Manikaran is a highly auspicious place for Sikhs & Hindus. Both the community has a special attachment to the place for various reasons.
Sikh Belief: As per the story, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was with his Sikhs(Bhai Bala Ji & Bhai Mardana Ji) in the Himalaya mountains of India. His Sikhs were hungry and there was no food. Guru Nanak sent his Good Friend Bhai Mardana to collect food for langar (the Community Kitchen). Many people donated rice and flour (atta) to make parsadas (bread). The one problem was that there was no fire to cook the food.
Guru Nanak then lifted a rock and a hot spring (hot water) appeared. The Sikhs were able to make rice and beans. Bhai Mardana was having trouble making parasadas (chapatis) because they kept sinking. Bhai Mardana said, “I am going to donate my life in the name of God”. The parsada amazingly floated. Guru Nanak Dev Ji said that anyone who donates his life in the name of God, All his (or her) drowned items will float. This was a miracle. This is not all, it is believed that the hot springs can cure skin diseases or even ease the swelling caused by gout.
To pay respect to Guru Nanak who is believed to have visited the place. A huge Gurudwara is erected at the place. The Gurudwara is visited by millions of devotees each year. Even today, devotees are treated with free langar organized by Gurudwara.
Sikh Belief: As per the story, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was with his Sikhs(Bhai Bala Ji & Bhai Mardana Ji) in the Himalaya mountains of India. His Sikhs were hungry and there was no food. Guru Nanak sent his Good Friend Bhai Mardana to collect food for langar (the Community Kitchen). Many people donated rice and flour (atta) to make parsadas (bread). The one problem was that there was no fire to cook the food.
Guru Nanak then lifted a rock and a hot spring (hot water) appeared. The Sikhs were able to make rice and beans. Bhai Mardana was having trouble making parasadas (chapatis) because they kept sinking. Bhai Mardana said, “I am going to donate my life in the name of God”. The parsada amazingly floated. Guru Nanak Dev Ji said that anyone who donates his life in the name of God, All his (or her) drowned items will float. This was a miracle. This is not all, it is believed that the hot springs can cure skin diseases or even ease the swelling caused by gout.
To pay respect to Guru Nanak who is believed to have visited the place. A huge Gurudwara is erected at the place. The Gurudwara is visited by millions of devotees each year. Even today, devotees are treated with free langar organized by Gurudwara.
Hindu Belief:
The Hindus believe that Manu recreated human life in Manikaran after the flood, making it a sacred area. Further, According to legend, when the Hindu God Shiva and his consort Parvati were walking in the valley, Parvati dropped one of her earrings. The jewel was seized by Shesha, the serpent deity, who then disappeared into the earth with it. Shesha only surrendered the jewel when Shiva performed the cosmic dance, the Tandava, and shot the jewel up through the water. Apparently, jewels continued to be thrown up in the waters at Manikaran until the 1905 Kangra earthquake. Hence the name.
Manikaran is approx 5-7 km from Kasol & can be with ease. The road is properly paved & one can find many people visiting the place. The place is peaceful & the best part is the hot spring. Even during winters, hot water is more hotter than water running through a geyser. So having a dip in the water will relieve your tiredness.
The place an absolute gem & visiting it once is absolutely necessary if traveling to Kasol in Himachal.
The place an absolute gem & visiting it once is absolutely necessary if traveling to Kasol in Himachal.
Handy Resources:
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Agoda: Best place to book hotels of your liking. Agoda provides the best solution & great offer while booking a hotel.
Skyscanner: Skyscanner compares various sites & sort the flights based on the rates. A great way to check flight cost. Although the only drawback is that rates are flexible. Hence, the cost might change while you are making the payment.
Jetradar: Jetradar is a comparing site which is just like Skyscanner. But, is much more accurate & much more handy in use.
Booking: Best place to book hostel rooms. There are plenty of options available & with so many properties booking becomes much easier.
Couchsurfing: Best place to find free accommodation. It is as easy as filtering people & messaging. If you will get lucky you will find free accommodation in local resident house.
Travel Insurance: There are numerous options available to get one. So, you can choose anything which suits your requirement. Make sure you read the terms & conditions before buying one.