Manali is named after the Hindu lawgiver Manu. The word Manali literally means the abode of Manu. Legend has it that sage Manu stepped off his ark in Manali to recreate human life after a great flood had deluged the world. Manali is known as the "Valley of the Gods". The Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu.

Manali on the Beas River valley, is an important hill station in the Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India, near the northern end of the Kullu Valley. It is administratively a part of the Kullu District. The population is approx. 30,000. There are actually two parts of Manali. Aleo New-Manali town is on the banks of the Beas river and the Old Manali village lies east of the Manalsu nullah, which in its present form, is more of a hippy enclave. The small town was the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh and, from there, over the Karakoram Pass on to Yarkand and Khotan in the Tarim Basin. The Ancient Cave Temple, Hidimba Devi Temple, is not far from town

Tourist Places In Manali

- Manali is a popular Himalayan tourist destination and accounts for nearly a quarter of all tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh. It is visited by many trekkers who follow the hashish trail.

- Manali's cool atmosphere provides a perfect haven for the ones afflicted by the hot Indian summers.

- It is famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, para gliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking, and mountain biking. It also offers hot springs, spectacular religious shrines and temples, Tibetan Buddhist temples, and trekking in the surrounding mountains.

- The often visited site in Manali is the Dhungri or Hadimba Temple. Erected in 1533, this temple is dedicated to the local deity Hadimba, wife of the Pandava prince, Bhim. A major festival is held here in the month of May. The temple is noted for its four-storeyed pagoda and exquisite wooden carvings.

- Manali is known for its shiny gompas or Buddhist monasteries. With the highest concentration of Tibetan refugees in the entire Kullu valley, it is famous for its Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa, built in 1969. The monastery is maintained by donations from the local community and through the sale of hand-woven carpets in the temple workshop.

- The Museum of Traditional Himachal Culture, near the Hadimba temple, is worth a visit, which houses artifacts of folk art of the entire Kullu valley.

Nearby Places In Manali

- Rohtang Pass
- Vashist Hot Water Springs and Temple
- Solang Valley
- Manikaran

How To Reach

Road - Manali is well connected by road to Delhi through NH-21 which goes on the Leh and is the world's second highest motorable road. Leading up to Manali from New Delhi are the towns of Panipat and Ambala in Haryana, Chandigarh(Union Territory), Ropar in Punjab, and Bilaspur, Sundernagar, and Mandi in Himachal.

Rail - Manali is not easily approachable by rail. The nearest broad gauge railheads are at Chandigarh (315 km.), Pathankot (325 km.) and Kalka (310 km.). The nearest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar (135 km.)

Air - The nearest airport is at Bhuntar, which is about 50 km. from Manali.