Manali Things to Do

Also known as the Hadimba Temple, this is a quite old Temple built for the goddess Hadimba. It's not that special, but it's a nice walk to go there and if it's not raining it's nice sitting in front of it.

Himichal has plenty of fruit orchards that produce huge amounts of apples, pears, plums and apricots. Not all of the fruit makes it to the market in time. So, the fruit is fermented locally and made into alcoholic cider and fruit wines.

Try some whilst you are here.

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Located 1.5 km away from Manali amidst the greenary and tall trees.
Dhoongri Devi Temple was built in 1553 in honour of Goddess Hadimba, the wife of Pandav Bhima.
As you can see in the pics it's four-tiered pagoda style structure.

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Naggar is 25 Kms from Manali. A panoramic view of the valley of Gods. Naggar 1770 m above the sea leavel has been an old capital of the Kings of Kullu. Foundation of this ancient feudal seat was laid by Raja Visudhpal.Naggar retained its preeminence in the valley until Raja Jagat Singh who shifted the capital to Sultanpur (now in Kullu town) in 1460 AD.The little town of Naggar is situated high above the left bank of river Beas.The surviving old castle is an a marvelous medievval building.Bult in local architect KATHKOONI having alternate course of stone and wooden beams with a tiny temple at its center known as JAGTIPAT TEMPLE: In the upper courtyard of the castle there is a tiny temple -a small square structure which contains "Jagtipatt" a slab of stone measuring 5'x8'x6" which is said to have been brought from a place near Vashisht by honey bee. This is also place for meeting of local deities of Kullu, this historic monument now a Heritage hotel run by State Govermment. But tourist can visit to pay Rs 15.

I spent a week in Manali, but as I spent about 85% of that time sitting on a toilet, I can't really write much about the town itself.

On my last day there, I took the 'easy' option of an organised coach tour out of the place (with a rucksack of bog-roll to hand) and headed up the impressive Rhotang pass.

As one of the highest passes in the world the Perkins diesel engine in the coach began to make noises that implied it was at it's true operating limit. A symphony it was not.

At over 4,300M, the air is very thin, but the views are fantastic.

Right at the head of the Kullu valley the coach stopped to allow people out for a spot of ski-ing. This was July, so there was only a few hundred meters of rough, rutted, mucky, icy snow left. To the mainly Indian passengers on the coach, they were captivated by (for many of them) their first ever sight of snow. Some took the opportunity to be dragged up the slope behind a tractor, before putting on ski equipment secured in a yard sale when Noah was clearing out his Ark.

I stayed on the bus.

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Hidamba Temple is Located about 2 Kms from Mall road. It is a pleasent experince to stroll in the temple complex witch was built in 1533 A.D. Hidamba Devi was the Patron Goddess of the old Kings of Kullu. She was a Rakshasi, the wife of Bhim the Pandava, who became a Devi by her Tapasya. The temple is 500 years old and is in the middle of a Cedar Forest.
This is probably the only place in India where a lady of a demon origin is worshipped as a goddess. It is said that when the Pandava brothers were wandering, they came across a demon called Hidamb. He was killed by one of the strongest of the five, Bhim. His strength and valour overpowered Hidamba, Hidamb's sister and she got married to him. She washed her sins following strict rituals and meditation and thus she attained the level of Goddess. Hidamba belonged to this region and hence the temple is here. The beautiful wooden temple in Pagoda style architecture has beautiful and intricately carved figurines on the doorway. The temple is 500 years old and there is no idol enshrined inside and only a foot-print on a stone is kept to worship. Every year in the month of May there is a major fair celebrating the goddess's birthday is held here.

Vashist is a small Village located on Rohtang pass is it worth a visit. It is renowned for its hot Springs too have curative powers and Temple.clinging to the mountains above the Beas, is the old village of Vashisht, with hot sulfur springs.

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The Mountaineering Institute located at Manali provides training facilities for basic and advance climbing both for Indian nationals and foreigners. This institute also conducts other adventurous sports activities like high altitude trekking minor mountaineering, rock climbing, and skiing and high altitude rescuer and relief courses. The Institute has sufficient lodging and boarding arrangements and equipments can be hired for trekking purposes.