Nestled amidst spectacular beauty of snow-clad Himalayas, Kullu Manali is an ideal getaway to explore a fairy tale that is steeped more in adventure and rich cultural heritage. With super views of the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal Ranges, and with mountain adventures beckoning from all directions, Manali is a year-round magnet for tourists. Backpackers come to hang out in the hippy villages around the main town; adventure tourists come for trekking, paragliding, rafting and skiing; and Indian honeymoon couples or families come for the cool mountain air and their first taste of snow on a day trip to Rohtang La. I have been hearing romantic stories about Manali since the time I grew up, however, though I have been to Shimla, never got an opportunity to visit Manali. So, when two of my closest friends suggested a trip, I couldn't resist it.
We took an overnight bus from Chandigarh which has huge glass windows and no curtains. So, when I opened my eyes in the morning, the sight that greeted me was like I have seen in picture post cards - view of a beautiful valley with a river flowing, small cottages in different colors, the green carpet of trees and plants in the valley, the clouds which gently seem to caress the mountain peaks was a “visual” poetry which can be best seen than written. It was beautiful and though I hardly slept in the night, I couldn't take my eyes off. Manali literally means the abode of Manu and hence this place has huge importance from the perspective of the ethnic culture and tradition of India. River Manalsu hems Old Manali on one side. In its origin, this river is quite aggressive, though it tames down by the time it reaches the Old Manali Bridge. The water is clear and magnificent.
We reached Old Manali bus stand around 9.30 am and took an auto to our resort - Tree Hill Cottage. It is a lovely 2 storied cottage with wooden paneling and floor boards. It also had a small fireplace which was quaint and exciting for us. The balcony had a beautiful view of the mountain ranges and the green valley. The weather was beautiful with a hint of a slight chill in the air.
After enjoying the scenery from the balcony for sometime, we freshened up and stepped out for a short tour of the valley. In front of our hotel, there was a small apple orchard with the omnipresent apple trees with “red juicy” apples. We also saw men and women picking apples from the trees and putting in their big wicker baskets.
First we stopped at a car hire shop to book a cab for Solang Valley and Rohtang Pass. We wanted to go to Rohtang the next day, however, we were told that Rohtang is closed on Tuesday and hence had to change our plan to Wednesday. We then walked down to the main road and during this short walk we got to see beautiful cottages and mountain goats.
Then we took an auto to Hidimba Devi Temple - It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, who was a character in the Indian epic, Mahābhārata. The 500 year old Dhoongri temple is built with wood and has a wooden pagoda with three tapering roofs. The doors and the outer walls are carved very beautifully and intricately. The Hidimba Devi image is in a massive rock cave. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful cedar forest (Dhungri Van Vihar) at the foot of the Himālayas. The sanctuary is built over a huge rock jutting out of the ground, which was worshipped as an image of the deity. There are many animal antlers along with the head of the animal mounted on the walls. About 70 metres away from the temple,there is a shrine dedicated to Goddess Hidimbi's son, Ghatotkacha who was born after she married Bhima. The famous scene from the movie "Roja"where Arvind Swamy was kidnapped by the terrorists was shot here.
When we entered the deodar lined walls of the temple compound, the first sight that was greeted us was the fluffy, snow white German rabbits. Localites make a living out of giving the German Rabbits to Tourist. The Tourists pose with the German Rabbits. We also posed with them and had to pay Rs 50/- for each photograph clicked.
After this, we decided to spend the rest of the evening at Johnson's Cafe - It turned out to be a gastronomic delight, thanks to this recommendation by a colleague. I was told that it served one of the best trout dishes. I am usually not the one actively seeking delightful culinary experiences when holidaying, but I must admit Cafe Johnson was one of the highlight of my trip. It is part of the Johnson Hotel, and doesn't seem any different from one of the many resorts around.
The Cafe does seem quaint and everything that you expect of a nice, cosy restaurant up in the hills -- wood, warmth and wine! Impressed with the decor, we found ourselves a nice table outside. We ordered trout, chicken breasts and whiskey sour - the trout were so delicious that we had to order them twice - simply couldn't stop eating it.
This writing couldn't be complete without mentioning our trip to Rohtang Pass. Though the sky was overcast and it was drizzling, we started early for Rohtang Pass. It is 51 km from Manali at an altitude of 3978m. It is not just any mountain I had seen. The word ‘Rohtang’ is literary translated in Bhoti as ‘pile of corpses’. People die all time from bad weather while trying to cross the Pass. Rohtang Pass is quite significant in this context. It connects Kullu valley to Spiti and Lahaul and the NH-21 highway to Leh also passes through this.
The road from Manali to Rohtang is one of the most precarious roads I had been to. Higher up, there are no trees but rocks and snow. The mountains are bare and you could see small road cut out of steep mountains. At every turn you tightened your grip and prayed that the bus wouldn't just drive off the cliff. The lofty peaks above were covered with nimbus fog. You couldn't see a thing. These mountains are prone to cloudburst which is one of the most dangerous natural disasters around here. I know there is a beautiful view of the snow capped mountains from the top, however, we couldn't see much due to the heavy fog. We stepped out at the peak to experience the weather and the cold chilled us to the bones. Soon, we had to start on our return journey - maybe I can come back again!!
Manali is an experience that no one should miss - We stayed just for two days and realized that it was not enough. Also, we went during the wrong season where mostly it rained and spoiled our chances of doing paragliding or enjoying the snow clad Rohtang. However, whatever we saw was an absolute delight and left me hungry for more.
We took an overnight bus from Chandigarh which has huge glass windows and no curtains. So, when I opened my eyes in the morning, the sight that greeted me was like I have seen in picture post cards - view of a beautiful valley with a river flowing, small cottages in different colors, the green carpet of trees and plants in the valley, the clouds which gently seem to caress the mountain peaks was a “visual” poetry which can be best seen than written. It was beautiful and though I hardly slept in the night, I couldn't take my eyes off. Manali literally means the abode of Manu and hence this place has huge importance from the perspective of the ethnic culture and tradition of India. River Manalsu hems Old Manali on one side. In its origin, this river is quite aggressive, though it tames down by the time it reaches the Old Manali Bridge. The water is clear and magnificent.
We reached Old Manali bus stand around 9.30 am and took an auto to our resort - Tree Hill Cottage. It is a lovely 2 storied cottage with wooden paneling and floor boards. It also had a small fireplace which was quaint and exciting for us. The balcony had a beautiful view of the mountain ranges and the green valley. The weather was beautiful with a hint of a slight chill in the air.
After enjoying the scenery from the balcony for sometime, we freshened up and stepped out for a short tour of the valley. In front of our hotel, there was a small apple orchard with the omnipresent apple trees with “red juicy” apples. We also saw men and women picking apples from the trees and putting in their big wicker baskets.
First we stopped at a car hire shop to book a cab for Solang Valley and Rohtang Pass. We wanted to go to Rohtang the next day, however, we were told that Rohtang is closed on Tuesday and hence had to change our plan to Wednesday. We then walked down to the main road and during this short walk we got to see beautiful cottages and mountain goats.
Then we took an auto to Hidimba Devi Temple - It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, who was a character in the Indian epic, Mahābhārata. The 500 year old Dhoongri temple is built with wood and has a wooden pagoda with three tapering roofs. The doors and the outer walls are carved very beautifully and intricately. The Hidimba Devi image is in a massive rock cave. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful cedar forest (Dhungri Van Vihar) at the foot of the Himālayas. The sanctuary is built over a huge rock jutting out of the ground, which was worshipped as an image of the deity. There are many animal antlers along with the head of the animal mounted on the walls. About 70 metres away from the temple,there is a shrine dedicated to Goddess Hidimbi's son, Ghatotkacha who was born after she married Bhima. The famous scene from the movie "Roja"where Arvind Swamy was kidnapped by the terrorists was shot here.
When we entered the deodar lined walls of the temple compound, the first sight that was greeted us was the fluffy, snow white German rabbits. Localites make a living out of giving the German Rabbits to Tourist. The Tourists pose with the German Rabbits. We also posed with them and had to pay Rs 50/- for each photograph clicked.
The Cafe does seem quaint and everything that you expect of a nice, cosy restaurant up in the hills -- wood, warmth and wine! Impressed with the decor, we found ourselves a nice table outside. We ordered trout, chicken breasts and whiskey sour - the trout were so delicious that we had to order them twice - simply couldn't stop eating it.
This writing couldn't be complete without mentioning our trip to Rohtang Pass. Though the sky was overcast and it was drizzling, we started early for Rohtang Pass. It is 51 km from Manali at an altitude of 3978m. It is not just any mountain I had seen. The word ‘Rohtang’ is literary translated in Bhoti as ‘pile of corpses’. People die all time from bad weather while trying to cross the Pass. Rohtang Pass is quite significant in this context. It connects Kullu valley to Spiti and Lahaul and the NH-21 highway to Leh also passes through this.
The road from Manali to Rohtang is one of the most precarious roads I had been to. Higher up, there are no trees but rocks and snow. The mountains are bare and you could see small road cut out of steep mountains. At every turn you tightened your grip and prayed that the bus wouldn't just drive off the cliff. The lofty peaks above were covered with nimbus fog. You couldn't see a thing. These mountains are prone to cloudburst which is one of the most dangerous natural disasters around here. I know there is a beautiful view of the snow capped mountains from the top, however, we couldn't see much due to the heavy fog. We stepped out at the peak to experience the weather and the cold chilled us to the bones. Soon, we had to start on our return journey - maybe I can come back again!!
Manali is an experience that no one should miss - We stayed just for two days and realized that it was not enough. Also, we went during the wrong season where mostly it rained and spoiled our chances of doing paragliding or enjoying the snow clad Rohtang. However, whatever we saw was an absolute delight and left me hungry for more.
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