What are the important places to visit in Manali?

 # The must-visit places in Manali

Manali is one of the busiest hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and rightly so. Situated between the snow-covered mountains, amidst pine forests, rivers, waterfalls and scenic valleys, this place can offer every possible kind of getaway. Be it nature, adventure, photography, pilgrimage or just peaceful mountain vibes, Manali will not disappoint.

Here are some of the must visit places in and around Manali.

1. Hidimba Devi Temple

Placed among the tall deodar trees, the Hidimba Devi Temple is one of the key attractions in Manali. This historical temple stands in a distinct wooden and stone architecture style and is believed to be associated with Hidimba Devi from Mahabharata.

Hadimba Devi Temple

The green forest around this place adds a special photographic charm to this serene spot.

2. Solang Valley

Solang Valley

This place must be on your must-visit list if you are an adventure junkie. The picturesque mountain view is breathtaking and features sports like paragliding, skiing, zorbing, and horse riding, according to the season.

In case you do not plan on indulging in adventure sports, just witnessing the beauty of Solang Valley is sufficient.

3. Rohtang Pass

If you are planning to visit Manali, a trip to Rohtang Pass is considered incomplete. Rohtang Pass allows you to experience magnificent Himalayas along with snow-covered landscapes during the appropriate season. Here you can take part in activities associated with the snow.

However, your journey might depend on the weather and road conditions as it can impact your visit. Himachal tourism suggests this as one of Manali's major attractions.

4. Old Manali & Manu Temple

For the relaxed you, spend some time exploring Old Manali. Old Manali has a lot to offer with its narrowly laid out streets, cafs, old houses, shops and the beautiful mountain essence that gives it a unique charm.

Manu Temple, Old Manali

The Manu temple is dedicated to Sage Manu and holds cultural and spiritual importance. As mentioned in Himachal tourism "Manali is named after Manu Alya".

5. Vashisht Hot Springs & Temple

Vashisht is another very popular stop near Manali, renowned for its old temples and natural hot water spring. Here, you can experience traditional architecture and enjoy the scenic valley.

6. Jogini Falls

Jogini Falls

Short walks through nature while admiring water falls is perfect for you if you enjoy it. The walk through the nearby village and forest, while admiring the stunning views of mountains and valleys, gives a pleasing feeling as you discover the Jogini Falls.

7. Mall Road and Van Vihar

You can enjoy the evenings on Manali Mall Road for various shopping experience, as it is lined with shops exhibiting local handicrafts and woolens, souvenirs, cafs and restaurants.

Van Vihar National Park

Van Vihar National Park will surely give you a pleasant time to take a stroll or sit there while you enjoy the cool breeze passing through the pine trees.

Final Thoughts

Manali is not just about experiencing snow, but it has a variety of experiences on offer with its mountains, temples, waterfall, adventure sports, forest, cafs and its local charm. If this is your first trip, I would recommend you to go to Hidimba Devi Temple, Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass, Old Manali and Manu Temple, Vashisht and Jogini Falls. You should be able to take sightseeing trip and relax yourself along with undertaking many adventurous sports within a couple of days of your stay.

It is most important that you don't rush the journey at all. Some of the finest experiences would be the nature walks through pinewoods, relaxing near the Beas River with a cup of tea and soaking in the peaceful mountain vibes.

Which are some must-visit temples as a Shiva Bhakt?

 God Shiva is omnipresent so He resides in each and every element in this universe, there is no such place where Shiva doesn't exist.

When you have Shiva in your thoughts, your mind, then you see Shiva in the Panchabhootas( five elements of the nature) and in every living being. When you see a Shiva linga, you can see the Mahadev in it, else it would be a mere stone to you, when you don't believe and love God Shiva.

Coming to the question what are the must visit temples as a Shiva Bhakt, I feel every Shiva temple which has a Linga is a must visit.

But if you want to grow spiritually and realise that this materialistic things are all perishable and the only one who is Nityamu(forever) and Satyamu (truth) is Shiva, then the must visit temple is Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

The Kashi temple visit for me was a life changer. I can't describe in words, the wonderful spiritual experience I felt in the holy and favourite place of Shiva.

• Foremost, seeing the beautiful Ganga River I was spellbound, since I don't consider Ganga as just a water body, but as a mother who provides life and helps you to wash away few sins. When I touched the water, I could feel a mother cuddling a baby, could see her beautifully flowing and take a permanent place in God Shiva’s hair. Ganga stretches to a massive 2500 kms, I thought Oh Shiva, Ganga which is in Kashi is just a part of the huge River, how could you hold such massive River in your hair ?? My Mahadev, I bow to you.
• The Ganga Aarti which is performed daily in the evening is a must watch to feel the spiritual bliss.

• The various temples like Kalabhairava, Annapurna, Vishalakshmi, the Shakti Peetas, Vyasa Lingam ( the linga which was installed by Sage Vyasa) etc. around the main Kashi Vishwanath temple are amazing.

• The boat ride in the holy Ganga which covers all the 64 Ghats is beautiful ( Ghat means the steps which lead us to the river Ganga).
• The most important thing which will lead us to vairagya and self questioning is when we see the dead bodies which people bring from across the country to perform last rites here in the Harishchandra Ghat. Seeing the continuous burning of the bodies ( at once six pyres are lit), make us realize that the beautiful physical body which we always boast of, will turn into a pile of ash one day.

• And according to Shiva Purana, Mahadev daily at afternoon 12 comes to take a dip in the holy Ganga at the Manikarnika Ghat, smearing the cremation ash on His body.
• You can find many sanyasis in Kashi wearing the Saffron clothes, vibhoothi smeared on their entire body, Rudraksha mala around their necks, holding a trishul, having matted hair and chanting the mantra “ Namah Shivaya “. Mahadev is present in every atom of this holy city Kashi, which is believed to be created by Himself as the city rests on Mahadev's trishul.

I conclude by saying that, Kashi is a holy place, which is to be visited at least once in your lifetime. If I have another birth, then I would pray Shiva I be born in Kashi , the moksha provider place.

Om namah Shivaya

Om Kashi_Vishwanathaya Namaha

Om Kashi Annapurneshwari Namaha

Om Kashi Vishalakshi Namaha

What places are unsafe to visit?

 Death Valley in the United States

Death Valley isn't called that for nothing. It's one of the hottest places on Earth, registering temperatures that reach 56.7°C. No one has survived more than 14 hours there.

Boiling Lake on the island of Dominica

Don't expect to find a natural hot spring in this lake! The temperature recorded on the shores is 90 degrees Celsius, and to make matters worse, the rocks surrounding the water are extremely slippery, increasing the risk of accidents for anyone who dares to get too close.

The poison garden of Alnwick, England

The Alnwick Poison Garden opened in 2005 and, despite its high danger, it is possible to take guided tours led by professionals who not only provide scientific information about each plant, but also tell interesting — and macabre — stories to visitors.

Afar Depression in Africa

The Afar Depression lies between two tectonic plates, and the rift between them is widening. And if you think the danger is in the rift itself, know that it's the smallest of them. Below it, there's magma, and if you're feeling even more anxious, the area has 12 active volcanoes that could erupt at any moment. Not to mention that earthquakes are frequent in the region.

Lake Nyos in Cameroon

The location described above may appear to be an ordinary lake, but it has already caused the deaths of many people. Lake Nyos is situated next to an active volcano, and because of this, its waters contain a high concentration of carbon dioxide. When this gas is released in large quantities, the entire area surrounding the site becomes toxic and can lead to asphyxiation.

Isla Queimada Grande, Brazil

This place is located on the coast of Sao Paulo, and the danger lies in the large number of venomous snakes that live there: around five per square meter.

Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands

Despite the idyllic scenery, the place is highly dangerous, and not for natural reasons. After the United States conducted nuclear tests there, the entire island had to be evacuated, and to this day it has high levels of radiation.

Bolton Battle, England

The narrow river appears harmless. However, according to local legend, none of the people who tried to bathe in it survived. This is because its depth is unknown, and to make matters worse, the rapids are extremely strong.

What are the best places to visit in Karnataka, India?

 

One state Many Worlds

Karnataka might not be as developed as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa , Telangana, North East states Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh but it is a beautiful state with very rich biodiversity and ecosystem and natural vegetation.

In my opinion Karnataka is the most beautiful state in Southern India and one of the most beautiful in entire India after Kashmir, Jammu, Uttarakhand and other North East states.

Places to visit

Mandya is the capital of Karnataka and cultural capital of Karnataka.

Hassana

• Hubballi Dharwada
• Davangere
• Chikkamagaluru

• Gadaga
• Gulbarga
• Raichuru
• Western Ghats

Hence Karnataka is called one state many worlds.

What are some of the best places to explore in Odisha with minimum budget?

 It actually does not cost much to travel in Odisha, only issue is that of good accomodation and facilities. Anyway outside the standard Bhubaneshwar-Puri-Konark-Chilika circuit, there are some places that are worth a visit, and which do not cost too much. Again these are places I have been to, don’t really have much idea about Western part of Odisha.

Koraput-Jeypore-Gupteshwar

Southern part of Odisha is quite an unexplored beauty. You have beautiful valleys, thick forests, hills, lakes waiting to be discovered. Unfortunately poor infrastructure and add to it Naxal issue has meant the region has not really tapped it’s potential. You can catch a bus to Koraput, or even go on a road trip from Vizag, or Vizianagaram. Till Saluru it’s pretty much plain area. From Salur, you have a very steep ghat road, runs through thick forests.

And then you reach Sunki right on the Andhra-Odisha border.

From there on to Pottangi, which has the Gali Gabdar waterfalls

From Pottangi en route to Koraput, you pass Sunabeda, lovely route with rolling meadows, valleys and lakes.

And the neatly maintained HAL Township here

Koraput is a sleepy small town, very picturesque with hills and all. Has some decent hotels too.

Jagannath Temple here is worth a visit

You can also check out the Kolab Dam hydro electric project between Koraput and Jeypore.

But the best part is Gupteswar temple, around 90 km from Koraput. The main attraction is the Shiva Linga in a limestone cave. Located near the Kolab river, it involves a trek through a dense forest.

And this is how it is in the cave.

This is one trip I would reccomend to any one in Odisha.

Which are the must-visit places for a student staying at Pune?

 1. Sinhagad

2. Lohagad

3. Taljai Hills

4. Mulshi Dam

The other places one 'should' visit:

1. Shaniwar Wada

(Esp. during Diwali)

2. Pataleshwar

3. Saras Baug

And last but not the least(not exactly a place)

a drive on Mumbai Pune Expressway :D

Which are some best places to visit in or around Jodhpur?

Jodhpur is often referred to as “the blue city of India”, due to the many blue-painted houses surrounding Mehrangarh fort. The second largest city of Rajasthan is divided into two: the old city and the new city. This city is also known as the “Sun City” as it experiences the bright, sunny weather for most of the year. Jodhpur is located on the edge of the Thar Desert, because of which the temperature peaks very high and dry during the summer.

Jodhpur is also famous for its handicrafts, artifacts, and Jodhpuri jutties. Tourists buy famous jutties during their visit and also try the famous Rajasthani cuisine.

These are some of the best places to visit in and around Jodhpur.

Mehrangarh Fort

One of the largest and most famous forts of Rajasthan was built in 1459. There are a number of things to see within the fort complex - several palaces, courtyards, gardens, galleries, a museum, and temples, and so on. Mehrangarh is a mesmerizing experience.

Umaid Bhavan Palace

The palace was constructed by King Umaid Singh in the 20th century and has been partially converted into a hotel and museum. The Palace Museum has some fantastic collections of rare clocks, exotic furniture, stuffed leopards, and amazing trophies.

Mandore Gardens

The former capital of the Marwar kingdom has now been converted into a sightseeing place. The fort has been dedicated to various deities and Rajput heroes. The garden is constructed with well-planned greenery and a well-designed rock landscape garden.

Jaswant thada

With thin and highly polished slabs, this mausoleum lies on the left of the Mehrangarh fort. The grounds are filled with a beautiful multi-tiered garden, carved gazebos, and a small lake. The main memorial has been built like a temple.

Balsamand Lake

The Balsamand Lake is located 5km from Jodhpur. The beauty of the lake is enhanced by the Balsamand fort situated on the banks of the lake. The peaceful environment and the well-built garden around the lake make the lake a peaceful place to sit and relax.

Visiting Jodhpur will draw you closer to the Rajasthani rich culture. Along with the forts and monuments, you can learn a lot more about the kings of Rajasthan. You can interact with the locals and try the famous Rajasthani cuisine too. This journey will be a long-lasting memory for someone who loves the ancient heritage.