Manali

Manali (Hindi: मनाली) is a hill station nestled in the mountains of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh near the northern end of theKullu Valley, at an altitude of 2,050 m (6,726 ft) in the Beas River Valley. It is located in the Kullu district, about 270 km (168 mi) north of the state capital, Shimla. The small town, with a population of 8,096,^[1] is the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakhand from there over the Karakoram Pass on to Yarkand and Khotan in the Tarim Basin. It has become a tourist attraction in recent years

Country	India
Languages spoken	English, Hindi
Currency	Rupees

Sports and nature

Sports in Manali provide the tourists with a wonderful opportunity to explore their hidden sporting talents and sportsman spirit. For those who want to add a bit of adventure to their lives, the various sports of Manali offer them with a scope to enjoy their holidays in a completely unique and novel manner. River rafting is practiced in the swift flowing River Beas. Under the able guidance of skilled sportsmen and experienced navigators, the tourists go for a ride on the turbulent river of the mountain region. Paragliding and parasailing are some other adventurous sports of Manali

Nightlife

This is a popular place with Indian Tourists. Everyone is welcome. With comfy sofa's, an open fire and good food. It is popular. Johnson's Cafe are trying to encourage everyone to come along. Music was okay, not much dancing was going on as I think people were enjoying the fire too much

Culture and history

In ancient times, the valley was sparsely populated by nomadic hunters known as 'rakshas'. The next arrivals were the shepherds who arrived from the Kangra Valley and settled to take up agriculture. Some of the earliest inhabitants of the region are the 'naur' or 'nar', which is a caste unique to the Kullu valley. Only a few naur families are known to exist now. A naur family in the village Soyal near Haripur on the west bank of Manali was famous for the vast land they owned and their practice of having 'rakshas' as their labourers. The British introduced apple trees and trout, The first apple orchard was set up by Britishers near patlikulh which were earlier not native to Manali flora and fauna. It is said that when apple trees were first planted the fruits were so plentiful that often branches, unable to bear the weight, would collapse. To this day, apple—along with plum and pear—remains the best source of income for the majority of its inhabitants. Tourism in Manali received a boost after the rise of militancy in Kashmir in the late 1980s. This once quiet village was transformed into a bustling town with many hotels and restaurants.[4]