KULLU MANALI

History

In ancient times, the valley was sparsely populated by nomadic hunters known as 'rakshas'. The next arrivals were the shepherds who arrived from the Kangra Valley and settled to take up agriculture. Some of the earliest inhabitants of the region are the 'naur' or 'nar', which is a caste unique to the Kullu valley. Only a few naur families are known to exist now. A naur family in the village Soyal near Haripur on the west bank of Manali was famous for the vast land they owned and their practice of having 'rakshas' as their labourers.

The British introduced apple trees and trout, which were not native to Manali flora and fauna. It is said that when apple trees were first planted the fruits were so plentiful that often branches, unable to bear the weight, would collapse. To this day, apple—along with plum and pear—remains the best source of income for the majority of its inhabitants.

Tourism in Manali received a boost after the rise of militancy in Kashmir in the late 1980s.^{[citation needed]} This once quiet village was transformed into a bustling town with many hotels and restaurants.

[edit]Transport

[edit]Air

The nearest airport (IATA code KUU) is at Bhuntar town, situated on NH21 about 50 km (31 mi) south of Manali and 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kullu town. The airport is also known as Kullu-Manali airport and has more than a kilometre long runway. Indian Airlines and some private airlines have regular flights to the airport.

Chandigarh airport is the nearest international airport.

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Road

Manali can be reached from Delhi by national highway NH 1 up to Chandigarh and from there by national highway NH21 that passes through Bilaspur, Sundernagar, Mandi and Kullu towns. The road distance from Delhi to Chandigarh is 260 km and from Chandigarh to Manali is 273 km. The total distance from Delhi to Manali thus is 533 km (331 mi).

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Rail

Manali is not easily approachable by rail. The nearest broad gauge railheads are at Chandigarh (275 km (171 mi)), Pathankot (325 km (202 mi)) and Kalka (310 km (193 mi)). The nearest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar (135 kilometres (84 mi)).

See Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh Railway for the proposed railway line through this area.

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Tourism

Manali is among top Indian skiing destinations.

Vashishta Temple, Manali.

Tourism is the most significant segment of the town's economy. The tourist attractions of this hill station includes Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries and adventure sports. Following are the tourist spots in Manali :

Hadimba Temple (2 km) : Built in 1533 A.D. with a superbly crafted four tiered pagoda roof, it is famous for its exquisitely carved doorway.

Manu Temple (3 km) : This is dedicated to the sage Manu situated at old Manali.

Vashishta Temple (3 km) : Well known for its hot springs. There are old temples dedicated to the sage Vashisth and to Lord Rama.

Van Vihar : Situated in the middle of Manali, in front of the Tibet market on Mall road, Van Vihar is a famous place to hang out where tourists can enjoy boating in the small pond.

Monasteries : There are three recently built Tibetan monasteries at Manali.

Jagatsukh (6 km) : The one time capital of Kullu. Here are old temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and to Sandhya Gayatri. The Arjun caves are just ahead.

Solang Valley (14 km) : Solang Valley drives its name from combination of words Solang (Nearby village) and Nullah (water streams from mountains). It is a side valley at the top of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, India 14 km northwest of the resort town Manali on the way to Rohtang Pass, and is known for its summer and winter sport conditions. The sports most commonly offered are parachuting, paragliding, skating and zorbing.

Rohtang Pass (51 km) : On the road to Keylong is the Nehru Kund (6km) which is a clear water spring named after the Late Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. Kothi (12km) is a picturesque village and has a view of the deep gorge through which the Beas swiftly races. The Rahalla falls (16km) are at at altitude of 2500m. A crucial link on the old trade route and still the gateway to trans Himalayan Lahaul, the Rohtang Pass is at height of 3978 m. The pass is 52 km from Manali town. On the way to Rohtang Pass, lies a popular picnic spot known as Rani Nala, which is 40 km from Manali town.

Club House : The Club House with its comprehensive facilities that include a roller skating rink, an auditorium, billiards rooms, a library, a bar and restaurant. Bungee jumping is also provided.

Cafe Juniper : Himachal Tourism also runs the Juniper cafe and Chandratal restaurants at Manali.

MOUNTAIN RANGES IN MANALI

KUNZUM PASS BETWEEN LAHUL & SPITI

KI GOMPA

SHIVA SHRINE

KULLU

Lug-valley

ROYAL PALACE