Places of Interest Page-2

HADIMBA TEMPLE

This temple is situated at Jahalman village.This temple is made of wood .The temple is very small but the people of Jahalman Kothi have deep faith in Its power .Whenever there is scanty rainfall people go to this temple for prayer and Devi Hadimba blesses them with rain.

GHEHPAN TEMPLE

The temple of Lord Ghepan is in Sissu village. The temple is not open to outsiders. Once in two/three years the deity is taken out of the temple in a procession. Lord Gyephang or Ghepan is the presiding deity of Lahaul--the protector of people. In olden days people of Lahaul fought, their wars under the banner of Lord Gyephang. A wooden pole with gold- plated parasol atop it, is the symbol of devta which is kept below the Geypang peak under a lonely cedar tree. It is believed that the devta is the younger brother of Jamlu rishi, the most powerful deity of the Malana village in Kullu district.

SURAJ TAL

It is situated on the summit of the Baralacha Pass, an altitude of 16000 feet. It is also known as the Lake of the Sun god. This lake remains frozen during winter but in summer season this turns into a beautiful lake. The Bhaga river rises from this lake. It attracts number of tourists from all over the world in summers.

KEYLONG

Keylong is the most populated and busy village of the Lahaul valley. It is the district head quarters of Lahaul and Spifi. At an altitude of 3156 m. Keylong is situated on the main trade route between the Rohtang and Baralacha passes above the Bhaga river. Most of the government offices are located at Keylong. This is also the hub-centre of all commercial activity with a regular bazaar. Three of the best known monasteries Tayul, Kardang and Sha-Shur are within a few kms. from this village. Tourists may also like to visit the temple of the local deity Kelang Wazir in the house of one Sh. Nawang Dorje.

TANDI

The village is situated above the confluence of the rivers Chandra and Bhaga in the Pattan valley some 7 kms away from Keylong. There are atleast three mythological stories connected with Tandi. First, Tandi is believed to means Tan Dehi,i.e., giving up of the body. This is associated with Draupadi, the wife of Pandav. as, who left her body at this place. Second, this is believed that Rishi Vashishtha who meditated near the hot water springs of Manali was cremated at this confluence; hence named Tandi, i.e., body consumed. According to the third, Chandra and Bhaga were son and daughter of the Moon and the Sun gods respectively. They were in love with each other. To perform their celestial marriage they decided to climb the Baralacha-la and from there run in opposite directions encircling a vast tract of Lahaul. Thus flowing south-east and south-west both met at Tandi to enter the wedlock. It is considered as 'Haridwar' of Lahoul.

UDAIPUR

It is a sub- divisional headquarter situated near Chandra Bhaga river. Earlier it was known as Margul but in 1695 it was renamed as Udaipur by Raja Udai Singh of Chamba.Udaipur offers the most thickly forested and green scenery in Lahaul. Hermann Goetz who visited this area in 1939 complimented the natural charm of this place by comparing its scenery to the Swiss scenery. The famous Markula temple is situated here.

DARCHA

Darcha is situated at the junction of Yotche nullah and the Zangskar chuu. Both these nullahs meet with the main river Bhaga at this place. The valley broadens out from Darcha. The altitude of Darcha is about 3500 m. There is a police check post . Darcha is the last village where one can see sparse growth of trees. Beyond Darcha not even a single tree can be seen on either side of the highway. Landscape starts looking desolate and absolutely barren.

KHOKSAR

There is habitation on the left bank also. H.P.P.W.D. rest house and Serai are on the left bank. Khoksar remains covered under snow during winters. This village is surrounded by high mountains and is avalanche-prone. Avalanches can be seen piled up even near the river bed. During winters Khoksar is the coldest inhabited place in Lahaul. The river freezes during winters and is covered with snow to afford regular passage for human beings as also for mule traffic.

GONDHLA

The village is situated at a distance of 18 kms from Keylong. It is situated at an altitude of 3160 m. The village is surrounded by thick foliage of poplars and willows. House of the Thakur of Gondhla, called the Gondhla castle or fort, attracts a large number of tourists. The fort was built in 1700 A.D. by Raja Man Singh of Kullu whose influence stretched upto the Lingti plains beyond the Baralacha-la. This Raja also married a daughter of the Gondhla family to cement his ties with the Thakur. The castle is an example of the indigenous timber bonded stone style of the Western Himalayas consisting of alternate courses of stone and wooden beams and cemented together with wet clay. This seven storey high edifice is topped by a wooden verandah which runs round the upper storey. The staircases in the building are partially notched wooden logs. The building has many apartments which can comfortably accommodate more than 100 people.

<< Back Next >>