Manali is an important hill station of northern India and is the destination of thousands of tourists every year.Manali derived its name from Manavalaya meaning the abode of Manu or "Home of Manu" and here, the temples are treated as pilgrimages. Its cool atmosphere provides a perfect haven for the ones afflicted by the hot Indian summers. Manali is also famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, para gliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking, and mountain biking. History of Manali : Manali has a pre-historic legend behind its name. Vaivasvata, the seventh incarnation of Manu, the first creation according to Hindu mythology, found a tiny fish in his bathing water. The fish

told him to look after it with devotion, for one day it would do him a great service. The seventh Manu cared for the fish until 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 seaworthy ark. When the flood came, Matsya (fish), the first avatar of Lord Vishnu, towed Vaivasvata and the Seven Sages to safety. As the waters subsided, the seventh Manu's ark came to rest on a hillside and the place was named Manali after him.

Places to See :

Hadimba Devi Temple
Built in 1553 and with a superbly crafted four tiered pagoda roof. It is famous for its exquisitely carved doorway.

Manu Temple
This is dedicated to the sage Manu.

Vashishth (3km)
Well known for its hot springs. There are old temples dedicated to the sage Vashishth and to Lord Rama. These are just beyond the Himachal tourism baths.

Monasteries
There are three recently built Tibetan monasteries at Manali.

Jagatsukh (6km)
The one time capital of Kullu. Here are old temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and to Sandhya Gayatri. The Arjun caves are just ahead.

Solang Valley (l4km) In a picturesque setting, this has good ski slopes end picnic spots. It has the glacier closest to Manali. Towards the Rohtang Paas : On the road to keylong is the Nehru kund (6 km) which is a clear water spring end scenic spot named after the late Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Kothi (12 km) is a picturesque village and has a thrilling view of the deep gorge through which the Beas swiftly races. The beautiful Rahalla falls (16 km) are at an altitude of 2500 m. A crucial link on the old trade route and still the gateway to trans Himalayan Lahaul, the Rohtang Pass is at the height of 3980m.

Keylong
Lying about 120 km from Manali, Keylong is the headquarters of Lahaul and spiti district Monasteries of Kardung and Shashus are important attractions.

Kothi
A place with charming natural beauty, just 10-12 km from Manali.

Triloknath
Located in the Pattan Valley, its an important pilgrimage centre. Noted for its temple dedicated to six armed statue of Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva.

Udaypur
An important pilgrimage place in the Pattan Valley.

Club House
The club House with its comprehensive facilities that includes roller skating ring, an auditorium, a billiards room, a library, a bar and a restaurants, makes a wonderful outing for the day.

Vashisth Baths
One of Manali's main attractions, is a place to luxuriate in Himachal Tourism's baths where the water of hot sulphur springs renowned for their medicinal qualities has been piped into baths.

Travel Information : The nearest airport is Bhuntar, 52 km south of Manali. There are flights to Delhi via Shimla. The closest narrow-gauge railhead is at Jogindernagar, 135 km away. The closest broad-gauge railheads are Chandigarh (310 km) and Ambala (355 km). By road, the distance from Delhi via Mandi is 585 km, and from Shimla the distance is 270 km.