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Manali is a small town in close proximity to the snow-line, in the lap of the Kullu valley. Standing at a height of 2050 mts above sea level, its beauty is heightened by the Beas River that flows through it. A glorious summer retreat away from the scorching heat of the plains, Manali is a veritable ‘Valley of the Gods'. Manali literally means the ‘abode Manu', a mythological character who is said to have survived when the whole world was drowned in a flood. He is believed to have recreated human life at Manali, which has become a pilgrimage spot for Hindus. It also has a numbers of gompas or Buddhist monasteries owing to the large Tibetan population found here.
Apart from its amazing snowfields Manali has some flourishing apple orchards and is as popular honey moon destination. For the more adventurous ones Manali offers a number of skiing, hiking, mountaineering, paragliding, trekking and mountain biking options.
A quiet refreshing vacation or some high speed sports, a few temple visits or some great shopping, you are bound to enjoy Manali, whichever way! |
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| Manali is renowned for its Himalayan handicrafts and wool products. Items like prayer wheels, amulets, masks, musical instruments, rosaries and thangkas populate its markets and are a great favourite with the tourists who visit this place. The Tibetan Market here has a rich collection of brilliantly patterned shawls. The main market here is called the ‘Mall’, which is a cluster of shopping markets, hotels, restaurants and travel agents. Buddhist Monasteries can be seen at the southern edge of the town. The main shopping areas here are Hong Kong Market, Thai Market, Tibetan Market, Dragon Shopping Complex, Lama Underground, Shopping Complex, Shangrila Shopping Complex, New NAC Market and Snow Lion Underground Market. The best buy here is an authentic pashmina shawl, price of which starts at around 10,000 INR. One of the places you can get this is the Kullu-Kashmir Shawl Emporium, a cooperative run by local women |
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