One day, Varvasvata, the seventh incarnation of Manu found a tiny fish in his bathing water. The fish told him to look after it with devotion as one day it would do him a great service.cheap hotels in india The seventh Manu cared for the fish till the day it grew so huge that he released it into the sea. Before departing, the fish warned Manu of an impending deluge when the entire world would be submerged and bade him to build a sea worthy ark. When the flood came, Varvasvata and seven sages were towed to safety by Matsya, the fish which is regarded as first avatar of Lord Vishnu. As the water subsided the seventh Manu's ark came to the rest on a hill side and the place was named Manali (2050 m) after him.As the flood slowly dried, here arose a place of breath- taking natural beauty which was only appropriate at Manali that life began again.hotels in manali budget hotels in india Today this legendary cradle of all human kind is a prime holiday destination. There are high mountains surrounded by snow and deep boulder strewn gorges. There are thick forests full of cool breeze and bird songs. There are fields of wild flowers, small picturesque hamlets and fruit laden orchards.
Manali, at the northern end of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, is a hill station situated at a height of 2050 m (6398 ft) in the Himalayas. Situated on the Beas river (Vyaas in Hindi) and near its source, it is a popular tourist spot for Indians in summer and a magical, snow-covered place in winter. A staging point for a number of treks (Beas Kund, Chandrakhani Pass) and sports such as white-water rafting, Manali is also on the road to Ladakh via the valley of Lahaul and Spiti and rohtang pass which is main attraction near manali.
ACCESS: The airport at Bhunter is 50 km from Manali where taxis and buses are available. The closest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar, 165 km away. The closest broad gauge rail heads are Chandigarh (310 km) and Ambala (355 km). By road the distance from Delhi is 570 km and from Shimla the distance is 280 km. From Delhi, there is a regular HPTDC Luxury and Volvo Coach to Manali. HPTDC runs Luxury coach from Shimla to Manali in tourist season.
CLIMATE: In winter, the temperature can drop to below freezing point when heavy woolens are required. Summer temperature is mild and light woolens / cottons are recommended.
Tourist Places in Manali
There are a good number of tourist attractions in Manali to keep you engrossed for three or four days,cheap hotels in manali if sheer beauty of the apple orchards against the backdrop of the soaring snow-laden mountains have not satiated your hunger.
Mythology has major role to play in forming the tourist attractions in Manali.
Key Tourist Attractions in Manali
Rohtang Pass:
Situated at an altitude of 3979 mts, (13,050 ft) above the sea level this tourist spot is the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road. The view of the mountains is really breath taking.budget hotels in manali Adjacent to it is a lake called Dassaur Lake. The Beas Kund is also nearby to the Rohtang Pass.
Hidimba Temple:
An ancient cave temple entirely dedicated to Hidimba Devi, is circumscribed by cedar forest. The deity image in this temple is that of a huge rock which was built in 1553.
Vashist Hot Water Springs and Temple:
Just about 3 kms from Manali, spread across the Beas River is Vashist, a village with natural sulphur springs. Comprising of modern bathhouses, budget accomodation in india Turkish-style showers – travelers come here for medicinal benefit. There is also a pair of old stone temples, dedicated to the local patron saint Vashista.
Solang Valley:
Popularly known as the Snow Point, Solang Valley is just 13 km northwest of Manali. The 300-meter ski lift is a famous attraction here. Glaciers, snow-capped mountains – the view is picturesque in a manner that you will be awestruck.
Rahala waterfalls:
At an altitude of 2,501 mts, the Rahala waterfall is 16 km from Manali.
Monasteries:
Make it a point to visit the gompas or the Buddhist monasteries during your visit to Manali.
