Welcome to the hill resort of Kullu. The Kullu valley has also been the valley of Gods in India. Kullu, the town is one of the most preferred summer destinations. The sun-scorched souls of the plains take refuge in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh. The temples, apple orchards and the Dussehra festivals are what have attracted thousands of tourists time and again to Kullu. The local handicrafts top the list of must buys from Kullu. Check out the hill resort of Kullu with the majestic mountains and the beautiful Beas River.

Location

The hill resort of Kullu is located in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh. Kullu lies in the lower reaches of the Himalayan range.

The Kullu valley was earlier referred to as Kulanthapitha. Kulanthapitha literally meant the "end of the habitable world".

The earliest recorded information of this area goes back to 1st century ad, when this valley began to be inhabited. In the medieval period, Kullu and the area around it was ruled by a number of local rulers. The capital was at Jagatsukh, 5 km to the south of Manali. In the 17th century, the capital was shifted to Kullu and the boundaries of the kingdom extended up to Lahaul and Spiti and the river Sutlej in the east. Though the valley was strategically located on important trade routes from north India to Ladakh and beyond, it was isolated from other parts of the country for many centuries till it came under British rule. The British governed the Kullu valley from Dharamshala.

Places to Visit

While at Kullu you must check out the tourist attractions of the Raghunath temple and the Jagannathi Devi temple.

One of the main tourist attractions of Kullu is the Raghunath Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ram, who is one of the principal deities of the Hindu religious pantheon and the patron deity of the entire Kullu valley. Raja Jagat Singh, the erstwhile ruler of Kullu, built this temple in AD 1660 to atone for his wrongdoings. He obtained a statue of Lord Ram from Ayodhya and established it within this temple.

Then there is the Jagannathi Devi Temple or the Bekhli Temple. The temple is at a distance of 3 km from Kullu in the village of Bekhli. You must check out the panoramic view of the valley from the temple. You need to climb a 1½?hour climb to reach this temple. The 16th-17th-century AD copper mask of the Goddess inside the temple has local Gaddi tribal features while another shows Rajasthani influence.

Tourist Destinations

Further ahead from Kullu you may visit the Bijli Mahadev Temple, Manikaran, Bajaura and Naggar. At an altitude of 2640 m is the Bijli Mahadev Temple. The temple is 11 km away from Kullu. The temple drives it name from the fact that the striking of lightning or bijli has time and again shattering the Shiva lingam inside the temple. The priests put the lingam together each time with ghee (clarified butter) until the next lightning strike breaks it apart again.

Then there is the Manikaran at an altitude of 1,737 m. Manikaran is at a distance of 45 km from Kullu. While at Manikaran you may check out the hot sulphur springs, it is renowned for. The springs in the Parvati River valley are believed to possess medicinal properties. Manikaran is sacred to the Hindus and Sikhs alike. Amongst the must visits at Manikaran are the Shri Ramchandra Temple and the Shri Guru Nanak Devji Gurdwara.

In the Kullu valley Bajaura is renowned for the Basheshwar Mahadev Temple. The temple is amongst the oldest in the Kullu Valley. It is at a distance of 15 km from Kullu. The massive pyramidal structure is magnificently decorated with stone images of Vishnu, Ganesh, and Mahishasurmardini (Goddess Durga as Slayer of the Buffalo Demon).

Then there is Naggar. The town is 23 km away from Kullu. Naggar is known as the erstwhile capital of the state of Kullu for over 1400 years. Amongst the must visists at Naggar are the historic monuments and temples. For the pious Kullu is the gateway to the sacred shrines of Vaisno Devi temple and the Vishnu temple of Dayar.

What to Buy

There are ample gift items offered by Kullu. The local handicvrafts of Himachal Pradesh top the list of must buys from Kullu. You can take your pick from the woodcarvings, bamboo and wickerwork, Chamba rumals and chappals, Himachali dolls, and woollen shawls.

The gudmas are the soft but heavy woollen blankets, generally with red and black trimmings, thobis or the floor coverings and kharchas or the mattresses are the other items you must check out at Kullu in Himachal. The colorful caps from Kullu are the other items that make excellent sovenirs.

For a shopping spree in Kullu you may visit the Akhara Bazaar area that boasts of the Government Handicrafts Emporium, Himachal Khadi Emporium, and the Khadi and Gramodyog Bhawan.

Adventure Sports

For the adventure seekers Manikaran near Kullu offers hiking and trekking facilities.

How to Reach

The hill resort of Kullu is easily accessible. For the air transport there is the Bhuntar Airport at a distance of 10 km from Kullu. Bhuntar links Kullu with other places like Delhi and Shimla.

The Railhead nearest to Kullu is at Jogindernagar, at a distance of 95 km. It caters to the rail traffic to Kullu.

The excellent road network links Kullu with other important places like Shimla, Delhi, Chandigarh, Mandi, Manali, Manikaran, Naggar, Bajura, and Dharamshala. Buses and taxis cater to the needs of the road transport in and around Kullu. Frequent bus services link Kullu with Mandi, Shimla and Manali.

Best Time to Visit

The hill resort of Kullu remains pleasant, all through the year. The mild Summers last from April to June. The cold winters last from November to February. Kullu experiences monsoons from July to September. This makes the summer months between April and June the best time to visit Kullu. The Dussehra festival in October is another favored time to visit Kullu.

Fairs and Festivals

The festival of Dussehra is celebrated with much zest in Kullu. The festivals marks the victory of good over evil falls in the month of October. Though the Hindu festival is celebrated throughout India Dussehra in Kullu valley is special. The people in Kullu rejoice for seven long days. Lord Raghunath's idol is taken through the streets on a palanquin carried by pilgrims. Five chosen animals namely a crab, a cock, a fish, a buffalo and a male goat are also sacrificed to mark the occasion amongst the other events. You must try Lugri the traditional Kullu drink, flows by the gallon during Dusshera.