Kullu – Manali ” The Land of Gods “
Manali is named after the Hindu lawgiver Manu. The word Manali is regarded as the changed name of “Manu-Alaya” which 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 also often referred to as the “Valley of the Gods”. The Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu
The nearest airport Bhunter is 50 km from Manali where taxis and buses are available. The closest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar, 165 km away. The closest broad gauge rail heads are Chandigarh (310 km) and Ambala (355 km). By road the distance from Delhi is 570 km and from Shimla the distance is 280 km. from Delhi.
Tourist attractions in Manali
Van Vihar National Park is one of the most frequented attractions in Manali. Located favourably on the Mall Road, this park is populated with many deodar trees that provide shade to the whole area. For the convenience of visitors, the park is provided with concrete as well as wooden benches. It is an ideal place for enjoying picnics and spending moments of repose with your loved ones. Its well-laid paths are perfect for a long and refreshing stroll amid lush greenery. In addition to these, visitors can indulge in boat rides in the park’s small pond.
Kothi
Kothi situated at the foothill of Rohtang pass and is just 12 kilometers from Manali at an altitude of 2500 m. It offers a magnificent view of snow capped mountains and glaciers, the Beas river flow through a very deep and narrow gorge at this point. Kothi used to be a camping site when Rohtang pass had to be climbed on foot.
Naggar
Nagar, a lovely village set on a hill sourrounded by forests, was the capita of kullu in the 16th century and the monuments in the region are witness to its glorious past. The Naggar Castle, a stone and wood structure built by Raja Sidh singh over 500 years ago, has been converted in to a heritage hotel. The gracefully built castle has a temple in the courtyard and also houses a small museum.
Club House
Located at a distance of 2 kms from Manali, the club house is an amusement zone. It has indoor game facilities and is situated on the left bank of river Manalsu Nallah. The structure of Club House finds resemblance from British style of architecture. It is managed by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) and offers avenue for playing popular indoor games such as carrom, table tennis, karting and skating. Tourists can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with some delicious snacks from their in-house restaurant. Adventure freaks can indulge in river crossing which can be done by ropeway.
Manali Excursions
BHUNTAR – is at a distance of 50 km from Manali, Bhuntar is a picturesque town Which is the nearest airport to Manali. It has the Himachal State Weaving Co-Operative, also called the Bhutti Weavers colony, Which is an important shopping place for traditional himachal winterwares and handicrafts.
KEYLONG
KEYLONG – located at an altitude of 3,350 metres, is a convenient base to visit some of the nearby attractions like the Rohtang Pass, Koksar, Sissu, Gondla and Tandi.
Kullu
KULLU – The place is surrounded by fascinating mountains, calm valleys, aromatic breeze, and whispering pines. Kullu is mentioned in the great epic Mahabharata as many mythological figures came and resided in this valley of the Gods. some of its important places are Akhara Bazaar, Katrian, Kasol, Rasion, Manikaran and Pulga.
MANIKARAN
MANIKARAN – is located at a distance of 86 km from Manali, The name of the place is derived from the words, ‘mani’ (jewel) and ‘karan’ (ears). According to a legend, Lord Shiva and Parvati decided to stay here as they were moved by the beauty of the place. One day Parvati lost one of her earrings here and could not find it despite of all efforts. This made the Lord angry and He opened his third eye, which caused massive destruction.Thus the name “Manikaran” came in to existence.
NAGGAR
NAGGAR – is at a distance of 22 km from Manali, Naggar makes an ideal getaway from Manali. Apart from scenic beauty it also has lots of places of religious importance like Gauri Shankar Temple, the Chatar Bhuj Temple, Tripura Sundri Devi Temple and the Murlidhar Temple. It was the capital of the Kullu Valley in 16th century. The beautiful castle built by then Kullu ruler, has a temple in the courtyard and a small museum.
ROHTANG PASS
ROHTANG PASS – is at an altitude of 3,978 m, the famous Rohtang Pass is one of the most visited places near Manali. It is the gateway to Lahaul Spiti, Pangi and the Leh valleyIt is a paradise for the adventurous tourist.. The gigantic cliffs, Flawless glaciers and ravines enhances the scenic view. However, this pass is open for tourists only during the summer time. Rest of time it is closed due to the heavy snowfall. From Rohtang Sonepani Glacier and the snow-crowned twin peaks of Geypang and Marh are easily accessible. (10 km from Manali).
UDAIPUR
UDAIPUR – is at a distance of 145 km from Manali, It has lots of trekking points. It is also famous for its shikhara style temple built after 1720 near Chamba. the name Udaipur was given during the reign of Raja Udai Singh of Chamba (1690-1728). The place is also famous for its apples, walnuts, apricots, etc.
Religious Places
The chief deity of Kullu is Raghunath Ji. Dussehra festival is held in its name. The idol is same which was used by Lord Rama himself at the time of Ashwamegh Yagya and was brought from Tretnath temple of Ayodhya. The temple was constructed in 1660 AD with a mixed look of Pahari and Pyramidal style. Everyday puja (aarti) is held for five times. Round the year, 45 festivals are held. It is said that Raja Jagat Singh used charanamrit of the idol for 42 days and was absolved from the evil effect of the curse of a Brahmin Durga Dutt.
Vaishno Devi Temple
On the way to Manali 3 km. from Kullu, it is a nice place to pilgrim. There is small cave just like Vaishno Devi Temple. an idol of Durga is installed here. In 1964 AD, a saint established this temple. After his death, this temple is managed by Sharda Sewa Sungh. There is a Lord Shiva temple also.
Bhakhali Temple
In the lap of a hill, about 10 km far from Kullu, Bhakhali is a small village of Brahmins. But, on foot it is only 4 km. It is the abode of Jagannathi mata, also called as Bhuweneshawari, sister of Lord Narayana. The temple is 1500 years old. A fine sample of local art of sculpture, a full sized lion of stone stands in lawn of the temple. Walls have the painting of Durga in various actions.
Bijli Mahadev Temple
Situated at an altitude of 2435 mts on a hill call Mathan 11 km. from Kullu. The temple is ideally located offering a commanding view. The temple is in ‘khash’ style. 20 mt high wooden pole stands are installed for seeking blessings from the sky in the form of lighting which shatters the temples Shivlinga Ghat which is then rebuilt by the temple priest. All the pieces are joined together with butter as adhesive. A special ceremony is performed in this process. The followers carry a Chariot of Bijli Mahadev where the deity is taken out. The followers invokes his blessing for bringing rain, good crop, help in worldly affairs or birth of a son.
Gurudwara Shri Narayan Hari (Manikaran)
Saint Shri Narayan Hari came to Kullu in 1940 from his native place Kamalpur (Pakistan) and settled in Manikaran. Initially there was nothing except two hot water springs. He worked on the Gurudwara building and the 50 years long service bore fruit in the shape of present Gurudwara. And, now this Gurudwara can accommodate more than 4000 people with free ‘Lunger’ facility.
Hadimba Temple
This temple constructed in pagoda style displays the finest example of wood carving on it. It’s sanctuary is built over a rocky crevice covered by a large rock that is worshipped as a manifestation of Durga, an image of the goddess is also enshrined here. The divinity is popularly worshipped throughout the region during the festivals and the goddess is transported to Kullu to visit the Lord Raghunathji during Dussehra.
Manu Maharaj Temple
The temple of Manu Maharaj is located in Manali village, which is about1 1.5 km from the main town. The idol was found in the court yard of the house of a person, named Gauri of Dhauni Chauni. The present temple has been constructed on the said spot. On the 6th day of Phalgun, the famous Phagli fair is held here in honor of Manu Maharaj, every year. It marks the beginning of the spree of fairs in the valley.
Fairs & Festivals
Manali is an idyllic hill station whose stunning views attract droves of tourists all round the year. The cultural extravaganzas of the panoramic valley are manifested in the numerous Manali fairs and festivals.
Dussehra
It is celebrated with tremendous pomp and grandeur to mark the triumph of good over evil. The celebrations of the festival, where effigies of the diabolic emperor Ravana are burnt to pay a tribute to Lord Rama’s victory, has an added flavor in Manali valley. The week long ceremony is a fusion of the cultural attributes and religious fervor.
Pipal Jatra or Vasantotsava
It commences on the 16th day of Baisakh, meaning summer in the Indian calender. The fairgrounds of Kullu’s Dhalpur ground host this carnival where song and dance shows and colourful stalls provide the enjoyment quotient.
Shamshi( Virshu )
It is yet another significant festival that is celebrated on the 13th of April. The fair is essentially endowed with a religious and mythological character. The local inhabitants gather at the congregation spot of the erstwhile hermits and sages who flock to worship the local goddess.
Mela Bhuntar
is a three day long gala affair celebrated in the hamlet of Bhunter. The festival started at the initiative of Devta of the ilaqua Suraj Pal and is primarily celebrated to thank the benevolent deities for their benediction, owing to which a flourishing harvest is obtained.
How to reach Manali
Bhuntar, which is located 50 km from Manali is the closest airport to Manali. The Bhuntar airport is well connected by flights to Delhi. There are tasi services available between Bhuntar and Manali.
By Train
One of the most convenient and faster ways to reach Manali is to avail the broad gauge trains. Trains to Manali take you to the nearest station broad gauge railway stations of Kalka, Chandigarh and Pathankot. Some of the trains that run from these stations are:
- Kalka Howrah Mail connecting Kalka and Howrah
- Shatabadi Express Kalka-New Delhi
- Shatabadi Express Chandigarh-New Delhi
- One can reach Manali from these stations reached by road.
By Road
Traveling to Manali by road is one of the easiest ways to reach the beautiful destination. You can plan your trip accordingly by going through the list which provides information on the distance of Manali from major Indian cities:
- Manali – Mandi 110 km
- Manali – Delhi – 570 km
- Manali – Leh 475 km
- Manali – Manikaran 085 km
- Manali – Dalhousie 385 km
- Manali – Rohtang Pass 051 km
- Manali – Dharamshala 235 km
- Manali – Kaza 200 km
- Manali – Palampur 200 km
- Manali – Pathankot 325 km
- Manali – Kasauli 275 km
- Manali – Chamba 402 km
- Manali – Udaipur 150 km
- Manali – Chandigarh 320 km
- Manali – Shimla 260 km
- Manali – Keylong 115 km
- Manali – Trilokinath 150 km
