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Manali
Some
people consider the Kulu Valley the most beautiful
on earth . The RiverBeas , rising near the Rohtang Pass
which separates Kulu from Lahaul to the north , flow
south toward Mandi , through the Kangra Valley and across
northern Punjab to join the Indus in Pakistan. A car
journey is quicker and there are also flights from Delhi,
Shimla and Chandigarh to Bhuntar , 10 Kms south
of Kulu. One of the interesting stops enroute
is the old hill - state capital of Mandi .Kulu
, is one of the most enjoyable Himalayan towns ; Manali
is even more attractive. The
Raghunathpura Temple is a 5 minute walk
from the town .The views are worth the climb , and another
45 minutes of climbing leads to the small Vaishno
Devi Temple . A road lead to the hot
springs of Manikaran
, 45km into the Parvati Valley is full of bountiful
orchards. The small town of Manali is the focal
point for most visitors to the valley. July to September
are the best for high altitude treks over the Rohtang
pass and on to Lahaul
, Zanskar
and Ladakh. The
wooden Dhoongri temple
with its four tiered pagoda roof is concealed
in the deodar wood. Beyond Manali, the road crosses
the Rohtang pass
into the barren region of Lahaul,
the pass act as a barrier to the monsoon and
the area is similar to the Ladakh
region further north. The main town is Keylong,
117 Kms from Manali .It is possible to travel all the
way to Leh
by bus, with permission obtained. |