Jewel in the Crown
Altitude : 1915 mts.
Season : April to June and September to October
Situated at the northern end of the Kullu Valley, Manali has
spectacular views of snowcapped peaks and wooded slopes and the
popular resort of Manali is the last major settlement in the Kullu
Valley. When travellers first discovered it during the 1960s, Manali
was an old stone houses and tranquil alpine scenery.
The Beas rushes along its rocky course amid grassy meadows carpeted
with wild flowers and wagtails hop along from stone to stone along
the stream’s edge. There are marvellous walks too through dappled
orchards and fairy tale forests of deodar.
It is named after Manu the Law Giver who arrived here by boat when
fleeing from a great flood. In the summer Manali is packed with
Pahari-speaking Kullus, lahaulis, Nepali labourers, Tibetan refugees
and foreign and Indian tourists and the new town have become
increasingly crowded with dozens of new hotels.
Manali with its Mountaineering Institute is a popular base for
trekking and mountaineering in summer and skiing in winter.
Interesting routes into the surrounding Valleys, over the high
passes, are provided with tourist huts and rest houses for trekking
enthusiasts.
The Manali market is crowded with myriads of interesting shops
selling Tibetan carpets and crafts and the appetizing aroma of
steaming noodles hanging about the little restaurants. The main
market areas are the Underground Market Under Hotel Ibex and the NAC
Market behind the bus stand.
Around Manali
Gadhan Thekcockling Gompa:- Tibetan refuges built this gompa in the
late 1960s; the gompa has some brightly coloured frescoes and a
central statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and dominates the Tibetan area at
the bottom of The Mall. It is open from 6a.m. to 7 p.m. and there’s
a Rs. 2 charge for photography.
Old Manali:- The original settlement of Manali is about 2.5 km.
north-west of ‘New’ Manali.It’s a pleasant ( but rapidly developing
) area of old guesthouses and orchards.
The modern but tasteful Manu Maharshi Temple is built on the site
where Manu meditated after he arrived in the area. Old Manali is
uphill from The Mall on the far side of the Beas. Follow the road to
the left at the top of The Mall.
Hidimba Temple: A pretty path leads to the Hidimba Temple standing
tall amidst the stately deodars. The ancient temple is built like a
pagoda and its lintel and door frame have intricately carved wood.
Inscriptions proclaim that it was built by Maharaja Bahadur Singh in
1553. A colourful festival is held here in May every year.
Vashist Springs (1982 mts.): Above Manali are the sulphur springs at
Vashist. Near the modern baths is an old stone lined pool (3 kms.).
Jagatsukh: A Jagatsukh, in the midst of a picturesque village, are
old temples. The elegant Gauri Shankar shrine built in the 8th
century is the earliest surviving stone temple in this area.
Jagatsukh was also once the capital of Kullu (6 kms.).
Arjun Gufa: Legend has, it that it was here that Arjun practiced
austerities to get the Pashupata Ashtra, the sacred weapon from Lord
Indra ( 5 kms.).
Nehru Kund: A spring of cold clear water along the road to the
Rohtang Pass (6 kms.). Solang ValleyL: Enroute to Kothi, close to
the Rohtang Pass is the beautiful Solang Valley.There are marvellous
views of the snowcapped peaks and glaciers. Excellent ski slopes and
a good ski lift make it a popular resort in winter.
Kothi: Located at the foot of the Rohtang pass, Kothi is a
picturesque spot and a convenient camping site not too long ago,
when the pass was crossed on foot. The well appointed P.W.D. rest
house has a panoramic view of the magnificent mountainscape. The
River Beas swirls through a deep chasm close by (12 kms.).
Rahalla Falls (2501 mts.): This splendid cascade is about 4 km from Kothi (16 kms.).
Rohtang Pass (3980 mts.): Manali splendid a good starting point for
visits to the Lahaul and Spit Valleys over the Rohtang Pass. The
Pass is open for just four months in the year, from June to October,
when the snow melts.
Beas Kund: Easily accessible from the Rohtang Pass, the Beas Kund is
the origin of the River Beas. The river gets its name from the great
sage Vyas, who is said tohave mediated here.
Brighu Lake: A fine 2-day excursion from Manali is the trek to Brighu Lake (4200 mts.). Below Brighu peak. The lake can be
approached from Vashisht and Gulaba, the latter being the easier
route.
Local festivals:
Mid-February: Week long Winter Sports Carnival.
May: 3-day colourful Dhungri Forest festival at Hadimba Devi Temple,
celebrated by hill women.
Places to Eat:
The Sa-Ba Restaurant in Nehru Park, at the top of The Mall, has good
Western food. Sher-e-Punjab, on The Mall, has a sterile setting, but
its Indian food is recommended.
Johnson’s Café is farther uphill and a bit more upmarket. This is a
pleasant open-air garden café.
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