Manikaran Sahib

Getting there

• By air

  The Kullu-Manali airport is at Bhuntar, about 35 km from Manikaran, with flights to and from Delhi and Chandigarh.

• By train

  Broad gauge trains reach Chandigarh or Kiratpur, and Kullu is a road journey from there. Manikaran is about 45 km from Kullu.

• By road

  Manikaran is 45 km from Kullu and can be reached by private or public transport.

Why devotees come here

Manikaran, in the Parvati Valley of Kullu district, is a pilgrimage centre for Hindus and Sikhs. It lies northeast of Bhuntar. A gurdwara built in homage to Guru Nanak Dev stands on the bank of the Parvati, and the town also has Hindu temples.

Legend says Parvati dropped one of her earrings at Manikaran. Shesha, the serpent deity, seized the jewel and disappeared into the earth with it. Jewels were said to keep rising in the waters here until the 1905 Kangra earthquake. These are legends, not settled history.

Sikh tradition says Guru Nanak came here on 15 Asu 1574 Bikrami with his disciple Bhai Mardana. The gurdwara built in homage to him stands calmly on the bank of the Parvati, with high mountains towering over the valley. Its compound has a hot spring.

Raja Jagat Singh built the Ram Chandra Ji temple in the 15th century. The town also has temples of the Hindu deities Rama, Krishna and Vishnu. An earthquake in 1905 damaged the Shiva temple and tilted it slightly. Manikaran is a pilgrimage centre for both Hindus and Sikhs.

Festivals

• Every OctoberKullu Dussehra

  A week-long international-level fair held in Kullu every October.

Tips for your visit

• High mountains tower over the valley around the gurdwara.
• Kasol is about 4 km from Manikaran.

Questions people ask