It had a name that inspired poetic thought. Kul-anit-peetha, the end of the habitable world, that got shortened over the course of time to a more prosaic Kullu, one of the Kullu-Manali pairing. A visit here, however, should reinforce the sense of being at world’s end, where paradise takes her first steps, here, where the Kullu valley sits spread over the River Beas, sandwiched between Pir Panjal, the lower Himalayan and the Great Himalayan range.
The valley runs north to south of this river and is 80km long and about 2km at its broadest. Yet with awe inspiring glens and mossy meadows encircled by the rushing streams and meandering brooks, flung east & west, a fairly wide area is open to the tourists, the trekkers, the mountaineers, the artists and to anyone who wishes to escape the heat & dust of the plains to breathe the exhilarating air of the Himalaya and enjoy the spectacle of the variegated mountain scenery.
Sights to See
The Great Hiamlayan National Park
The National Park with an area of 754 square km is located in the Kullu district and is characterised by the temperate and alpine forests of Himachal. It has some the virgin coniferous forests of the state as well. Vast areas of alpine pastures and glaciers cap this park. This area has many important wildlife species of the western Himalayas, like musk deer, brown bear, goral, Thar, leopard, snow leopard, bharal, serow, monal, kalij, koklas, cheer, tragopan, snow cock, among others. Trekking to the Rakti-Sar, the origin of the River Sainj, and camping in alpine pastures is an unforgettable experience, as is trekking to Tirath, the origin of the River Tirthan.
Raghunath Temple
Just one km from Kullu is the temple dedicated to the principal deity of the valley.
Vaishnodevi Temple
A popular pilgrim spot for people from across the country, the Vaishnodevi Temple is situated at a distance of four km from Kullu. It is a small cave enshrines an image of Goddess Vaishno Devi.
Malana
A little further from the beautiful Chanderkhani Pass lies the village of Malana, considered to be the oldest democracy in the world. It is famous for the temple of Jamlu deity and its distinct social and cultural life.
Excursions from Kullu
Bijli Mahadev
Placed at a height of 2460 meter is Bijli Mahadev, a sacred destination 14 km to the south-east of Kullu and a three-km trek from Mansari village. A beautiful meadow with an ancient Shiva temple famous for its stone Shiva linga. It is believed that the Shiva linga shatters every time it is struck by lightning and can only be resurrected by the temple priest. The view from here is spellbinding, with a panaromic view of the Kullu & Manikaran valleys. Palani falls, six km to the north of Bijli Mahadev, is a popular picnic spot. If you visit the fall in March, stop over at the fair which is held there annually during this month.
Manikaran
About 45 km from Kullu and just three km from Kasol, this place is famous for its hot springs. The water is hot enough to be able to cook the Indian staple food of daal, rice and vegetables! A well-known pilgrimage place for both Hindus and Sikhs, it is visited by thousands of people who take come here to take a holy dip in the holy waters. According to an old legend, Manikaran is connected with Lord Shiva and his divine consort, Parvati, who lost her earrings here, which led to the formation of the hot waters on the bank of the River Parvati.
Banjar and Larji
At a distance of 58 km south of Kullu, Banjar is an excellent spot for trout fishing in the waters of river Tirthan. Larji, about 34 km away, is also a good fishing spot.
Naggar
The capital of erstwhile Kullu state for about 1400 years, Naggar (1,760 m) on the left bank of the River Beas, is delightfully situated on a wooded slope. There are large number of famous temples here. Cars and jeeps can easily make the journey up to the Naggar castle. The Roerich Art Gallery which houses the paintings of Nicholas Roerich as well as his sculptures is less than a km from the castle. Naggar is also a base for undertaking treks to Chanderkhani Pass and to remote valley of Malana.
Getting There
By Air: Kullu is connected by Indian Airlines and Air Deccan to Delhi. The airport is at Bhuntar, 10 km from Kullu.
By Rail: Nearest convenient rail heads are Kiratpur and Chandigarh and Jogindernagar on Narrow Gauge from where Kullu can be reached by road.
By Road: Kulu is well connected by road to Delhi, Ambala, Chandigarh, Shimla, Dehradun, Pathankot, Dharamsala and Dalhousie. Regular direct buses ply between these stations including deluxe, semi-deluxe and air-conditioned buses during the tourist season. Local buses operate between Kullu-Manali and Manikaran regularly. Taxis are also available.
Get around
There is a intra-town bus-system, which will take you to all the important places at very nominal prices. Also local taxis can be hired easily. You can rent motorbikes from the local shops and enjoy the ride in the mountains if you wish to do so.