mountains. Jagatsukh, the former capital of Manali, is also an important spot.
At a distance of 3 kms northwest of Manali is Old Manali, famous for its orchards and old guesthouses. There is ruined fort here by the name of Manaligarh. There is also the Manu Maharishi Temple, dedicated to sage Manu.
Manikaran: 85 km from Manali and 45 km from Kullu lies in the Parvati Valley. Here icy cold waters of the Parvati river co-exist with hot-water springs side-by-side. The springs are known for their healing properties.
Recommended Circuits:
Manali is often visited enroute from Dalhousie to Shimla or Chandigarh. Pilgrims and devotees visiting the Vaishnodevi Temple also take a break at Manali on their return journey to Delhi.
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Manali is a popular Himalayan tourist destination and accounts for nearly a quarter of all tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh.
