Old Manali in Winter: The Village Beyond the Mall Road

Ask most people about Manali and they will describe Mall Road: the long busy street of shops, momo stalls, hotel touts and honking traffic, packed with families in hired snow suits. It is a lively place and it has its uses. But it is not the Manali that made people fall in love with this corner of the Kullu valley.

For that, cross the Manalsu stream and walk uphill to Old Manali.

A village, not a neighbourhood

Old Manali is the original village, older than the town that grew up below it. Until the late twentieth century it was mostly a farming community of wooden and stone houses, apple orchards and fields, with a temple at its heart. Then came travellers, guesthouses and cafes, and the lower part of the village changed a great deal.

Still, walk far enough up the lanes and much of the older village is there. Houses built in the traditional Himachali kath-kuni style, with alternating layers of timber and stone and no mortar, stand among newer concrete buildings. Wooden balconies hang over the lanes. Hay is stacked in the eaves. In winter, when snow lies on the roofs and smoke rises from chimneys, it is easy to imagine what the place was like before the road came.

Winter changes everything

Summer is Old Manali’s busy season, when the lower lanes fill with backpackers and music. In January it is a different place.

Many cafes and guesthouses close for the winter, especially those run by people from outside the valley. Those that stay open tend to be smaller, warmer and quieter. The lanes are often icy. The orchards are bare. Early mornings are still and cold, with frost or fresh snow on the slate roofs.

This is the best time to see the village as a village. Families go about their winter routines: carrying firewood, clearing snow from paths, sitting in the sun on a balcony. Please remember that these are homes, not a set for your photographs. Ask before photographing people, and keep your voice down in the lanes early and late.

The Manu temple

At the top of the village stands the temple dedicated to Manu, the sage of Hindu tradition from whom, according to local belief, Manali takes its name. The temple has been rebuilt in recent decades, and its present building is newer than many visitors expect, but the site has long been sacred to the village.

Dress modestly, remove your shoes where asked and follow any instructions from the priest or caretakers. The temple is a working place of worship, not a tourist attraction.

Hadimba and the deodar forest

From Old Manali it is a pleasant walk to the Hadimba Devi temple at Dhungri, set in a forest of tall deodar cedars. The temple, with its tiered wooden roof and carved doorway, is usually dated to the mid-sixteenth century and attributed to a local ruler. It is dedicated to Hadimba, a figure from the Mahabharata who is worshipped as a goddess in the Kullu valley.

In summer the forest is crowded and the area outside the temple is busy with yak photos and rabbit holders. In winter, especially early in the day, the snow on the deodars and the dim light inside the forest make it feel ancient again.

Walk slowly through the trees. Do not climb on the temple or touch the carvings, and keep away from the altar area unless invited.

Where to walk

The lanes above the temple. Follow paths uphill beyond the last cafes, through orchards and past fields. Views open up towards the high peaks around the Solang valley.
Along the Manalsu. The stream that separates Old Manali from the town is lovely in winter, with ice forming along its edges. Be careful near the water: rocks are slippery.
Towards Vashisht. Across the Beas, the village of Vashisht, famous for its hot springs and temples, makes a good half-day walk or a short drive. Check that paths are safe in icy weather.

Eating and staying

Without naming individual places, which change hands and close often, a few principles help.

Look for homestays and small guesthouses run by local families. You will often eat what they eat: rajma, rice, local greens, perhaps siddu, the steamed stuffed bread of the region.
Ask how rooms are heated before you book. Some places have electric heaters, others rely on wood stoves or bukharis. Power cuts are possible in heavy snow.
Choose places that manage their waste properly, and use refillable water bottles.
Expect simpler menus in winter, and be grateful for them.

A note on the season

January is also a time of local festivals and rituals in parts of the Kullu valley, when village deities and old customs matter a great deal to residents. If you happen upon a procession or ceremony, watch from a respectful distance, follow any requests not to photograph and do not assume you are welcome inside. Some of the most memorable winter moments here come from simply being a quiet, patient guest when the village is doing something for itself rather than for visitors.

Getting around

Old Manali is about a kilometre or two uphill from the main town, across the bridge over the Manalsu. In snow, the steep roads can be tricky for cars and taxis may stop lower down. Walking is often easier and more pleasant. Wear boots with good grip, as the lanes can be glassy with ice in the morning.

Manali is reached by road from Chandigarh or Delhi; the long drive up the Beas valley is often slowed by traffic and roadworks. The nearest airport is at Bhuntar, near Kullu, with limited flights that are sensitive to weather. Read our Avalanche, road and permit notes for winter road conditions, and What the passes do in January if you are thinking of heading towards the Atal Tunnel or Lahaul.

Leaving Mall Road behind

You will probably still spend an evening on Mall Road, and that is fine. But give the old village a morning: frost on the roofs, smoke from the chimneys, the cedar forest silent with snow. That is the Manali people come back for.