The Enchantress of the Himalayas: Manali

The enchanting valley of Kullu cradles in its lap a quaint little town by the name of Manali. In size it may be small but its history can be traced back to the ancient periods of the Mahabharata. Its splendorous scenic beauty has captured the imagination of many poets, and its sharp snow covered peaks, mammoth pines and conifers, and it’s unique and exciting mix of cultures has made it by far the most popular hill station in India. Come the honeymoon season and you will witness newly weds heading to Manali in hordes. Such is the magic in the air of Manali, that it strongly kindles the blossoming love of young couples, and they want to visit this enchanting land year after year, to rekindle the warmth of their love.

Manali may have a breathtaking beauty of boast off, its juicy apple orchards may draw thousands of tourists, but its biggest asset, is its nearness to snow covered peaks of the Himalayas. And where there is snow, how can such adventure spots as skiing an snowboarding be missing from the menu. Skiing trips are arranged at Solang Valley from January and February, and at other picturesque locations like Dhundi, Rohtang, Gulaba and Marhi from March to the mid of June depending upon the thickness and condition of snow. During the winters the thick snowfall turns the peaks into a haven for skiers. Sail down the white peaks, or try your hand at the coolest new winter sport - snowboarding. There are helicopters at your service that will take you to the highest, most seductive peaks in a jiffy – and from there you can glide down – either in skies or in snowboards, to the ride of your life.

Manali is situated on the national highway leading to Leh and is approximately 40 kms., from Kullu. The picture postcard beauty of Manali, has every thing that a nature lover craves to etch in the canvas of his heart. Quaint fruit orchards are scattered all here and there, and the crystal clear waters of the Beas cut through the town. There are thick woods of Deodar and Pine, which make excellent picnic spots. Manali without a shadow of a doubt is the place to visit if you are a trekking enthusiast, as it s from here that the roads literally open up Leh Spiti Kinnaur Lahaul and Zanskar regions of the kashmir valley.

Manali is also the place to visit if you have an eye for warm woolens and authentic handicrafts of Tibetan origin. City dwellers will forget the plush malls of their cities once they walk through the famous Manali mall road. Shop for charming little trinkets or luxurious Pashmina Shawls in closely clustered markets, nothing will seem too expensive, once the bargaining starts. Don’t miss the Tibetan carpets, famous intricate craftsmanship and surely you won’t be able to resist yourself from digging into a plateful of steaming noodles or tucking into spicy momos sold in almost all corners of Manali.

There are interesting routes, into the surrounding valleys, which are ideal for trekkers, who can find shelter in the tourist huts and rest houses, which have been especially constructed, for them.

The Solang region, which is 10 kms. away from Manali is famous for its annual Skiing tournament. And here (Manali) one can master the art of Skiing at the Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, one of the foremost institutions for skiing in India. It offers courses in skiing for both amateurs and professionals and also advises on how and where to go for skiing. The skiing season in the Himalayan region is from January to March. Electric lifts and supported lifts have been recently constructed on seeing the growing enthusiasm in winter sports. Most of the skiing is done in here in Solang

Sights and Sounds

HADIMBA TEMPLE: The DHOONGRI TEMPLE of Goddess Hadimba, the demon wife of Bhim, is the chief center of interest in Manali – both historically and archeologically. It has a Buddhist styled Pagoda shaped roof, which is four tiers high. The doorway has several figures of ancient deities and heroes guarding the entrance. The temple is located in the middle of a picturesque Deodar forest, about 2.5 kms of the tourist office. The temple speaks volumes of the level of skill and dedication with which the local craftsman had worked, due to which the temple still stands, unscratched to this day. In May a large festival is celebrated in the honor of Goddess Hadimba.

TIBETAN MONASTERIES: 3 new and colorful monasteries, have been constructed that sell Tibetan handicrafts like carpets and shawls to tourists. Two of them are in the town and one is at Aleo, which is on the left side of river Beas.

CLUB HOUSE: The Club house is a hot favorite of those who enjoy playing indoor sports. It also has a huge emporium selling woolens and shawls. It is popular also because it’s located in charming spot on the bank of Manalsu Nallah. It’s an ideal spot for picnickers.

MANU TEMPLE: The temple of rishi Manu lies 3 kms. away, from the main bazaar. It’s believed to be the only temple of lord Lord Manu who is believed to be the creator of humanity on the earth.

ROHTANG PASS: the famous Rotang Pass, offers a panoramic view of undulating snow-covered mountains that stretches miles into infinity. It’s 51 kms. away from Manali on the highway to Keylong and Leh. Itsopen during the summer seasons from June to October although trekkers can cross it even earlier. It acts as a gateway to Leh, Spiti, Pangi and Lahaul just like Zoila Pass whcich acts as a gateway to Ladakh. Here one can witness giant glaciers, peaks and the heavenly sight if the gentle Chandra river flowing down the Lahaul valley. Towards the left, are the twin giants of the Geypan peaks. Regular busses ply between Manali-Keylong/Darcha, Udaipur, Spiti and Leh during the summer season

JAGATSUKH: about: The placeboasts of some ancient temples of lord Shiva Sandhya Gayatri in Shikhara style, ideal for Hindu devotees. Its approximately 6 kms. away from manali.

ARJUN GUFA (CAVE): It’s a cave situated in the village of prinj, and is famous due to the legend that Arjun one of the Pandava brothers had meditated here. The view of the mountains from this location is breathtaking. It’s exactly 4 kms. away from the Manali.

MOUNTAINEERING INSTITUTE: Located on the left of Beas river, 3 kms.on the way to Kullu, the institute organizes basic and advanced courses in various adventurous exploits like trekking, mountaineering, water sports and skiing. Equipments for trekking and skiing can be hired from the institute by placing an order in advance. There is also an interesting showroom for visitors.

VASHIST HOT WATER SPRINGS AND TEMPLE: 3 kms from Manali, located on the banks of Beas towards Rothang Pass is a small hamlet called Vashist. It’s famous for its temples and hot water springs. Nearby is the ancient pyramid styled temple dedicated to Vashist Muni. There is another temple dedicated to Rama. There are separate bathing tanks for ladies and gents, where the sulfur water offers very effective cures to aches and pains and are always full of tourists. There are also showers built in the Turkish style for the tourists.

NEHRU KUND: There is a natural spring of clear cold water named after Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru who used to drink from this spring during his stay in Manali. It’s located 5 kms. on the National Highway during his stay in Manali.

SOLANG VALLEY: It’s a splendid valley located between Solang village and Beas Kund. From here one can witness the unearthly beauty of glaciers, snow capped mountains and high peaks. It has some excellent spots for ski enthusiasts. The Mountaineering institute seeing the potential of the area has also installed a ski lift, for training purposes. A few hotels have also come up. The winter festival organized ever year draws tourists by the thousands. Solang valley is the hot spot for all those who want to learn skiing.

KOTHI: Located 12 kms from Manali, is Kothi – a picturesque spot ideal for picnickers. The PWD rest house is strategically placed on a ridge overlooking a narrow valley with a breathtaking view of mountains and valleys. Lots of bollywood movies have been pictured in this romantic location, and this is the ideal place to take a sabbatical from the daily grind of city life.

RAHALA WATER FALLS: Its located 16kms. on the way to Rotang Pass. If one goes from Kothi to Marhi on foot, while taking the old road, a fascinating view of the falls enthralls the sight. It’s an excellent picnic spot as well.

Getting there

Rail: The nearest railhead is located at Chandigarh and Pathankot. From here commuters have the option of either hiring a car or charting a bus to reach Manali.

By Road: Manali is excellently connected with the cities of Delhi Chandigarh Dehradun Haridwar Shimla Dharamsala Chamba/Dalhousie. There are regular busses from these cities to Manali. During the months of July to October, Manali is connected with Leh.

A Piece of Advice:

Tourists should carry a lot of woolens with them, along with thick caps and sunglasses. For ski enthusiasts a minimum of 8 kgs of ski equipment should be carried up the slope to the skiing point.

We have some of the most beautiful and well-equipped cottages in Manali. The cottages are of two and five bedrooms, fully furnished with well a equipped kitchen. Do contact us for further information regarding accommodation and tour packages. We will do our best to make your trip to Manali, a memorable one.

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