Enthralling Manali.
This trip was planned in June of year 2012
I was traveling with my Family.
Tour Agent:
Mr.Sandeep Kaushik, Numbers are: 09996620365, 09416020365, 0171-2557365
Itinerary:
8TH JUNE IN TRAIN AND 9TH WE WOULD BE IN CHANDIGARH
9th June : Pick up from Chandigarh and transfer to bilaspur through indica car. Dinner at Bilaspur (D)
10th June : Breakfast at hotel Panchawati inn and leaving for manali. Leaving Bilaspur Before 9AM and reaching Manikaran by 2:00pm. Reaching Naggar by 5PM. Reaching Manali By 7or 8pm. Night stay at hotel Dream View with Dinner and Lodging. (B,D)
11th June : Breakfast at hotel dreamview.Leaving early morning for Rohtang and Solang. Reaching Manali by Night. Dinner at hotel. (B,D)
12rd June : Early Breakfast and Visiting Gulaba or kothi and local sight seeing. Night stay with Dinner in hotel. (B,D)
13th June : Breakfast and Leaving early morning for Chandigarh.(B)
13TH NIGHT WE WILL BE IN TRAIN AND WE WILL IN JAIPUR ON 14TH MORNING.
Luggage:
Two bags, one trolly and other hand bag. We carried all type of general medicines as well. Luggage included tea maker , flask, instant noodles and many other things. Everything was planned meticulously.
TOUR
Our agent is a very honest and dedicated person. Tours are handled in a very professional manner. Please note that I am not associated to him in any way. I have hired his services twice and he always stood to his reputation. He is only tour agent who returned my money when an earlier tour was cancelled, that too during a peak season of New Year. He might not pick up the phone sometimes, because he may be traveling or his phone will be engaged.
Our planning was like the usual plan to Manali, except there were two small kids with us. So we decided to take a halt at Bilaspur. We took GR train from Jaipur and we were provided a taxi at Ambala cantt. We were picked up through an Indica car and our driver was Mr.Lalit. As you can see the pick the face has a red circle around it. There is a reason for that. Please read further and you will understand why he is having a circle around his face.
We were having a taxi ride via Chandigarh-Bilaspur-Manali.
Hotel Panchawati inn in Bilaspur was there in our itinerary. I was taking photographs of nearby places. The road from Chandigarh to Bilaspur is very good, except for certain small patches. There are unlimited Gurudwaras along this route and including Shri Tirathpur Sahib and Manikaran Sahib. There is a Gurudwara when you cross Chandigarh which provides you super fine tea in large tumbler size glasses. The tea service is free of cost and is provided for twenty four hours.
My children were feeling Hungry so we decided to take lunch. We told Lalit to stop at a certain good looking restaurant but he refused and told us that there is a very fine restaurant nearby and we will stop over there. His fine restaurant was a third class Dhaba which was overpriced and carried no facility. But it was fine with me.
Further we reached Bilaspur by day time only. The manager was expecting us by evening and it was just 15:30 hours. But he helped us and within few minutes we were transferred to our Super deluxe room. The room was comfortable with two separate beds and ambience was real good.
I decided to take some photographs.
The dinner served at night was very good and was cooked very well. Serving was done in room though the package demanded that we should have our dinner through Buffet. On our request we had a packed breakfast early in the morning. We were accommodated by hotel staff as they were getting request through our tour agent Mr.Kashyap. It was too early to pack a breakfast as the kitchen used to open after seven. But the hotel manager Mr.Mohit kept his word and supplied us a properly packed breakfast in the morning.
Next day we proceeded towards Manali. Our driver Mr.Lalit told us that the road to Manikaran Sahib is totally bad and we cannot proceed to that place. So I decided to avoid going over there. On the way the driver tried his best to sell us some overpriced adventure sport’s idea. But his foolishness really amused me. I had two small kids who cannot participate in the sport.
We reached the banks of river and enjoyed the rapids from the sides. We also visited Pandoh dam, Hanoi Mata temple, vaishno Mata temple and other places on our route. Vaishnav Mata temple which is very beautiful carried a small hut where Sharda Ma practised her Sadhana. As soon as I entered that cave like structure the spiritual bliss and peace engulfed my soul to the fullest. I felt like sitting over there for indefinite time. The place was so good that I didn’t felt like coming out of the place.
We reached Manali by 17:20 hours. Our stay was planned at Hotel Dream View at Kaniyal Road. Kaniyal is a very small town and a beautiful place to take evening walks. When I entered the room, I found that the room was not that good. The weather has weathered the wood and other things in the room. Our Manager and owner of the hotel was a very nice person. Mr. Raj (The owner) told us that he will shift us to another room with better view. My fluency with Punjabi and my knowledge about Ludhiana made us friendly within minutes. Back in my new room, I enjoyed the beautiful view of the Mountains while sipping the green tea especially catered through our own tea maker.
Next day demanded a visit to Rohtang pass. Rohtang is a synonym for “Rooh tang”. The pass is so difficult and at times so inaccessible that localites called it Roohtang (The place where soul get hanged). We were given a new driver as you cannot take outside taxis to Roohtang. This was arranged by Mr.Kashyap. The new driver Surinder was a very good person. He was fair, honest and good in dealing. He told us to buy our “Dangris” (The local snow suits) from nearby shops. He told us that the rates will be higher near the pass. He was right as we have already read the same on the internet. The outfits (Four of them with gloves, shoes and everything) cost us 750 INR. It was cheaper than what was mentioned on internet.
Our ride with Surinder was a pleasant one. He knew the whole place very well. There was a long queue near Rohtang but we can still enjoy the snow because Beas nalla was covered with snow.
I quickly got rid of my bulky outfit and covered myself with my jacket. We reached kothi point. I took out the flask with hot boiling water. Then the water was poured in cup noodles. All of us enjoyed hot noodles near the snow packed place. It was really very good. We also visited some other sightseeing spots our way back to Manali. There is a place where you can enjoy a glider ride. My wife liked the idea and she enjoyed it as well. The rates for the same are not altered and they are mentioned clearly on the board over there.
We also visited Gulaba en-route to Manali.
After returning to our hotel and having our lavish dinner, we decided to take a walk. Kaniyal road near our hotel was a very good road. It was a way to old Kaniyal village. Me and my wife enjoyed our evening walks on the road. We also visited Kartik Swami temple near Kaniyal road. This temple is not mentioned anywhere but “Kartik Swami” temple is a famous place for people of Kaniyal Village. People flock to that place for all their queries and their prayers get answered as well. The problem with the temple was that it was opened early in the morning and it remained closed for the whole day. Each time we visited the temple, it was closed for the day. I have intuition that we will be allowed a darshan on the last day only. It was right, because on last day, we were able to see the inner sanctorum. The idol was carved in wood and the temple was quite old.
Next day was for local sightseeing. You can visit Hidimba temple, deer park, local market, vasishtha temple etc. On your way to Vasishtha temple you may hear people selling you “Chingu”. Do not listen to them. This is mentioned all over internet that they cheat you. This route carries lot of fine dining places and super fine bakeries. You can enjoy lot of delicacies over there.
What I enjoyed the most was our visit to Buddhist temple in the centre of the town. I love to explore new things and culture. The senior Lama over there was a very spiritual person. His graceful smile and his response to our Namaskar were remarkable.
Our stay at hotel dream view was very comfortable. The food was changed and it carried lot of variety every day. The manager and the staff are very good.
Next day was our last day. Our luggage was packed, our breakfast was packed and we bade goodbye to hotel staff. Our ride back was fine except for one incident. On our way back our driver stopped at a joint and had his breakfast over there. After that stop he was talking on his phone and he decided where his next stop will be. It was just before Sundernagar. It was Raja hotel, where he parked the car in complete sun and just went inside. After half an hour, I found that he was enjoying his lunch inside. I told him to park the car somewhere else as it was too hot and children were inside. He refused to do so. He was going way above my head, and I called Mr.Kashyap. Kashyap ji gave me the number of princi
travel. The owner was very rude but finally he listened to me. Kashyap ji told me to leave the taxi immediately and told us to wait nearby; he was sending another taxi for us. The information he gave me is very vital information about the place. If your driver stops near Sundernagar, then beware. A local drug named Kulfa are served in those restaurants and restaurants nearby. Kulfa is sold to foreigners as well and your life may be in danger if your driver is having his meals near that place. So you can understand why I have marked the face of the driver in the photo.
So we reached another place called Athithi which is nearby. Though the restaurant is good the owners are really greedy and follow cheap tactics for their restaurant. Everything is fairly overpriced and there are warning slogans everywhere, even in the loo.
When you ask for change (After buying something), you will be given a chocolate instead of change. You will see that owners look at everybody as if everybody except them came from some kind of remote area. Their prying eyes will follow everywhere. I decided to wait outside. I would not recommend any restaurant near Sundernagar.
Our new driver was a Sikh named Lucky. He was a fine fellow and he gave us more vital information. Our driver lied to us about so many things including Manikaran and other places. I would recommend being careful while dealing with princi travels.
Our drive back was very good and we enjoyed it as well. We reached Chandigarh station on time and boarded our train. Please note that Chandigarh station is a fairly out-dated spot with no place of proper food inside. You have to go outside and quite far away as well to have your food. It is pathetic that such an important station misses even basic food facilities.
Alok Jagawat
One route i know i through kiratpur via bilaspur….Can anyone guide me how the route is through Hoshiarpur regarding distance and road condition?
How will be my personal life
I have saturn,mars,jupitor and rahu in 7th house if ketu is taken in ist house