Manali – India’s Most Popular Hill Station

About Manali

Enveloped by the beautiful mountains of the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, Manali is one of India’s most popular hill stations, situated near the northern end of the Kullu Valley, at height with an elevation of around 2,050 meters.

Geographically, it is located in the Kullu district, in the valley of River Beas and has a small population of only 8,096 people, according to the census of India in 2011.

Manali primarily acts as a road route to a list of other prominent hill stations located in north India and is also the beginning spot of the trade route to Ladakh.

The official language in Manali is Hindi. The town has quite a cold climate throughout the year, wherein the temperature during the winter season ranges between -15 degrees Celsius to 5 degrees Celsius, and during the summer season, it ranges between 4 degrees Celsius to around 15 degrees Celsius.

Historically, the town was named Manali after the lawgiver Manu, and its former name used to be Manu-Alaya, which literally means “the abode of Manu.” It was later changed to Manali.

As of today, there’s a difference between Old Manali and New Manali, and the place is often regarded as the Valley of the Gods. The Old Manali area has an ancient temple, devoted to the sage Manu, behind whom the place’s name was coined.

 Image Source: allwonders.com

The place is full of apple orchards, and as of today, pears, plums, and apples are the main sources of income for the majority of the people living here.

The apples were actually introduced to this land by the British during their rule in India, and legend has it that the first apple plantations were so plentiful that often the branches of the apple trees would collapse unable to bear the plump weight of the apples hanging on them.

Manali also happens to be in the list of top 10 skiing destinations in the entire world.