Manali in Himachal Pradesh is truly the most popular tourist destinations with unspoilt natural scenic beauty. The people here have multicultural life visiting Manali will give an insight to the culture of the people in the Kullu valley. Manali will be a good place to visit to enjoy winter sports activities, summer holidays and for honeymoons. The following are some of the places and attractions to see in Manali. Solang Valley This valley located between Manali and Kothi offers great view of the snow covered peaks and glaciers. The training for skiing is the main attraction and this is the venue of the annual winter skiing festival. The trekking parties use this as a camp. Rohtang Pass This place lies at an altitude of 3,978 meters on the way to Keylong. This is the highest point in Manali-Keylong highway. You can get a panoramic view of the natural scenery. You can see the deep ravines, precipitous cliffs and “Sone Pani” glacier here. The “Sarkund” lake here is famous and is a most visited place by the tourists. The pass will be open only during June to October.Please not there is a new tax that NGT has started for vehicles going to Rohtang pass and due to this many people now choose not to go there any more. There is a petetion that is pending against the imposed tax. Hadimba Devi Temple This temple also called as the Hidimba Devi temple was built during 1553 A D by Raja Bahadur Singh and is dedicated to goddess Hidimba or Hirma Devi, wife of Bhima. This temple has four tiered pagoda and has figures and symbols carved on the doorways. The temple is mostly made of wood. There is another temple nearby dedicated to Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhīma and Hidimba. Vashisht This village is only 4-5 km from Manali and is located in the Kullu district. It is famous for the sulphurous hot water springs situated on the left bank of Beas River. The springs come out of granitic deposits found in these parts of the Himalaya. There are Turkish style bath houses available here for the visitors to enjoy the spring water, the temperature of which varies from 110 to 123 degree Fahrenheit. There is a special water tank reserved for the women visitors. The temple located here is dedicated to the sage Vashishta. This place provides a wonderful view of the famous Beas River and the beautiful greenery. Kothi This is a beautiful spot overlooking a valley and offers beautiful view of the mountains. The Beas river flows through 30 meter deep gorge below Kothi and this area is a popular location for movie shooting. There are many rest houses located here, which gives affordable and comfortable accommodation to the tourists. Nehru Kund This is a natural cold water spring located 5 kms away from Manali on the Manali-Keylong road. The spring is a unique one named after the former Prime Minister of India Late Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. He used to visit this spring and drink water from the spring during his visit to Manali. This spring of cold water believed to be originating from “Bhrigu Lake”. This serene location will calm your mind and will refresh the senses. Tourist spots like Manu temple, Arjun Gufa and Jagatsukh are close to this place. Buddhist Monasteries Manali has good number of Tibetan people living there and hence there are many Buddhist monasteries in various parts of Manali. These monasteries are beautiful with multi-colored paintings on the wall. The two most famous monasteries are Himalayan Nyingamapa Gompa with a large Buddha statue with golden face and Gadhan Thekchoking Gompa Monastery with medium sized statue of Lord Buddha. Manu Temple This temple dedicated to sage Manu who is believed to be the creator of the human race. This temple is located in the old township of Manali, 3kms away from the main market. Tourists from different parts of the world visit this temple. This is the only temple remaining in the country to worship sage Manu. According to the belief of the local people sage Manu dwelt, and meditated in this region of Manali. Jagat Sukh This place is originally known as “Nast” and this was the capital of Kullu kings for 10 generations. Jagat Sukh is famous for the shiva temple called “Bijli Mahadev” temple and “Devi Sharvali” temple. The Shiva temple is built in shikhara style at an altitude of 2,460 meters above the sea level. A 60 feet high lighting rod located in this temple get struck by lightning all through the year and hence the name. Ma Shravali is the ancient deity of Kullu kings and is considered as the manifestation of Goddess Durga. You can get a picturesque view of the valley on the way to the temple. The festivities at the temple are at the best during the Dussehra festival. Sultanpur Palace This palace was earlier known as the Rupi palace. The new palace has been built over the old palace that has been damaged by an earthquake. This is a place of attraction who is interested in knowing the history of the rulers of the Kullu valley. The palace offers a wonderful blend of colonial and Pahari style architecture with attractive wall paintings. This palace was the residence of the former rulers of Kullu valley. Beas River The Beas river has historical importance as this river marks the eastern border of the empire of “Alexander the Great”. This river considered as the “heart of Kullu valley” and the shores offer many picnic spots for the tourists to enjoy the nature. Though the river is not fit for swimming activities as it is a fast flowing river, it is perfectly suited for rafting. Manali tourists who are looking for some adventure can opt for the rafting experience in Beas River. Basheshwar Mahadev Temple This temple is located at Bajura village about 15 kilometers from Kullu. The deity of the Basheshwar Mahadev Temple is Lord Shiva or Mahadev. This temple is believed to be constructed in 9th century AD. The temple attracts the tourists with its elaborate stone carvings. There are many small idols of deities such as Lord Vishnu, goddess Laxmi and Durga and Lord Ganesha in this temple. Manali is the famous hill station in India and it offers a complete package for enjoyment for the visitors. The breathtaking nature, trekking, skiing, mountaineering, rafting, etc. offers adventure as well as relaxation.
