Mandi is one of the important tourist places next only to Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. As this place is at high altitude of about 3425 feet above sea level the climate is cool throughout the year as all hill stations are. The pleasant climate during summer season pulls the people from plains to spend their days. Though there are many tourist attractions here the major attraction is its climate. However the winters are extremely cold and not suitable for tourist activities. The national highways NH 20 and NH 21 pass through this town connecting it with neighbouring places.

Mandi has a long historical background and it was one of the princely states of North India during the time of Indian independence. Ajbar Sen established this town in 1527 though the state of Mandi was in existence from 1200 AD. This is located in the banks of the River Beas. The ancient palaces and the colonial buildings have earned more reputation to this place and have made the paradise of tourists.

The former name of Mandi was Mandav Nagar. It is believed that the sage Rishi Mandav meditated here and so the place got this name. This could also be said as the paradise of the spiritual lovers and there are more than 300 temples among which 81 are the old stone Shaivite temples. The International Mandi Shivaratri Fair is celebrated here every year in a very grand manner. The spiritual atmosphere at Mandi has earned this the name of Varanasi of the Hills.

This is the second biggest economy of Himachal Pradesh next to Shimla and is primarily based on agriculture. The important agricultural products are rice, wheat and vegetables. Those grown in this area are high quality products. It is estimated that more than 15 percent of the total apple production of the state comes from Mandi.

Those who have spiritual inclination would love to visit some of the important temples here and a few of these classical temples are named as the protected monuments by the Archaeological Survey of India. Some of these temples are Tarna Temple, Panchvaktra Temple, Vishvakarma Temple and Mata Kuan Rani Temple. Other places of interest in Mandi are Victorial Suspension Bridge, Prashar Lake, Janjehli, Sunder Nagar, the Sunken Garden and the Rewalsar Lake. The Rewalsar Lake is famous for its reed islands floating over it.

The closest airport to Mandi is Bhuntar Airport at Kullu located at a distance of 75 kilometers. However this is a small domestic airport and only few flights from particular destinations fly to here. You can reach this place by buses from the nearby locations of Chandigarh, Pathankot, Manali and Shimla. The Jogindernagar Railway Station located at a distance of about 50 kilometers is the nearest station and other nearest railway stations are at Kiratpur Sahib and Chandigarh. Chandigarh is situated 200 kilometers away from Mandi and if you reach this place by train you have to take bus to Mandi.

There is no dearth of good hotels in this place. There are many high class resorts that will make your stay pleasant. Refer the right Mandi travel guide to know more about the Mandi hotels and Mandi restaurants. 

Article Posted By : Sumazla  On September 01, 2012lView All Articles

I am Suhaina Mazhar working on India travel guide features. Writing is my passion, writing is my hobby and writing is my career. I want to write till the last moment of my life.

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