Manali Tourism

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INTRODUCTION TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH Himachal Pradesh is one of India’s best tourist attraction regions, with its green valleys, snow covered Himalayan ranges and unique beauty, and it is indeed a comfortable place for tourists. The region has a rich cultural heritage that attracts thousands of tourists each year. In Himachal, every town, every holy shrine, and the land around is steeped in a culture and history that goes back over four millennia. Bordering Tibet in the east and bound by the states of Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, Himachal is a favourite destination for tourists as well as pilgrims. A visit to the state of Himachal Pradesh can be amazingly invigorating, with a view of towering snow Page 1 | 18

Transcript of Manali Tourism

INTRODUCTION

TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESHHimachal Pradesh is one of India’s best

tourist attraction regions, with its green

valleys, snow covered Himalayan

ranges and unique beauty, and it is

indeed a comfortable place for tourists.

The region has a rich cultural heritage

that attracts thousands of tourists each

year. In Himachal, every town, every

holy shrine, and the land around is

steeped in a culture and history that

goes back over four millennia. Bordering Tibet in the east and bound by the states

of Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, Himachal is a favourite

destination for tourists as well as pilgrims.

A visit to the state of Himachal Pradesh can be amazingly invigorating, with a

view of towering snow clad peaks glistening in the early morning glow of sunrise,

or rippling waters in rivers and streams, a fragrant breeze whispering some long-

forgotten tale through towering pine forests, or stark brown mountains standing

guard over this timeless land.

The most visited places in Himachal Pradesh include Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala

and Macleod Gang. With the amount of tourists coming to Himachal increasing

with each passing year, it is predicted that Himachal will be soon recognized as a

tourism powerhouse at national as well as international level in near future.

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MANALIBlessed with some of the most spectacular and beautiful landscapes anywhere, it is

a travelers paradise -lofty snow peaks, deep gorges, lush green valleys, fast flowing

rivers, enchanting mountain lakes, flower bedecked meadows, beautiful temples

and monasteries steeped in time. May it be for relaxing, sightseeing, trekking,

mountaineering, fishing, para-gliding, skiing, ice skating and golf, Himachal has it

all.

A stunning hill station surrounded by massive snow clad mountains and thick

pinewood forests, Manali has the twisty Beas River as its magnificent centrepiece.

Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh is popular for its breath-taking Himalayan

beauty. A scared land, which is the abode of various Gods and Goddesses, this

striking hill resort has a full calendar of numerous colourful events and festivals.

Popular as the queen of valleys, Manali is named after the law giver of ancient

India, Manu. 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

Manali tourism is fuelled by two main seasons. The summer Holiday season when

many people and families travel to this place on Manali holiday packages and the

second big push to Kullu Manali tourism comes from the wedding season with

thousands of honeymoon couples heading to the region.

Manali also turns out to be an enchanting stopover for one who is driving up to the

snow-clad hues of Ladakh route some of the highest mountain passes in India.

Manali also has some of the ancient hamlets inherited by the Tibetans that comes

on your way to Leh-Ladakh. In addition, the popular treks from Manali are -

Chandrakhani - Malana trail, Beas Kund Trek and Bhrigu Lake Trek.

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PLACES TO SEE IN MANALI•Rohtang Pass:The Rohtang pass is 51 KM north of

Manali and it is located on Manali

Keylong Highway at an altitude of 3,978

meters (13,050 ft.). This pass opens for

tourist from April end to October end of

the year. In May, Rohtang becomes a

place for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. The snow-covered mountains

provide the perfect opportunity to go skiing and snow scooter riding. All types of

food stuff, coffee and drinks are available at Rohtang pass and these are sold by

local people. The weather here is highly unpredictable.

•Hadimba Temple

Hadimba Temple in Manali is one of the

major tourist attractions when it comes to

local tourist places. It is a four storey

wooden temple. The temple is surrounded

by a cedar forest at the foot of the

Himalayas. About 70 meters away from the

temple, there is a shrine dedicated to

Goddess Hadimba’s son, Ghatotkacha who

was born after she married Bhima. The sanctuary is built over a huge rock jutting

out of the ground, which was worshiped as an image of the deity. The structure

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was built in the year 1553 and is one of the most visited tourist destination in

Manali.

•Solang Valley

13 km from Manali Solang valley is a

splendid valley between Manali and Kothi

which offers views of the glaciers and

snow-capped mountain peaks. The plateau

is frequently used for holding camps by the

trekking parties. Good skiing slopes of the

Mountaineering Institute. Venue of annual

winter carnival from 2nd January to 6th

January. Bus service are available upto

Palchan village (10 km) and then by jeep or on foot during winters.

•Buddhist Monasteries

The Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa in

Manali was constructed in the year 1969.

The architecture of the monastery represents

the Tibetan style of architecture designed

with hued frescoes. The statue of the Lord

Buddha presides in the monastery. The

monastery is run by the local people who

gather funds through donations. Tibetan

Monastery is one of the oldest and famous

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place in Manali. Due to huge number of Tibetan peoples settled in Kullu Manali

Tibetan Monasteries has been set up. The main attraction of the monastery is the

handicrafts of Tibetan artistry and the carpets that are woven and sold in the

monastery.

•Vashisht Temple and Hot Sulphur Spring

The village is 6 km from Manali at the

banks of the Beas River opposite Old

Manali. Vashisht is reachable from Manali

by half an hour walk or a short drive up a

slanting road by Auto Rickshaw for Rs.50.

Most foreign tourists preferred staying here

or at the Old Manali than the Manali. Rich

traditions and nice cafes are integral for

backpackers. Vashisht has all that. Like Old Manali, Vashisht is crowded with

tourists during peak seasons. Indian tourists mostly come here to bathe in the hot

springs inside the temple.

• Kothi

About 16 km from Manali, Kothi is a quiet

but picturesque spot. If you are looking for

some peace and serenity in this busy hill

station, the small village of Kothi is a

splendid option. In earlier days, it was

considered to be the base camp for difficult

treks to Rohtang and other peaks.

Reminiscent of an old world charm, the P a g e 5 | 13

village has been a backdrop for a number of films. From anywhere in the village,

the view down below is simply breath taking to say the least. Sudden thermal

springs, picturesque picnic spots and the calm of the village is sure to take you to a

different place

•Manu Rishi Temple

Manu Rishi Temple in Manali,

dedicated to sage Manu, who according

to Hindu mythology, is the creator of

human race. Manu Rishi Temple, built

in the pagoda architecture is a noted

pilgrim centre in Manali. One can find

various artefacts along with the idols of

gods and goddesses in different

postures, in this five-storeyed structure.

•Jogni Waterfall

This is nearly 3 km trek from Vashisht

templeAfter visiting the Vashisht temple

complex you can start the trek. The trek

route passes through narrow lane by the

side of temple and it goes through apple

orchids, tall pine trees small water

streams. On the way few restaurants and

guest houses are also available. A gentle

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walk will take 30 minutes to reach the base of the waterfall. Jogini Mata temple is

at the base of the waterfall. From here if you can climb then can reach the top point

of the waterfall. The stiff climb will take 20 minutes more to reach at top.

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. The

paintings and Photographs of the late Nicholas Roerich are exhibited in the

Nicholas Roerich Gallery.

Manu Temple

Manu Temple is located in old Manali, at a

distance of three kilometers from the main market.

The temple is dedicated to the Indian sage Manu,

who is said to be the creator of the world and the

writer of Manusmriti. Travelers are advised to

wear dresses covering the knees and shoulders,

while inside the temple. To reach the temple, one

has to traverse through the slippery stone paths

that lie before its premises. The ancient temple is a P a g e 7 | 13

prominent place of worship for the local people of Manali, who arrive every day to

offer their prayer to the creator of humanity.

Bhrigu LakeBhrigu Lake is a lake located at

an elevation of around 4,300

metres (14,100 ft) in Kullu

district, Himachal Pradesh,

India. It is located to the east of

Rohtang Pass and is around 6

kilometres (3.7 mi) from Gulaba

village. It can be reached by trekking either from the Vashishth temple,

which is famous for its hot water springs, which is close to the town of

Manali or from Gulaba village. It is named after Maharishi Bhrigu.Legend

has it that the sage used to mediate near the lake and hence it has been

rendered sacred; the locals believe that due to this the lake never freezes

completely.

Van ViharVan Vihar National Park is one of the

most frequented attractions in Manali.

Located favorably 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 ark is provided with

concrete as well as wooden benches. It is an ideal place for enjoying picnics P a g e 8 | 13

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.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES

1. Rock Climbing and Bouldering:

In Himachal region rock climbing has

great option. In adventure sports there is

no substitute for the Himalayas

professional climbers from all over the

world to take up the challenge of some

of the most exciting and toughest, rock

climbing options in the world. The

courses are conducted by certified

instructors.

2. River Rafting:

River rafting in the Himalayas is quite

unlike anywhere else in the world. It

provides the best opportunity to enjoy

and experience the natural beauty of the

spectacular landscape with deep gorges,

towering snowcapped peaks, hilltop

monasteries, hillside villages etc. Today

Manali is one of the most trusted

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adventure destination in the region. Rafting is carried at various points between

Manali to Kullu. The most popular ones are Pirdi, Babeli and Bajaura.

3. River Crossing:

River Crossing was introduced by

Mountaineering Institute, Manali, and a

provides a unique experience for all guests

and tourists – both children and adults. The

Area around Manali offers numerous

streams for this adventure experience. This

adventure sport involves crossing a river

with ropes and equipment’s needed for it

and is one of the most preferred adventure

sports among the tourists.

4. Angling and Fishing: -

Himachal Pradesh is an excellent

destination for fishing and angling. Brown

and Rainbow trout are famous all over the

world as the best game fish. The Beas

River and its side streams like the Sarvari,

Parbati, Sainj, Hurla and Tirthan are good

for the fishing sport.

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5. Paragliding:

Paragliding is fast becoming one of the

most accepted adventurous sports in

India. Till now there are very locations

which organized this sport. Himachal

Pradesh in north India is one most

prime destination for Paragliding. Since

last many years, people from all over

the world flocks to Himachal Pradesh

to experience this exhilarating event.

6. Skiing and Snowboarding:

North of Manali stretch vast open

spaces and some of the finest ski slopes

in the state. Surrounding this fine ski

area are majestic snow clad mountains

their lower slopes carpeted with stately

Pine, Fir and Deodar trees in this

serene white wonderland. Various Tour

and Travels organizes ski packages for

both the novice and the expert.

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Packages are economical and conducted by expert, professionally trained skiers &

Snowboarder.

CONCLUSIONEven though the tourism sector is still flourishing in Manali but due to the recent

scenario in tourism sector related to ban imposed by NGT and with each passing

year Manali reaching its maturity phase it has become crucial to not only introduce

new and alternate tourism attraction but there is also improvement in the current

facilities and infrastructure available in Manali. With the emergence of more and

more stiff competition from other districts in Himachal Pradesh as well as from the

other states it has become crucial to come up with the solution of current problems

faced by Manali as soon as possible.

Though the future of tourism is mostly secured but with construction of Rohtang

Tunnel, Manali may face stiff competition from the Lahaul and Spiti because of its

more natural beauty, heritage and culture and also from its more diverse, richer ad

unexplored tourist destinations. As National Green Tribunal (NGT) has tightened

screws on unplanned tourist activities on ecologically fragile Rohtang Pass, Manali

is looking for possibilities to develop more snow points to ease burden over

Rohtang.

Already facing severe challenge to its existence, the tourism industry of Manali

was hit badly again as three-month relief to taxis and private vehicles being used

for tourism purpose to travel on Manali-Rohtang Highway ended on Nov. 30,

2015.

Manali is continuously losing its tourism to other states as almost all major tourist

activities are already banned here. So it has become necessary for state government

to come up with a solution to ensure welfare of the locals and thus maintaining the P a g e 12 | 13

status of Manali as a top tourist attraction among the domestic and international

tourists.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. www.tripadvisor.in

2. www.visitkullumanali.com

3. www.makemytrip.com

4. HPTDC Brochure

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