Located at a height of 6260 feet above the sea level at the lap of Himalayas, Manali is one of the beautiful hill stations in Himachal Pradesh. Apart from the surrounding majestic hills, lush green forests, sparkling water of river Beas, and quaint charm, Manali is also known for its religious places and their spiritual values. Manikaran is one among them is famous for its beautiful landscapes and hot water springs. The gurudwara is one of the important parts of the Manali tour packages and it takes a whole day to reach Manikaran and get back to Manali.
Located in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, Manikaran is a small town situated in the Parvati valley on river Parvati. The small town is about 35 km from Kullu and attracts tourists visiting Kullu and Manali. The place has a geothermal energy plant. The Gurudwara is believed to be sacred both by the Sikhs and by the Hindus having reasons of their own.
According to the Hindus, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati chose to stay at this place for 1100 years. During their stay, Parvati lost her Mani in the stream. Lord Shiva was angry and opened his third eye and performed tandav. Sheshnag was approached to pacify Lord Shiva. Sheshnag hissed which gave rise to a flow of boiling water. The water spread over the entire region and precious stones like the ones Parvati lost started to emerge. Since then, the place got the name Manikaran.
According to the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism came to Manikaran in 1574 during the third Udasi along with one of his followers, Bhai Mardana. Mardana felt hungry but they did not have any food. Nanak sent Mardana to collect food for the Community Kitchen, Langar. People donated flour to make chapattis. However, in spite of having the ingredients, there was no water. Guruji then asked Mardana to pick up a stone and the hot water spring appeared. As directed by the Guruji, Mardana put the rolled chapattis in the spring, but the chapattis sank. Guru Nanak told Mardana to pray to God that if his chapattis float back then he would donate one in His name. Mardana did the same and the chapattis started floating duly baked. It is believed that anyone who donates in the name of God, they are likely to get the lost things back.
Apart from this, Manikaran is blessed with a number of temples and gurudwaras.the prime tourist attractions include Lord Shiva Temple, Shri Guru Nanak Devji Gurudwara, Kulant Pith Lord Ramchandra Temple, Harinder Mountain and Parvati River.
Manikaran does not have too many eating options. However, if you are planning to make a visit, do not forget to gorge on the foods distributed at the langars. These are not only delicious but also hygienic. The menu includes chapatti, rice, dal, vegetable with gravy, pickles, and curd. However, you may make some personal arrangements or carry your own food.
The religious values, the hot springs, and the beautiful surroundings make Manikaran an important part of Manali tour packages.
