Mana is the last Indian village from the border of India and Tibet/China in the Himalayas. This village is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarkhand. It has been designated as a Tourism Village by the Uttarakhand government. This village is one of the loved destinations nearby to Badrinath and is just 3kms away from Badrinath town. This village is nestled on the banks of the river Saraswati. Mana village is situated at a height of almost 3219m and is beautifully surrounded by the Himalayan hills.
As per the Hindu mythology, the Pandavas passed through Mana duringtheir journey to heaven and thus Mana village holds a huge religious significance for the Hindus. There is a very popular stone bridge that was created by Bheemand known as Bheem pool near the river Saraswati. It is a huge rock formed as a bridge across the river Saraswati. Mana is a destination for all kinds of travellers. Be its picturesque beauty, trekking trails, pretty ancient temples and mysterious caves Mana is a favoured destination for leisure travellers, adventure lovers, history lovers and also for spiritual and religious beings. Mana village is also renowned for its woollen garments and materials made up of Sheep wool, like shawls, caps, muffler, ashan, pankhi- that is a thin blanket, and carpet. One can find the shopkeepers in this region selling products using the title "Last Village" - India’s Lst Tea and Coffee Corner.
There are many places to visit that cane be visited during the Uttarakhand Trip-
1. Neelkanth
Neelkanth Peak is at a good height around 6597m above sea level and is known as the Queen of Gharwal. The sacred Badrinath can be seen from this peak. Numerous Brahmakamanl can be seen from here. It is situated above the Badrinath temple.
2. Tapt Kund
Tapt Kund is a natural spring that is considered to be the abode place of Lord Agni. There is a strong belief that Kund has medicinal values and can cure several skin diseases. This place is visited by several travellers throughout the year.
3. Mata Murti Temple
Mata Murti temple is devoted to the mother of Lord Narayan. As per the legends, Mata Murti requested Lord Vishnu to take birth as her son. Listening to her request Lord Vishnu granted this wish of her and took birth in the form of a twin Nar and Narayan. Attend the annual fair here in August is a great celebration.
4. Vasudhara
Vasudhara is a stunning waterfall that is located just 9kms away from Badrinath temple. There is a strong belief that this place was a temporary stay point forPandavas during their exile. Visit this astounding waterfall and capture the fantastic views of the Vasudhara river valley.
5. Vyas Gufa
There is a strong belief that Ved Vyas lived in Vyas Gufa while composing the four Vedas. A distinct feature of the temple is the roof that resembles the pages from Ved Vyas collection of his holy books. There is a small shrine in the cave that is devoted to him that is around 5000 years old.
6. BheemPul
BheemPul is believed to have been created by Bheem- one of the five brothers among the Pandavas, near river Saraswati. It is a huge rock formed as a bridge across the river Saraswati. According to the legends Bheem placed the rock to make way for Draupadi to cross the river during their journey to heaven.
7. Saraswati Temple
The beautiful Saraswati temple is devoted to the Saraswati river that is known to be one of the holy rivers according to Hindu mythology. Several devotees visit this temple every year. It is situated in the valley and reaching this temple require a 1km ride and 1km trek.
8. Ganesh Gufa
Mana village has several mountains and ancient caves. Ganesh Gufa is one of them. It is believed that Ganesh Gufa is that guga whereHindu god Ganesh had narrated the legend of Mahabharata to Sage Shri Ved Vyas. One can even find a very simple Minimalistically decorated Ganesh temple that is surrounded by a cave here.
9. Saraswati River
Saraswati river is named after the goddess of wisdom. This river is also known as GuptGamini or Hidden river as it flows just around 100 m from its origin and then merges into river Alaknanda at Keshav Prayag in Mana.
Apart from all the scenic places Mana village offer any trek routes like Mana to Vasudhara- trekking from Mana to Vasudhara takes just two hours. On your trek just capture the mesmerizing views of Vasudahra river valley that are truly worth capturing, Mana to Satopanth- this trek starts from Mana that is just 3kms from Badrinath. One requires shoes as it is a tough stony mountain trek. SatopanthTal is a pristine lake at Mana village that is located at an altitude of around 4600mts above the sea-level, and Mana to Mana Pass- Mana Pass is the mountain pass in the Himalayas on the border between India and Tibet. This pass contains the Deotal Lake from which the river Saraswati originates.
Mana Pass is the source of the river Saraswati- a tributary of the river Alaknanda and the longest stem of the longest Ganges tributaries. The Mana Pass is not open for civilians. One needs permission from the administrations before trekking. The pass is only used by the Army and ITBP for carrying supplies to border posts. This pass offers one the astounding views of Chaukhamba- a mountain summit of Garhwal Himalayan range, trek to Charanpaduka- the trek till Charanpadukaleads one to the rock that supposedly contains Lord Vishnu’s footprints. During this trek capture the astounding views of Narayan peak and Neelkanth peak. One can even witness the pristine river of Rishiganga that forms a waterfall that is quite near the cave.
One can reach Mana village by rail, air and by road. This village connects with Haridwar/Rishikesh directly through NH-58 along with Badrinath and Joshimath towns. The nearest railway station is located at Haridwar that is around 275kms from Mana village. After reaching the railway station one can avail bus service or hire a taxi to reach Mana village. The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport that is situated at Dehradun and is at a distance of around 319kms. After reaching the airport one can avail bus service or hire a taxi to reach Mana village.
One planning to explore Mana village should plan in summers. The astounding villages are so calm and pleasant. Oen can easily explore this place as the temperature during this particular season is around 18 degreesCelcius. The nights can still be chilly here as the temperature falls after the sunset. Just avoid monsoon season as one might face roadblocks and landslides. The temperature during this particular season remains 15 degreesCelcius. It is advised to check the weather forecast before planning a vacation during the monsoon, on the other hand, winters are very harsh in Mana village as the temperature goes below 0 degreesCelcius. This place also receives frequent snowfall and thus makes it very difficult to visit this place. So plan a visit here between June to September and avoid August month
On one’s trip to Mana village, one can stay at the nearest place that will surely make your stay comfortable. Stay at Joshimathwhich is around 50.1kms away. One can find hotels and resorts, inns, cottages here at Joshimath. One can also camp at Joshimath and enjoy the spectacular views.
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