[dadu]

The NH to Manali with the river beas flowing along the berms.



The Entrance to the mall (now no vehicles are allowed)



We didnt stop in the mall and went straight to Hadimba temple



Hadimba Temple



A photo shoot with the Angora rabbit and ride on the YAK and we were off from here.



The dense forest in hadimba



The fish market that Manali mall has become.



Went to chinese restaurant and had delicious Momos



I had visited the same restaurant in 1988 during my camping and trekking school trip.

NEXT: Picnic at the unknown Fauzal valley

[gowda79]

Dadu, you had been on your Safari to H.P.

Please do post more pictures.

[dadu]

No not yet, it too long a jouney to travel with the kid + need a drastic mindover for the wifey to undertake such a journey.

Pictures are on the way, one post for each day we venture out on something good enough to post.

[snaronikar]

Dadu, do post in some more details of where you stayed (hotel name), how did you go there, cost of hotel, best time to visit (of course it should be snowing) etc.

[dadu]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Dadu, do post in some more details of where you stayed (hotel name), how did you go there, cost of hotel, best time to visit (of course it should be snowing) etc.

Ofcourse, I'll try to answer them in the end along with any other questions that crop up inbetween, btw, I am not staying in a hotel

[saildrive]

Great Travelogue DADU:

My kid would love to hold that rabbit and probably even get it home!

BTW - is it safe to travel in a hatch back, I have a XETA GLS and since my kid would like to see snow as well, is it advisable to drive down from Mumbai to Kullu and if so which month would be ideal?

[dadu]

We packed up all the basic stuff, snacks, water, tea and off we were to fauzal.



Our destination was one of the hills in the middle of this picture



To give you an idea, this is how far we climbed (you can a small town in the centre of the picture).



This is the Fauzal village, we went beyond it to a higher spot.



This is the final picnic spot we reached. As you can see, we are just on an edge of a slope with a gorge deep below, with a water stream.



Picnic time



You can see another village nearby



And another village across the mountain, a good example of terrace farming.



Spotted a local searching for Guchhi



This is Guchhi, sells for 8-10k/kg once dried, tastes just like mushroom and cannot be cultivated, it shoots up during lightening/ rains in the wilderness.



Another local fern, linghdi, the stem is used for making pickle or vegetable.



A pine forest nearby. There is no metalled road after this and work is on for a mud road for the next 3-4kms. Beyond this lies the infamous poppy plantations which is many kms of trecherous trek deep into the mountains.


As the sunset started, it also became colder and we had already had our cakes and tea in the last 1-1.5 hrs, so we packed up the stuff, collected the waste so as not to litter and came back.



Sunset on the village



Sunset in the mountains

NEXT: Naggar Castle

[travelwriter]

Hey Dadu,

Please give some more details on how to reach Fozal village. Is it ahead of Old Manali?

[adc]

Dadu, thats a quaint good relaxing travel you had, love the pace!!

[ramkya1]

Hai Dadu,

Your Minilogue is great; like the micromini what it did not reveal got the goat of many!!!!

Nice pictures and views of the snow-caps.

Tnx for sharing.

--Ramky
=======

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by dadu

btw, I am not staying in a hotel

You stayed in relatives house, I guess. Did you visit any of the mountains covered with snow?

[dadu]

Time to answer some pending questions before it gets too late.

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Dadu, do post in some more details of where you stayed (hotel name), how did you go there, cost of hotel, best time to visit (of course it should be snowing) etc.

Originally Posted by saildrive

Great Travelogue DADU:

My kid would love to hold that rabbit and probably even get it home!

BTW - is it safe to travel in a hatch back, I have a XETA GLS and since my kid would like to see snow as well, is it advisable to drive down from Mumbai to Kullu and if so which month would be ideal?

It depends on your taste, if you want to stay in the hustle/bustle of Manali, trust me beyond the mall road and the shops surrounding it there's nothing more. Although a multiplex is going to open soon....

then the decent private hotel rates start from INR2000-2500+ depending on the room type, most are costly during the peak season, May, June and Christmas/ New Year. Cheaper option are also available if you just need the room for the night.

If you want a more peaceful environment you can stay in hotels on Naggar side (other bank) or nearest option 20km before, in Raison and Katrain, private hotel/ guest houses range from 500-1200 and most of them are clean and decent with availability of snacks & meals. Kullu comes another 20km earlier.

Now coming to the HPTDC ones which I will highly recommend, On Manali bank, Hotel Rohtang Manalsu, 10 min walk to the Manali mall, DBR starts from 550-1500 and including BF and they add 150-200 pp during peak season onto this for dinner included.

On the Naggar side, Hotel Castle, its a hill palace of the king converted to hotel/ museum and restaurant. Tariff starts from 1000-3500 including BF and they add 150-200 pp during peak season onto this for dinner included.

Off season has 30% discount, both have modern facilities to cater to their guests. Bookings can be made online from HPDTC or Yatra.com and makemytrip.com who are their authorised agents. Citywise Agents details are present here.

Another topic of snowfall is very difficult to answer, highest probablity is from last week of December to mid-jan but mother nature is taking revenge with vengence nowdays and it snowed in upped ranges few days back and in march too last year. Rest is your luck. Stay at Naggar or manali ONLY to experience snowfall, if it happens.

If you just want to see snow then that can be found in abuandance in Rohtang, you can also go for a skiing lesson at a cost or a helicopter view of the surroundings.

@salidrive, hatchback should not be a problem as long as you keep the occupants to 4, for the planning/directions you can ask the experts here.

Originally Posted by travelwriter

Hey Dadu,

Please give some more details on how to reach Fozal village. Is it ahead of Old Manali?

Its after Raison, when coming from Delhi , after Kullu, there is only one bridge which is made of Iron girdars crisscross just like the railways ones. If you take the bridge, you goto manali, if you take the small inclined road straight up, you will reach fozal.

Originally Posted by snaronikar

You stayed in relatives house, I guess. Did you visit any of the mountains covered with snow?

Its my own house, my parents stay here now. Usually I dont go anywhere but this time because of my daughter had to venture own, no snow mountains visited though.

[dadu]

Naggar Castle was the palace of the King of Kullu which is now converted to a Hotel cum Restaurant cum A single room Museum. Entry Charges are Rs15 per person. You can also visit the Roerich (famous actress Devika rani's husband) Art Gallery just above this. The Art gallery is closed on Monday.



The Entrance to the Castle



Side View of Entrance



Royal Temple Inside



The Courtyard in front of the temple



Restaurant, 2-3 tables are placed in the balcony which oversees the valley below, rest of the seating is inside.



The fine hand carving which you can find all across this palace made of wood and stone.



A view of the Sunset from the Restaurant Balcony


NEXT: Gods of the Valley

[dadu]

The big event is today and preparations were in full swing for many days before.








The Vishnu God being taken for a bath in Vashisth kund, all gods are carried on their thrones and distances are covered by foot, ALWAYS.



All the Village Devta's from the adjoining villages are invited and some have arrived(9), some on the way(5).





Each god has certain charateristic, some are naughty, some quiet and some Jamlu, i.e. whereever they sit or are placed that piece of land becomes their's to keep. Therefore a wooden platform is always carried along with them and placed below, before they are rested.



This is the Lord Vishnu temple



This is Lord Vishnu





God's enroute



They are welcomed and respected by the Village ladies



The welcome group also include the traditional trumpets





As they arrive they are rested on the Dias but each god stands up to repect the arrivee and after a know-each other ceremony is finally rested.


Many thousand people from the surrounding villages will feast today here.

If you want to see the spectacle, you need to visit Kullu Valley during the Dusherra, when all GODS come down the Dusherra Ground and its the biggest event of the year here.

THE END

[arindamray]

dadu, really nice and relaxing trip. the picnic spot was really inviting.