Manali is one of the beautiful destinations in Himachal Pradesh. The city of Manali where buses and jeeps arrive and depart towards the Himalayas is the gateway to the region. Most of the visitors arrive there but many do not even get to enjoy the city. Manali is a small town, where the population still dresses in traditional fashion and wears very typical hats. The city is calm with a very sui generis rhythm of life. The population is a mix of Indians and Tibetans resulting in a very interesting mix.
Manali is a stone’s throw from the Himalayas and many Tibetan refugees have also descended on the city in search of better living conditions. There are Tibetan restaurants next to Indian, Buddhist monasteries next to the Hindu temples. Read here about Top Tourist Attractions to Visit in Manali.
1. Old Village of Manali
It is worth to visit the village of Old Manali, walking the streets and exploring the typical architecture of the Himalayas. The houses are built in a very original way, with stones, peat and even adobe. The population is friendly but the approach is not easy because they are fed up with “ill-behaved and disrespectful tourists” of the local culture. They are traditional agricultural societies.
2. Temple of Manu Maharishi
The Manu Maharishi Temple is a Hindu temple located in the upper part of Old Manali. According to legend, Manu would be a sort of Hindu Noah, who would have moored there an ark, laden with living beings that gave rise to the present civilization, after a flood.
3. Monastery of Von Ngari
Located in the Buddhist district of Manali, this monastery is the most traditional of the region with several statues of bodhisattvas to ornament the prayer room. There are also several lamas figures in the monastery as well as a very active monastic life always with folk and monks coming and going.
4. Himalayan Nyinmapa Buddhist Temple
Next to the previous monastery, this two-storey temple has a large statue of Buddha Sakyamuni – the Historical Buddha, the prince who rejected his kingdom to live an austere life and seek knowledge. Siddhartha Gautama is Buddha Sakyamuni which means sage of the Sakyas, the tribe to which he belonged.
5. Hadimba Temple
2 km from Manali this Hindu temple completely built in wood and perfectly framed in the cedar forest landscape. The temple is dedicated to the demon Hadimba, a figure of the Mahabharata. The temple is a three-story pagoda carved with Hindu gods. There is a sacrificial stone where animal sacrifices are still being made during the Dhungri Mela festival in May. There is a sacred tree also in the enclosure. It is common for yaks and rabbits to be very hairy.
6. Vashisht
The village of Vashisht two kilometers from the city on the other side of the river is quieter than Old Manali. Although not as picturesque, the village has natural water springs that attract many locals and foreigners.
7. Mall Road
In the city of Manali the best location is Mall Road. You can do lots of shopping there and you can even dine there. You can get all the things you want to take as souvenirs. If you want to bookmark there are several hotels in the area that you will be recommend there and they are very nice and well located such as Hotel Karma , 2-BR hillside cottage, Guest Houser, Red Rose Cottages, Manali White Mist, A Sterling Holidays resort and the Abode Home Cottage.
Thus, Himachal is filled with culture of people and these are the best attractions to explore in Manali during North India Trip.