Manali - The abode of Manu, Vashisht and Vyas!

I have earned a reputation of a footloser amongst my  family and friends so the onus of choosing the  destination for the summer trip lay on  me, albeit I suggested Gurez in Kashmir  ,the bunch of cousins accompanying plumped for Himachal so I gave in ,but having visited Dalhousie and Dharamshala in April this year, I settled for Manali. Ours was a group of nine  and I felt in my bones that it was going to be a wonderful trip , being in company of loved ones ,time grew wings and six days passed in a jiffy amidst beauty galore.

There was no pecuinary sense in travelling by air as the fares were devilishly high and a total rip off so, boarding Vandebharat train up till Chandigarh and a road trip ahead fit the bill perfectly.

Trip to all hill stations are hackneyed ones as you find same old same old mall roads with maniac footfall, miffing traffic snarls, Tibetan markets selling plethora of bits and pieces and exotic cafes and Maggi points  dotting the streets , but  what really gets the goat   is navigating through chaotic  traffic  jams , mamoth droves of tourists who don't flinch a wee bit in littering the surrounding with plastic bottles, disposable glasses ,wrappers, diapers and much more__this leaves a trail of bitterness in the heart.

so was Manali _ the abode of Manu ___our progenitor !!

 But as they say true happiness has a distasteful beginning, after braving through choc_a-bloc roads, hurtling and honking traffic, we hit the Manali roads,bustling with life and teeming with chic vibes, it's a place to chill and thrill the palate,munch on the Italian food or crunch the Chinese,gobble down the French breads or sip and slurp the soups and shakes... Or clink the glasses to a booze and groove to the music playing live in every cafe, But don't miss the local dish ,the Siddu and the delicious trout fish -- a culinary sine qua non.Apart from shopping at Mall road, adventure sports,

Hidimba and Manu temples are the main touristy attraction points here.Hidimba temple is about 500 years old dedicated to Bheema s wife . It is located in the forests of Dhungiri. Legend says that Vishnu moored the Ark of Manu's boat here at Manali at the time of mighty deluge ,so the name of the town and a temple dedicated to Manu. The place gives a panoramic view of the whole town and surrounding peaks of  Himalayas.

The first leg of our trip started with a trek to Vashisht village and Jogini falls. It's a trek of about four km ,clambering through beautiful fragrant  rose bushes, trailing amidst apple orchards and walnut trees,coursing through rustic shanty villages with wooden chalets bedecked with diverse colors of rose blooms  ,and streams of sparkling water gushing through the courtyards. It was a surreal sight. Once at Vashisht village one is carted off to epics of Mahabharat n Ramayan. It's said that the great erudite Rishi meditated here and founded this village, it has a beautiful ornate temple made of intricately carved wood and a hot spring the "Vashisht kund " dedicated to him ,the place undoubtedly exudes  positive spiritual vibes.  one comes across lots of foreigner tourists staying put here.. 

An uphill  trek of about 2 km to Jogini falls is a mesmerizing one, the mighty cascade of sparkling waterfall tumbling down boisterously,nestled amidst the majestic peaks,is an amazing place to experience serenity and tranquility. The hill top is  a vantage point to get an uninterrupted 360 degree view of the whole mountain range and the valley below.

The adage" focus on the journey not on the destination" hits bang on head when we embarked on next destination to Rohtang pass for which we all were impatient..but what enthralled and besotted us were the idyllic, offbeat,unspoilt and untouched villages enroute, the  undulating roads with gushing Beas river below and majestic mountains donning cedars,pines,willows ,poplars  and oaks casts a hypnotic trance, the whole terrain is a treasure trove of myriad waterfalls,( Rahala and 

Sissu being the major ones) , glistening snow capped  peaks of Peerpanjal and Dhauladhar range. The lush verdant meadows of  Gulaba village( of yeh Jawaani deewani fame) named after Gulab Singh is a hotspot for stargazers , who camp to watch the inky skies dappled with spangling stars 

Away from the cacophony of clamoring crowds lies the village of 'Kothi' which boasts of scintillating sights of gorges , springs and sun dappled fir ,pine and statuesque oaks ,it has plenty of rustic beauty, a typical countryside retreat with archaic restaurant s to nibble a few snacks and sip a piping hot cup of tea.

Another stunning village at the foothills of Rohtang near the Solang valley is 

Marhi village, overlooking the shimmering Beas ,the village is a fountain head of pristine beauty and serenity and offers much covered quietude of a countryside.

Sissu valley with a babbling 

Chandra river which forms the Chenab ,is an enchanting village in lahaul valley , it is a quiet village with tall naked mountain peaks  standing upright, the trek to Sissu waterfall is an arduous one but the majestic roaring ,cascade looks like a torrent of frozen glass. . Sissu lake is a man-made lake at the foothills .

Atal tunnel ,an architectural n scientific marvel of being  highest n longest tunnel in world leaves one dumbstruck,but what takes the breath away literally is the vast expanse of lapiz blue sky merging with snow capped  and sunkissed massive craggy mountains as one reaches the dizzying heights of Rohtang pass.  Sun breaking through the sublime snow swaddled Peerpanjals and  sparkling flamboyant rays dancing on the

glaciers. The fresh cool breeze chips away the stress and worries,every nerve buzzing with excitement -- one experiences  glory and grandeur of the lofty n majestic mountains,the view is an astounding one. Beas kund where from the Beas river originates and a temple dedicated to Ved Vyas is another attractive  venerated  spot enroute. What harshes the mellows is the blackening of the glaciers and the snowy pass with the soot of the vehicles plying daily and the filth littered by the tourists...

The last leg of the tour takes us to the Kasol  and Manikarna villages of Parvati valley near Kullu .

Kasol is infamous for being a haven for stoners, it a quaint hamlet by the river Parvati which is also a starting point for trekkers to Tosh  Malana ,and kheerganga.

The whole Parvati valley is a Shangri-La --- It has beautiful resorts,  rustic wooden cottages  with vintage architecture, of munion windows,wooden balustrade or cantilever balconies perched on hilltops  overlooking the roaring shimmering Parvati river,and surrounded by tall pine trees ,the beauty of the hamlet is inexplicable and too sublime . Israeli tourists with bodies a maze of tattoo's , thronging the cafes  and living life at abandon is a common sight.  The place buzzes with adventure junkies ,bikers , trekkers and campers. The vibrant and resplendent hamlet takes one out of ennui.

Just few km ahead  of Kasol is the holy village of Manikarna which is a religious place of Sikhs n Hindus. Legend goes that lord Shivand hus consort Parvati stayed here for thousands of years, the place gets its name because Parvati lost her ear ring in the river-- and it was after a great efforts that Sheeshnag came out with the lost jewel. Also goes the story that Gurunanak ji visited the place and after  lifting   a rock ,hot springs appeared which were used to cook the food for the langar. 

One is left spellbound on watching the hot boiling springs and the glacial waters of Parvati river in tandem... A holy dip in the spring reinvigorates and rejuvinates the body and soul . An ancient Shiv mandir and Ram mandir built in ornate wooden design in a pagoda style also find a place in the pantheon .

Though still more to unravel, the whirlwind trip of leaping from one spot to other left us tired and bushed physically but the  breathtaking beauty  of picturesque mountains, sprawling verdant meadows,mighty rivers,babbling brooks, shining streams,fragrant pines,  and milky waterfalls ,the grandeur of nature left an indelible refreshing mark in our souls, though in some corner of heart lurked a pang of guilt , that of overtaxing  and burdening mother nature, the fleet of vehicles trundling on the roads,billowing out smoke and nauseating fumes,  the forests being razed down to build the hotels and homestays, sparkling water being polluted and the reckless littering of surrounding s. The uglification of landscape undeniably haunted the mindscape !!!!!

 

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