Winter Vacations In Manali - The Valley Of The Gods

Manali is one of the most beautiful towns in the Himalayas which are almost untouched and pristine

. One of the former Prime Minister's of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee has given a very beautiful description of Manali in one of his poems named "Bulati Tumhe Manali" which literally implies Manali Hails You. He has likened the place to an eternally enchanting fairyland with its snowy mountains, rivers, streams and forests. He has also named it "a land of celestial beings where even Gods frolic and play" and where the almond trees and hot sulphur springs abound. According to him, "Manali is as much a friend and comforter as a fragrant balmy breeze in inferno-like heat."

All this and much more encompass the magic of this small quaint Himalayan town, which till a few decades back was almost invisible on the tourist map of India. But with the rising insurgency in Kashmir, people started directing their attention towards this place.

Manali is located at an altitude of 1,950 meters in the Beas River Valley and is situated at the northern end of the Kullu Valley. It is the administrative part of the Kullu district. It has been a trade route since ancient times and leads to Ladakh, over to the Karakoram Pass on to Yarkand and Khotan in Tarim Basin.

The town is named after the ancient and revered Brahmin lawgiver Manu. The word Manali literally translates into the "Abode of Manu." There is also an ancient temple in this town which is dedicated to this sage. The town and the surrounding area is of great significance to the Indian culture and heritage as it is described as the "Home of the Saptarshi" or the Seven Sages.

The climate in Manali is freezing in the winters and is moderately cool during the summers. It makes for a pleasant contrast from the summers of the plains of North India. It is a popular Himalayan tourist destination and makes up for nearly a quarter of all tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh.

Winter Sports in Manali: Over the years, Manali has gained recognition for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking etc. One of the unique sports in the area is the Yak Skiing which was also featured by the Times magazine as the "Best of Asia" for "Extreme Yak Sports."

Skiing: The Manali area is most suitable for winter as well as summer skiing. The best months to ski in Manali is from December to February. The place has natural slopes and in the summer months one can ski at some locations in Narkanda.

Heliskiing: One of the most hair-raising sport literally!!! The helicopter drops the skier on top of a snow capped peak and then the person has to come down the mountain crisscrossing his/her way through unknown ridges and routes. It is a test of the risk taking capacity of the sportsperson. The best places to explore this sport are Hanuman Tibba, Deo Tibba, Rohtang Pass and Chandrakhani Pass in the Manali region.

Winter Carnival: This is one of the two winter fairs organized in the state, with the other being in the state capital, Shimla. This carnival is organized in February when there is plenty of snow and tourists can engage themselves in the winter sports organized at snow-capped Rohtang Pass and the ski slopes of Solang Valley.

So any person who can dare to face the harsh cold winter months of the Himalayas must surely visit this Valley of Gods and experience the sports activity in its full glory. Manali Hails You!!!

by: David Urmann

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