Location - It is located in the beautiful valley of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh.
Manali, located at an altitude of 2050 m, is situated along the banks of the Beas, close to the Rohtang Pass and Solang Valley. It is the main holiday destination in the entire valley. The raw magnificence of Manali's natural beauty has to be seen, and experienced, to be believed. Proud,snow clad mountains, dense forests, emerald valleys, exotic flowers, gurgling streams meandering through meadows, it is sheer magic.
The origin of the name.
Manali means "Home of Manu". Manali has derived it's name from the name of a mythological character, Manu who is supposed to have survived when the whole world was drowned in flood. He then came to Manali andrecreated human life.Thus, this area of Manali is sacred and Hindus treat the temples over here as pilgrimage.
The adventurous zeal amongst the hills.
Manali is famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering,paragliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking, and mountain biking. In brief,Manali-the veritable "valley of the Gods"-is an ideal place for the ones in search of both adventure and comfort.
The people of Manali.
The Kullu is in brightly patterned puttoos, Tibetan women wearingankle-length rainbow-striped pinafores, Nepali porters, Buddhist monks, and even the odd party of Zanskaris, swathed in fusty woolen gonchas, muddled together with souvenir-hunting Indian and Western tourists-all add up to the welcoming hub of Manali
What to See?
» Hadimba Temple - This temple, with a finely wrought four - tiered pagoda roof, dating back to 1553, is built around a natural cave, which enshrines the footprints of the goddess Hadimba. Hadimbawas the wife of Bhima, one of the five great Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata, and later became the patron goddess of the Kulu royal family.
»Manu Temple - Just near the Hadimba temple flows the Manalsu River, that culminates in the main Beas river. Across the Manalsu river is the original village of Manali, that houses the ancient temple of the sage Manu. Manali itself is named after Manu, who is said to have dwelt here.
» Monasteries - Manali also houses three Tibetan monasteries, that have been built recently.
» Arjun Gufa - Five kms from Manali near the village of Prini is the Arjun Gufa, Arjuna's cave. Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, is believed to have performed his penance here.
» Vashisht - Three kms from Manali is the village of Vashisht, which is renowned for its hot sulphur springs. The village is also the site of some old temples, dedicated to the great sage Vashisht, andto Lord Rama. The Himachal Tourism sulphur baths are just beyond these shrines.
» Jagatsukh - The erstwhile capital of Kulu,Jagatsukh houses temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Sandhya Gayatri.
» Solang Valley - Around 14 kms from Manali, is the Solang valley, that boasts of the glacier nearest to the resort. Replete with terrific picnic - spots, the amazing ski slopes here are full of hectic activity, come January - February.
» Rohtang Pass - Rohtang Pass is 51 kms from Manali. Located at a height of 3980 m, the Pass once served as a crucial trade route, and still remains the gateway to the districts of Lahaul and Spiti.The Pass is open from June to November each year, and provides wonderful views of the entire surroundings. Just beyond the Pass is the Sonapani Glacier and the twin peak of Gaypan. The Beas Kund, the source of the Beas river, a holy site for Hindus, as the sage Vyas is said to have meditated at this spot, is also accessible from the Rohtang Pass.
Adventure and Fishing :
The Mountaineering Institute in Manali organises skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering courses. The common trek routes lead out from Manali to Leh,Bhrigu Lake, Chandratal, and Spiti. For fishing enthusiasts, Katrain,Raison, Kasol, Larji, and Nagar are some of the ideal places for trout.
Shopping :
Shawls, local tweeds, caps, rugs ('namdas'), footwear, fresh fruit, natural oils (olive and alond), silver jewellery, pullovers, metal craft, woollen jackets and bamboo products.
Temperature : | Climate | Max | Min |
| Summer | 25° | 12° |
| Winter | 14° | 3° |
Clothing :
The weather changes rapidly. Hence light woollen in summer and heavy woollen in winter are advisable.
Tourist Office : Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corp., Phone No. 2325.
Distances from cities and towns :Cities / Towns
Delhi
Ambala
Dharmasala
Chandigarh
Shimla | Kms.
521
404
253
221
173 |
How to Get There ?» By Air - The nearest airport is at Bhuntar (50km).
» By Rail - The nearest narrow gauge railhead is at Jogindernagar (135 km). The nearest broad gauge raiheads are at Chandigarh (310 km), and Ambala (355 km).
» By Road - The distance from Delhi via Mandi is585 km, and from Simla the distance is 270 km. From Simla, Chandigarh and Delhi, luxury buses run by Himachal Tourism regularly ply to Manali.
