Himachal Pradesh

The Leh-Manali Highway is a highway in India connecting Leh and Manali. It is open only between June and mid-September when snow is cleared from the road by the Border Roads Organisation. It connects the Manali valley to Kullu valley, Lahaul and Spiti and Ladakh. It is made part of NH 21, with completion date of 2012.

The highway crosses some of the highest mountain passes in the world, including Rohtang La 3,978 m (13,051 ft), Baralacha La 4,892 m (16,050 ft), Lachulung La 5,059 m (16,598 ft) and Taglang La 5,325 m (17,470 ft). The latter two passes are less problematic over former due to less snowfall in Ladakh. A tunnel is being constructed to bypass Rohtang pass to make the highway an all-weather road.

As the journey along the road normally takes two days (or more depending on road conditions), many tourists and travellers make overnight stops at Jispa and tented camps such as Sarchu. Alternately, overnight stops can be made at Keylong. Distance between Manali and Sarchu is 222 km (138 mi) in Himachal Pradesh state,[4] and distance from Sarchu to Leh is 257 km (160 mi), with total highway length of 479 km (298 mi).[5] Owing to the high altitudes and the low-oxygen air, many travellers experience mountain sickness or in some cases even acute mountain sickness.

Leh-Manali Highway was designed, built, constructed and maintained in its entirety by the Indian Army and is capable of supporting the heaviest of their vehicles.

If you live in Delhi and planned a three week trip starting from Delhi -> Himachal  Pradesh -> LEH  Please read bellow:-

• Delhi to Chandigarh by Bus OR Train
• Chnadigarh to Shimla by bus or train or private taxi ( it is great experience if you reach Shimla by Train from Parwanoo railway station)

You should have no problem getting a room at HPTDC’s Hotel Holiday Home at Shimla. Mid-August is off-season, though weekend traffic can be high.

Jeep to Leh should not be a problem. Both shared or full taxis are available at the taxi union at Manali. If you can find a taxi with J&K number plates, they usually come cheaper as they want to head homeward, i.e. Srinagar, from Leh, after dropping you off!

None of these are ‘jeeps’ in the true sense: they do not have 4WD transmissions.
The first night halt should be at Keylong or Jispa. An early start the next morning and push through till Leh. This minimizes the possibility of your being hit by AMS. A night halt at Sarchu (14000 feet AMSL, only tented accommodation) can be very uncomfortable with AMS rearing its ugly head! Leh is at a much lower altitude (11500 feet).

At Leh, the first day would be rest (to acclimatize) and a wee bit of local sightseeing.
You’d have to obtain a permit (from the District Collector’s office) for the other attractions: Pangong Tso, Khardung La and Nubra Valley.

No permits are required for any of the monasteries at or around Leh. If you are into the monasteries kind of thing you should visit the following: Alchi and Likir (can be clubbed with the day trip to Lamayuru, mentioned below), Hemis and Thiksey (enroute Pangong Tso, barring a small diversion for Hemis), Shey and the Leh Palace.

You could spend one night at Deskit or Hunder in the Nubra Valley and return to Leh the following day. You can also make a day trip to Lamayuru which is a fairly spectacular town on the Leh-Srinagar route.

Accommodation at Leh need not be booked in advance. There are hotels catering to all budgets , as well as homestay options. The Changspa road at Leh has many hotels and cafés; worth checking out.

Hadimba Temple in Manali or Dhungiri temple in Manali is one of the most important temples in the region. This four story wooden temple is located in the middle of a forest called the Dhungiri Van Vihar. From the name of the forest parkland this temple derives its name. This temple was erected in 1553 and is dedicated to Goddess Hadimba.

THE LEGEND OF HADIMBA TEMPLE

Hadimba, a ‘Rakshashi’ in the Mahabharat has been deified and is worshipped in this area. According to Mahabharat ‘Hadimb Rakshash’ ruled some of the sub-mountainous tracts of the Himalayas. His sister was Hadimba or Hidimba. In their wanderings the Pandavas, along with their mother, after escaping from the wax house unhurt came to the territory of Hadimb Rakshash. Bhima fell in love with Hadimba, the sister of the ruler. Bhima could marry her only after killing the brother. The pair-lived in the valley for about a year after which Bhima joined his brothers and mother. Hadimba gave birth to a son who was named ‘Ghototkachh’. Till Ghototkachh was a minor, Hadimba looked after her country.

She retired to the inner hills, for meditation, when her son Ghototkachh, a great warrior took over the country. Ghototkachh was a good administrator. Dhungri was the place near Manali where Hadimba had resorted for meditation. A temple of Hadimba in ‘pagoda’ style was raised and she became Devi Hadimba. Hadimba had supernatural powers owing to ‘tapashya’ and was kind to her people. Hadimba became the patron-deity of the Rajas of Kullu . The Tilak ceremony of every Raja of Kulu has to be done with the permission of the goddess and after worshipping her a, buffalo is sacrificed. Certain ceremonials where the patron deity is closely associated have to be performed in the Dussehra festival of Kulu. The Dussehra festival is held at Dhalpur Maidan and as mentioned the idol of Raghunathji is taken there. From his temple the goddess Hadimba blesses the ceremonial horse. The ceremony is called as ‘Ghor Pooja’. The pagoda type wooden temple of the goddess at Dhungri is according to Hira Nand Shastri, the antiquarian about 500 years old. No idol is enshrined and only a foot-print on a stone is kept within.Raja Bahadur Singh who built the temple is commemorated by a fair held on the first of Savan annually named as ‘Bahadur Singh Re Jatar.’ This Mela is also called as Saroohni, which is symbolic of the completion of the transplanting of paddy.

Hadimba goddess has been humanized by the people and made their own. On the first of ‘Jaith’, or 14th of May, another Mela is held to celebrate birthday of the goddess Hadimba. This Mela is held in the Dhungri forest. It lasts for three days. Thousands of men, women and children participate in the Mela. Rice-bear (Lungri) flows among both men and women who make themselves merry in music and dance. There is another indigenous ceremony. The deities, Kartikswami of Simsa, Chhandal Rishi of Parsha, shrishti Narayan of Aleo, Shriganh of Jagatsukh, Vishnu of Shajla, Maladevi of Sial and Sankh Narayan of Nasogi, are brought in processions with proper music by their followers to Dhungri. On the 4th day, the fair shifts to the temple of Manu in the village Manali . The Dhungri forest provides a grand setting to the assemblage of hill women in their colorful clothes.

Raghunathji Temple

1 km. In the 17th century, Raja Jagat Singh installed here an idol of Lord Raghunathji, which he brought from Ayodhya. As a mark of his penance he placed the idol on his throne and it became the presidind deity of the valley.

Vaishno Devi

4 km. A small cave enshrine an image of

Rohtang Pass

51 km. At an altitude of 4,112 metres on the highway to Keylong, the pass affords a wide-spread panorama of mountain scenery. In place of the pinnacled hills, sheltered valleys and cultivated tracts, the eye meets a range of precipitous cliffs, huge glaciers and piled Moraine, and deep ravines. Almost directly opposite is the well defined Sonepani glacier, slightly to the left are the twin peaks of the Geypang, jagged pyramids of rock, snow streaked and snow crowned.

The Beas river rises near the crest of Rohtang from a block of Mica-Schist. The pass normally opens for traffic after mid-June and officially closes in November. To its left, 200 metres higher, is the little lake of Sarkund (Dashair) visited by a number of people, the general belief being that a bath in these waters effects a cure of all bodily ailments-real or imaginary. 10 km before Rohtang is the barren-landscape of Marhi which hums with activity during summer and autumn months because almost everyone stops here for refreshments.

Keylong

117 km. A fair sized village amidst green fields of barley and buckwheat, Keylong is the headquarters of the Lahaul and Spiti district, surrounded with brown hills and snowy heights. Karding Monastery overlooks Keylong and is 3.5 km across the Chandra river while Shashur Monastery is about 1 km. HPTDC Tourist Bungalow.

Triloknath and Udeypur

These are two important places of pilgrimage in Pattan Valley. At Triloknath is a six armed image in white marble of Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattava. Visitors will enjoy crossing the Chandra-Bhaga river and the trek of 3 km to reach the destination. The temple of Marikula at Udeypur is highly remarkable for its wood carvings. Udeypur is 166 km from Manali.

Kothi

12 km. A quiet but picturesque spot. The Rest House overlooks the narrow valley and commands views of the mountains. Below Kothi, for more than a kilometre the river Beas flows through a deep gorge, almost a subterranean passage, 30 metres or more in depth, and the cliffs which flank both sides of the canyon are a favourite haunt for rock pigeons. The site of the bridge provides an interesting historical episode in the early annals of Kullu.

Solang Valley

13 km. 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 February 10-14. Bus service upto Palchan village (10 km) and then by jeep or on foot.

Rahla Falls

2 km from Kothi. Here the river Beas hurtles down from a height of about 50 metres. Charming spot for picnics.

Manali Sanctuary

A bridle path from the Manali log huts goes past the Dhoongri Temple and wanders into the dense deodar, kail, horse chestnut, walnut and maple forest which is a part of this sanctuary. Camping overnight in tents at Lambadug or Galiani Thatch is possible.

Lush green alpine pastures and glaciers lie beyond Galiani Thatch. Musk deer, monal and brown bear are often spotted. For those who venture still further into the glacier zone in summer, there are herds of ibex.

Raghunathji Temple

1 km. In the 17th century, Raja Jagat Singh installed here an idol of Lord Raghunathji, which he brought from Ayodhya. As a mark of his penance he placed the idol on his throne and it became the presidind deity of the valley.

Vaishno Devi

4 km. A small cave enshrine an image of goddess Vaishno.Other temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Rama and Krishna.

Jagannathi Temple

3 km. A stiff climb leads one to the shrine from where one gets a panoramic view of Kullu town.

Bijli Mahadev Temple

11 km. The Bijli Mahadev temple one of the most striking temple is set on a spur, and is famous for

Bijli Mahadev Temple - kullu

its 60 ft high staff which periodically attracts lightning that shatters the Shivalinga. Each time this happens, it is pieced together by the temple priest.
After trudging up half a kilometre, we entered a cool deodar forest. The monsoon showers had turned the slopes lush green with luxuriant growth of grass and shrubs.
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The Great Himalayan National Park

Located in the beautiful district of Kullu, the 620 sq. km. area has temperate forests – some of the virgin coniferous forests of the state. Vast areas of alpine pasture and glaciers cap this park. Among the animals found in this part of the western Himalayas are musk deer, ghoral, thar, bharal, sewor, brown bear, leopard and snow leopard. Bird life includes a variety of colourful pheasants – monal, khalij, cheer and tragopan. A trek through the park to Rekte-Sar, the origin of the Sainj River and camping amid alpine pastures is a memorable experience.

Kanawar Sanctuary

This sasnctuary located in the Parvati Valley of the Kullu District is the habitat of the Himalayan thar. This big goat is often seen on high mountainous precipices.

A splendid trek is possible along the Garahan Nalla from Kasol through dense deodar and fir forests. The rest house at Kasol is convernient and the Range Officer, Wildlife, Kasol, can offer information and assistance.