Hot Springs at Manikaran (
District Kullu ) :- Manikaran is 45 km. from Kullu.
Manikaran lies in the Parvati valley of Kullu district. The spring
are situated near the bank of Parbati river. These are confined
to several groups of hot water springs emerging at various locations
spreading upto a distance of about 1.3 kms. along the river from
the old bridge to Brahmaganga. The springs at Manikaran come
out to surface with pressure and are very hot. There is no sulphur
or iron mixed in the waters, but it is said to be radio active.
The water of these springs is so much hot that pulses ( dal ),
rice, vegetables etc. can be boiled and cooked in it. There is
a Gurudwara here serving visitors and provides night stay. In
the Gurudwara, the dal, rice and vegetables are boiled in the
hot water and served to the visitors after cooking them fine
and surprisingly the meal is tasty. Vegetables etc. are cooked
in a pan resting on the hot water. Usually the meal is cooked
fine in 20 minutes. Even 'chapatis' are cooked by immersion.
The heat near the boiling place, where the meal is cooked, is
so high that inhabitual persons can not even stand and tolerate
the heat for some minutes.
The healing properties of the Manikaran Springs are well known
all over the country. Pigrims from far come here and for the cure
of their ailments. Rheumatism and muscular pains are said to cured
very fast by taking bath in this water. According to a legend,
Manikaran is associated with Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati.
Mani Karan means Ear Rings - it is said that once, while taking
bath here, Maa Parvati lost her ear rings in the Kund (pond). When
she told it to Lord Shiva, he became furious and looked at the
water of the kund with great anger and then thousands of ear rings
flowed out from the boiling water and since then the water of the
spring is boiling. The rocks surroundings the springs are also
very hot.
Hot Springs at Vashisht ( District Kullu ) :-
Vashisht is 6 km. from Manali ( in district Kullu ). It is located
well above the river Beas. The hot water springs emerge through
granitic gnessies which, in this part of the Himalaya, cover a
very large area. Vashisht hot water springs have made this low
profile village famous around the world. The village is 3 km. from
Manali on the left bank of the river Beas, at the foot of a laterite
and conglomerate rock hill covered with majestic Deodar and pines.
The water kunds ( ponds ) are in the centre of the village. The
temperature of the water varies from 110°F to 123°F. Almost
3,000 people take a dip in the tanks each day. There is also a
tank reserved for females. Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development
Corporation has also built 'Turkish type baths' about 500 meters
below Vashisht village to tap the springs curative potential. The
hot water is brought through pipe and stored in a huge water tank.
from where the water is channeled through pipes to the bathrooms
of the HPTDC.
Hot Springs at Tattapani ( District Mandi ) :- Tattapani
is 51 km. from Shimla and 29 km. from Naldera. It is a famous tourist
resort. It is located in district Mandi. It is located on the right
bank of river Satluj at an altitude of 656 meters. This natural
sulphur spring is pure and has curative power for various kings
of bodily ailments. The water level of the spring keeps changing
with the fluctuation in the water level of the river. Tatta-pani
means hot water.
Hot Springs at Kasol ( District Kullu ) :- It
is 32 km. from Bhuntar ( Kullu air port site ). It can be approached
by footpath and is about 1 km. further up stream Manikaran, opposite
Nikhthan village. Hot water emerges only at one location at Kasol.
The temperature of the water here is much lower than that of ManiKaran.
Another Hot Spring site is Khirganga. It is 26 km. from Kullu
and 10 km. from Pulga. It is also famous for hot water springs.
Here, the temperature of the water is much lower than that of ManiKaran. |